BOOK REVIEW APRIL, 2016
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Women Men Work Family
AUTHOR: ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER
POSITION WANTED: DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
JOB DESCRIPTION: Must work 24/7; no breaks for holidays, lunch or even sleep; must have excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills; position is unpaid.
Would it surprise you to know that this job is being filled by billions of people all over the world, day after day? Does it sound familiar to anyone reading this? Of course it does. Mothers, and
now some fathers, have been applicants and qualifiers for this position since the beginning of time. As women have strived to move upward and live the life that was proclaimed a necessity, in
fact a right, based upon the thrust of the feminist movement, the challenges of being all things to all people in their lives have never changed. Anne-Marie Slaughter is a woman who thought she
could ‘have it all’ until she could not. She had a high-powered job in government, with Hiliary Clinton as her boss; a wonderful family awaiting her each time they reunited following her week
away at work; everyone was thriving, until they were not. Anne-Marie soon learned that her life was not the fairytale she had hoped and there was unfinished business that needed attention.
Much that is written in this book may not be striking disclosures but is approached with a different slant. Ms. Slaughter delves deeply into possible falacies of some of the premises of the
feminist movement and strives to present a global picture of women and men in the workforce and the challenges that prevail. She is quite adept when it comes to ‘placing the shoe on the
other foot’ and provides many examples as to how she has managed to assuage the concerns of some young people who struggle to have the lives of their dreams. In addition, she purposely
devotes a great deal of attention to the question of care-givers and the fact that this is not simply another chore under a woman’s job description. She proposes this area might prove to be the
basis for crisis in one’s life. Whether one is responsible for young children, the elderly or both, this author is determined to demonstrate the need for addressing this demand. Ms. Slaughter is
adamant in her quest to bring to the surface the need for all involved to be less self-indulgent and concentrate on nourishing the human connection, with an eye on the goal of leveling the playing
field whereby all participants involved might succeed.
We have come a long way, baby, has been the mantra of women for many years. However, realisticly, there is much to be recognized by women and men in terms of striving to become all
one is capable of, without treading upon the wounds of others. Anne-Marie Slaughter has provided a vision for gender equality that paves the way to a brighter, more joyous world with
much less unfinished business.