Dr. Chanequa

Dense, but Helpful

Reviewed: 08-16-19

I read (or rather listened to) this book after it was recommended by a dean at a gathering for women aspiring to academic leadership. As a psychologist, some of the concepts here were not new for me. But the authors aren’t trying to present new ideas. Rather, what they do is to synthesize psychological research, epigenetics, and case studies on confidence (and other related concepts such as self-efficacy, optimism, stereotype threat, etc.) to explain the gender gap in perceived confidence.

Their research is thorough and gets heady at times, but their use of personal stories and case studies helps demystify it. They offer practical strategies for women and for parents of girls about how we can raise our confidence even in the midst of a society that bombards us with self-doubt.

There is one chapter toward the end where they overrely on personal anecdotes of women in senior leadership positions in corporate America in ways that are overly simplistic and that contradict some of the research-based statements that they make at the beginning of the book. Overall, though, I’m glad I read it and I’m already more attentive to the ways I sabotage my own confidence. I think this is a must read for women aspiring to leadership. In fact, I suspect that I’ll come back to it repeatedly.

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It’s all about the container

Reviewed: 03-11-19

This is the first book I’ve ever read about decluttering or household organization/management. I wasn’t looking to read one either. But this popped up in the Goodreads feed of someone I know and the fact that they’d read it and given it a good review piqued my curiosity. I listened to the Audible version, which is narrated by the author. I was pleasantly surprised about how useful and lighthearted this book is. Dana White’s approach to decluttering comes from her experienced as a self-reformed packrat of the highest order. Her central principle is the “container concept,” which basically says that our houses, rooms, closets, cabinets, etc., are containers whose limits should constrain how much we have. Anything else must go. And she has clear-cut guidelines for deciding what goes. So even though I wasn’t looking for this book, I’ve already started implementing it.

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Powerful, insightful, and deeply engaging exploration of race and gender

Reviewed: 08-24-18

In this remarkable memoir, Morgan Jerkins narrates her journey from being a young Black girl who desperately desires to be white and to merit male attention to being a badass Black feminist who is at home in her own skin. In a manner that epitomizes intersectionality at its best, Jerkins utilizes her positionality as a Black woman to illuminate the ways in which sexism and racism intersect to impact the lives of Black women on a quotidian basis, not just in the US but across the globe. Her middle-class upbringing, Ivy League education, and global experiences provide a unique lens through which to view how privilege and oppression coexist in complex ways for Black women and girls. Jerkins manages to combine astute analysis of critical race and gender studies with highly transparent reflections upon her own experiences. She bravely delves into details about female body image, health, and sexuality that few writers would. At times, I must admit it was too much for some of my southern Protestant impulses. But Jerkins’ sharing is neither narcissistic nor a tool meant only to shock readers. Her descriptions of her embodied experience are always connected to larger social issues, demonstrating how the personal and the political collide in deeply intimate ways.

Jerkins’ narrative deserves every bit of the accolades (and more) that have been given to Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me.” Indeed, the two are excellent companions to read together.

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2 people found this helpful

Illuminating & Tender & Hilarious

Reviewed: 07-08-17

I had no idea what this book was about when I got it, but I kept seeing it and decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did and especially glad that I chose the audiobook. There were times in this book that I laughed so hard that I felt sick. There were other times that she said something so remarkably insightful that I just had to sit with it for a second. And as a psychologist, I found it to be the most revealing first person account of mental illness that I've encountered beyond an actual therapy session. Read it. Better yet: listen to it!

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Audio version is incredible!

Reviewed: 02-08-16

Some of the reviews on this book have indicated that Shonda Rhimes writes like she speaks. That's true. The book is written in the style of the fast-paced monologues that Scandal has become famous for. But hearing her read it on audiobook is phenomenal! It is not only an interior look into the world of a woman whose creativity has redefined television. It is also an inspiration to anyone who needs to learn to say yes to themselves.

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