Im terry gross back with debora spar, author of the new book wonder women. Spars wonder women joins the public conversation about womens. Raised after the tumult of the 1960s, she presumed the gender war was over. Shes the president of the womens college, barnard, and is. The book is written by debora spar, the president of barnard college, and in it, she takes stock of where women find themselves in america today. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection and its main message can be best described by a. Publishing a book on a current debate is like riding a wave. Drawing on extensive research, knowledge shes gleaned as president of barnard college where she says she observes young women. Spar, is the latest offering from a highprofile woman with advice for her educated, middle and upperclass sisters on the. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection debora spar is a graduate of georgetown universitys school of foreign service, and received her doctorate in government from harvard. As one of the youngest female professors to be tenured at harvard business school and a mother of three, she swore young women could have it all. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection 20, jill lepores the secret history of wonder woman 2014, and noah berlatskys wonder woman. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection, barnard college president debora spar challenges the hyperperfect.
Shes the president of the womens college, barnard, and is a former. Wonder women by deborah spar book club discussion questions. The cover designed by a man, incidentally features a glorified stock photo of a white woman in stilettos, buttondown shirt and trousers standing on her head while peering at a laptop. Debora spar, president of barnard university and author of several books on business and feminism, addressed a full audience monday march 9 during a talk titled wonder women. Debora spar, bestselling author of wonder women, to visit. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection, by debora l. Wow, said the guide, i think that was just debora spar. Spar tacklesand dispelsthe myth of perfection with intelligence and humor. We thought we could just glide into the new era of equality, with babies, board seats, and husbands in tow, she writes. Now she is the president of barnard college, arguably the most important allwomens college in the united states. Wonder women by debora spar its been a long time since a book annoyed me as much as wonder women. Spar is the former president of barnard college, a liberal arts college for women affiliated with columbia university. Wonder women, a book by debora spar, video trailer. Her current research focuses on issues of gender and technology, and the interplay between technological change and broader social structures.
The alma and joseph gildenhorn book series will feature debora spar, president of barnard college, discussing her book wonder women. Debora spar, barnard president, says women cant have it all. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection spar, debora l. Barnard college president debora spar on her new book wonder.
She is, in many ways, an exemplar of the notion that women can have it all, yet for years she eschewed feminism as the province of hairylegged cranks. How money, science, and politics drive the commerce of conception, 2006 etc. In her new book wonder women, barnard president debora spar argues that the triumphs of secondwave feminists have created a new problem for women. Debora spar, author of wonder women many think of the feminist movement as a thing of the past, but debora spar says the battle isnt. We thought we could glide into the new era with babies, board seats, and husbands in tow, she writes. As weve noted before, nobody really needs another entry in the canon of having it all.
She is also the author of three books, including the recent wonder woman. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection and its main message can be best described by a female specter named charlie. Throughout wonder women, spar builds the argument that the need for control and perfection is at the root of the chaos and dissatisfaction in women s lives. Spar, currently 50ish with three kids, the president of barnard college and formerly a professor at the harvard business school and the university of. Spar is the president of the lincoln center, former president of barnard college, and author of numerous books, including wonder women. She was also one of the first female professors at harvard business school, and is currently the president of barnard college. In chapter 1, spar gives examples of television advertising that both glorified and distorted the tenets of the womens movement. It was chosen by one of the members of our feminist book club, so i persevered. Barnard colleges debora spar, on wonder women and leaning. Debora spar on womens impossible quest for perfection. Bondage and feminism in the marstonpeter comics, 194148 2015 pose. Barnard college president debora spar, who is in israel this week with project interchange, talks about where feminism went wrong. It is a list of oughts, musts, and shoulds put forth in an unforgiving tone that demands control and perfection through selfdegradation and disgust. Tulane university lecturer sparks feminist conversation.
She was among the youngest women to earn tenure at the harvard business school. Gender segregation, fertility and the futility of wonder woman. Spar, to be published in september 20 by sarah crichton books, an imprint of farrar, straus and giroux, llc. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection by debora l. Are there impulses or beliefs in the ana creed that play out destructively in areas beyond physical appearance. Sep 16, 20 im terry gross back with debora spar, author of the new book wonder women. Five years after taking the helm at barnard, spar has introduced herself as a major player in feminism. Debora spar president of barnard college and author of several books including wonder women. Do contemporary print and electronic publications advertising, magazines, blogs persist in creating impossible ideals of beauty, success, and motherhood in the name of commerce, or has this approach been tempered somewhat through the use of more realistic. Wonder women goodreads meet your next favorite book. Spar, the president of barnard college, will become the next leader of lincoln center. She does this, admittedly, from a privileged perch, but so much of what she recounts, laments and celebrates rings very true for me. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection, debora spar persuasively argues that despite all the gains women have made in the past 30 years, they simply cant have it all.
We need to make all womens lives less stressful and more rewarding. Spar never mentions the wonder woman comics or television program she grew up on highlights in her 227page exploration of the popular legacy of what she fairly presumes is the culturally familiar terrain of the wonder woman idyll. Spar, currently 50ish with three kids, the president of barnard college and formerly a professor at the harvard business school and the university of toronto, opens her new book wonder. May 20, 2016 three new, very different books participate in this wonder woman frenzy and try to explain it. Raised after the tumult of the 60s, she presumed that the gender war was over. Debora spar is the mba class of 1952 professor of business administration at harvard business school where she teaches the firstyear strategy course. This book explores how american womens lives haveand have notchanged over the past fifty years. May 15, 2015 spar never mentions the wonder woman comics or television program she grew up on highlights in her 227page exploration of the popular legacy of what she fairly presumes is the culturally familiar terrain of the wonder woman idyll. Debora spar, the president of barnard college and former professor at harvard business school is, much like sandberg and slaughter, an incredibly successful woman who spent much of her. Wonder women sex, power, and the quest for perfection by. Three new, very different books participate in this wonder woman frenzy and try to explain it. Sex, power, and the quest for perfection, barnard college president debora spar argues that women have come very far. The myth of the wonder woman is holding women back the.
In this groundbreaking and compulsively readable book, spar explores how american womens lives haveand have notchanged over the. Debora spar she earned her doctorate in government from harvard university and is a graduate of the georgetown universitys school of foreign service. Mar 10, 2015 debora spar, president of barnard university and author of several books on business and feminism, addressed a full audience monday march 9 during a talk titled wonder women. Topics inspiring women work career wonder woman books. Sex, power and the quest for perfection by debora spar. Sheryl sandberg, coo of facebook and author of the bestselling lean in debora l. Spar sarah crichton we took the struggles and the victories of feminism and interpreted them somehow as. She is also an author and a former harvard business school professor. Sex, power, and the quest for perfectiona fresh, wise, original book she asks why, a half century after the publication of betty friedans the feminine mystique, do women still feel stuck. Spar is the president of barnard college, a womens liberal arts. Spar, president of barnard college and author spar, president of barnard college and the author of wonder women. Jan 31, 2014 wonder women is the book id give my daughter as a guide to navigating the challenges of being a woman in twentyfirstcentury america. Wonder women is the book id give my daughter as a guide to navigating the. In it, she calls for a new feminist agenda, though she is quick to admit that she wasnt interested in feminism when she.
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