For a book that has yet to be released, Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In -- part feminist manifesto, part how-to career guide -- has a lot of people talking.
In the weeks leading up to the book's March 11 release, pundits and press hounds have been debating its merits. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd called Sandberg a "PowerPoint Pied Piper in Prada ankle boots," and countless bloggers have suggested that Facebook's chief operating officer is the wrong person to lead a women's movement."Most of the criticism has to do with the position she is coming from," said Susan Yohn, chairwoman of Hofstra University's history department.Sandberg, 43, hopes that her message of empowerment won't be obscured by the lofty pedestal from which she speaks. But is the multimillionaire with two Harvard degrees too rich to offer advice?The questions keep coming largely because few people have actually read the book.Sandberg recognizes that parts of it are targeted toward women who are in a position to make decisions about their careers. Still, she writes, "we can't avoid this conversation. This issue transcends all of us. The time is long overdue to encourage more women to dream the possible dream and encourage more men to support women in the workforce and in the home."It's true that Sandberg is wealthy. She also has a supportive husband. Mark Zuckerberg is her boss. And, yes, her home is a 9,000-square-foot mansion in California.But as a woman in Silicon Valley, Sandberg hasn't exactly had it easy, and her tale shows she's no armchair activist. After all, not many women would march into their boss's office and demand special parking for expectant mothers. But Sandberg did just that when she worked at Google. Company founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin complied.And she's no workaholic. Sandberg is famous for leaving the office at 5:30 to spend time with her family. She does admit, however, to picking up work once her kids have gone to bed.Of the many inspirational slogans that hang on Facebook's walls, her favorite asks "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" Lean In is about pushing past fear."Fear is at the root of so many of the barriers that women face," she writes. "Fear of not being liked. Fear of making the wrong choice. Fear of drawing negative attention. Fear of overreaching. Fear of being judged. Fear of failure. And the holy trinity of fear: the fear of being a bad mother/wife/daughter."At less than 200 pages, plus a good chunk of footnotes, Lean In does not purport to be the end-all solution to inequality. It deals with issues Sandberg sees as in women's control."Don't leave before you leave" is one of her catchphrases, aimed at successful women who gradually drop out of the workforce in anticipation of children they may someday bear. "Make your partner a real partner" is another. She says everyone should encourage men to "lean in" at home by being equal partners in parenting and housework.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
