A Woman's Work

(Paperback)

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Description

With a new chapter on the fights for women now, as the UK celebrates 100 years of having the vote When Harriet Harman started her career, men-only job adverts and a 'women's rate' of pay were the norm, female MPs were a tiny minority - a woman couldn't even sign for a mortgage. But, she argues, we should never just be grateful that things are better now. There's still more to do. In A Woman's Work Harriet, Britain's longest-serving female MP, looks at her own life to see how far we've come, and where we should go next. This is an inspiring and refreshingly honest account of the part she has played (and the setbacks along the way) in the movement that transformed politics and women's lives.

Reviews

A personal memoir but also the story of women in politics and public life. Since Harriet entered parliament in 1982 pregnant with her first child she has seen the number of women MPs increase to more than 200. Many of us are there because of her -- Rachel Reeves, 'Books of the Year' * New Statesman *
A Woman's Work is a fantastic and inspiring read which I would recommend to anyone interested in overcoming prejudice and promoting fairness. Over her 35 year career in Parliament no-one has fought harder or more effectively for gender equality than Harriet Harman. She is an outstanding role model -- John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons
If I had a teenage daughter, especially one who didn't see the point of politics, this is the book I'd buy her. Chatty, accessible and occasionally eye-opening, it's a history of the things conventional political memoirs miss out ... a lively account of the one subject most political memoir writers know next to nothing about: how it felt to be a woman working in one of the least forgiving careers around -- Gaby Hinsliff * Guardian *
Compelling ... She has guts to spare and is interesting on the difficulties of a work-life balance in parliament ... Her own judgments on her performance are commendably unsparing ... An important story ... Role model You bet -- Tim Shipman, Political Editor * Sunday Times *
A painfully honest memoir ... where lesser politicians would have slunk from public gaze, Harman reacted by getting tougher -- Mary Riddell * Sunday Telegraph *
Countless blows have tempered Harman into something fearless and indestructible. Hell, why shouldn't this be her prime -- Janice Turner * The Times *
Fantastic - I can't recommend it highly enough * Open Labour *

Author Bio

Harriet Harman was elected as Labour MP for Peckham in 1982. Joining a House of Commons which was 97% male, she had three children while in Parliament. She has been politics' most prominent champion for women's rights, introducing the National Childcare Strategy, the Equality Act and changing the law on domestic violence. She was the first woman to represent the Labour Party at Prime Minister's Questions.