Unfinished Business

Women Men Work Family

By: Anne-Marie Slaughter

Narrated by: Karen White, Anne-Marie Slaughter

Named one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post, NPR, and The Economist

“Slaughter’s gift for illuminating large issues through everyday human stories is what makes this book so necessary for anyone who wants to be both a leader at work and a fully engaged parent at home.” (Arianna Huffington)

When Anne-Marie Slaughter accepted her dream job as the first female director of policy planning at the US State Department in 2009, she was confident she could juggle the demands of her position in Washington, DC, with the responsibilities of her family life in suburban New Jersey. Her husband and two young sons encouraged her to pursue the job; she had a tremendously supportive boss, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; and she had been moving up on a high-profile career track since law school. But then life intervened. Parenting needs caused her to make a decision to leave the State Department and return to an academic career that gave her more time for her family.

The reactions to her choice to leave Washington because of her kids led her to question the feminist narrative she grew up with. Her subsequent article for The Atlantic, "Why Women Still Can't Have It All", created a firestorm, sparked intense national debate, and became one of the most-read pieces in the magazine's history.

Since that time Anne-Marie Slaughter has pushed forward, breaking free of her longstanding assumptions about work, life, and family. Though many solutions have been proposed for how women can continue to break the glass ceiling or rise above the "motherhood penalty", women at the top and the bottom of the income scale are further and further apart.

Now, in her refreshing and forthright voice, Anne-Marie Slaughter returns with her vision for what true equality between men and women really means and how we can get there. She uncovers the missing piece of the puzzle, presenting a new focus that can reunite the women's movement and provide a common banner under which both men and women can advance and thrive.

With moving personal stories, individual action plans, and a broad outline for change, Anne-Marie Slaughter reveals a future in which all of us can finally finish the business of equality for women and men, work and family.

“I’m confident that you will be left with Anne-Marie’s hope and optimism that we can change our points of view and policies so that both men and women can fully participate in their families and use their full talents on the job.” (Hillary Rodham Clinton)

©2015 Anne-Marie Slaughter (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“An eye-opening call to action from someone who rethought the whole notion of ‘having it all,’ Unfinished Business could change how many of us approach our most important business: living.”(People)

“Slaughter argues that the current punishing route to professional success - or simply to survival - is stalling gender progress.... [Her] important contribution is to use her considerable platform to call for cultural change, itself profoundly necessary. The book’s audience, then, shouldn’t just be worried womankind. It should go right into the hands of (still mostly male) decision-makers.” (Los Angeles Times)

“Another clarion call from [Anne-Marie] Slaughter... Her case for revaluing and better compensating caregiving is compelling.... Slaughter skillfully exposes half-truths in the workplace [and] makes it a point in her book to speak beyond the elite.” (Jill Abramson, The Washington Post)

A great framing of work/family issues.

I loved it, it was engaging and fascinating. So many common - sense ways of accommodating both work life and caregiving demands for both men and women.

A must read / listen

Intelligent, well articulated, and integrated perspective on advacing equality in our society. The last of the book is a more practical guide but was less interesting for me than first two parts.

Took me awhile to finish

Started this book reading on my Kindle app but just could never finish, so a few years later I see it on Audible and decide to listen. Much easier to get through on Audible. Lots of valid points were made. Just wish solutions to the problems she pointed out were more abundant or at least mentioned. Unless maybe her point was to bring the problems to our attention for us to work out together? My 14 year old daughter listened to the last half while in the car and it gave way for great discussions on women issues.

Worth sticking with right until the end

It'll change the way you think about work, but more importantly, it'll change the way you view the men and women around you and the choices they make about work and family.

An important book, for both men and women, employees and managers, breadwinners and care-takers.

Good book, poor narration

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed the book and the main thesis. But I would have preferred it in the author's own voice (as the introduction). Her language / ideas are a bit high minded and the narrator only accentuated this with an almost aristocratic tone.

An enlightened read for family people everywhere

I am a man, and also not a feminist. This book was very affirming to me nonetheless. excellent insights on work/life fitment. Though the book was mostly about the desires of professional women, it took a refreshing look at how those desires effect the male role in work/family life. A must read for managers and employees everywhere.

Audible chapters are not book chapters

The book is good, the narrator is good, but I'm listening to the book for a college course, and the chapters in audio book do not line up with the chapters in the book. Instead, the audio book has each subheading within the book set as its own chapter. Difficult to track which chapter I am actually in.

Must read for young women and men

I feel that this is a truly progressive and proactive book that inspires me to ask for what I need and begin to think towards my future. Great read!

One of the best books ever listened to!

Excellent narration, open minded, talks about what we fear of, gives a perspective to the society we need worldwide. Thank you for writing this book!

Very relatable as working mom

It was a huge help to me. I'm a PhD Biochemist with a 10 month old. I had been struggling with the feeling that I wanted to spend more time with my son vs the hard long hours in a lab, almost the opposite of mom-guilt, career guilt. It has helped me immensely!