A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace - Feminist Fight Club

This book will change your life. It sure changed mine. As a millennial feminist, the messages in Jessica's book resonated with and empowered me. What's more, her humor, whit, and charm all contribute to making what should be a necessary read for all women a deeply satisfying and entertaining one as well. I can guarantee you this book will make you a smarter and more thoughtful person -- and, if you're a woman working under the patriarchy, a more successful, kick-ass, take-no-prisoners, invaluable employee/r, too.

Also, FFC makes for a perfect graduation, birthday, or back-to-school gift!

I found this book quite boring and difficult to finish. I suppose it says on the cover 'an office survival manual', which is what it talks about through out the whole book. I don't work in offices so I found it hard to find personal connections, I hoped it would elaborate on different work environments but it is specifically about the office world which would be great for those who do work in office environments because it has great tips for how to handle different situations but other than that, there isn't much. I liked when the author elaborated on other topics such as speech and it's differences between men and women because I could see it in my own life. I give it a 3 because it can be handy, just not handy for me.

This is a somewhat quirky, cartoon-led book that sets out to be an office survival manual for those who work in a sexist workplace. Aiming to help the reader deflect unwanted sexist overtones and behaviour and re-educate in the process, it has a serious job to do.

In one way it may be debatable if the reader can make a strong connection to this book – a somewhat important act under the circumstances – due to its humorous style and light-hearted approach. Different strokes for different folks and all that, but that said, it doesn’t cheapen the subject although humour can be a very personal thing and it may act as a turn-off instead. For this reader it was just on the border at times, although a bit of judicious jumping around the book and ignoring the bits considered lame was hardly arduous. The subject-at-hand is worth any slight sacrifice or discomfort. The bigger fear is someone may pick this up at a bookstore, flick through it and not connect, before returning it to the shelf and thus help-is-not-at-hand.

The concerns may be, in part, generational too (societal and cultural differences can also exist). The publisher notes that this is aimed towards the Buzzfeed generation and a new generation of professional women. Whatever, as many say today, who cares about the packaging in any case. Even as man, this was an interesting read and you could sense the guidance and help being of valid use in many circumstances. Whilst it is hoped that one’s behaviour would not create concerns for female colleagues, it can be useful to hear how things are perceived “on the other side” and who knows if any subtle, minor and subconscious behavioural modifications are being made.

The price may be a little high for those who are wavering about a purchase decision, although at the time of writing at least one major online bookseller has cut the price by one-third and this may make it a lot more of a palatable, impulse buy.

For the benefit of the younger generation, the TL:DR takeout: An interesting book about an important subject. Great potential and worthy of closer consideration, even if you don’t yet have a problem at work.

This extremely entertaining, accessible, modern and inclusive feminist work is important for any working woman, especially any young working woman. As an approaching college grad, FFC has become my bible/manual as to how to approach the working world once I'm out of school. I would highly recommend this!

Having read Lean In and Unfinished Business (both great reading material that I highly encourage you to buy if you haven’t already), this book did not give me new information. However, it’s light-hearted style, useful tips and easy mnemonics might actually make it a perfect book for those who are just starting to timidly tip toe in this field.

Fantastic read. As a now middle management level woman, I can assure you that the advice is sound for serious, formal workplaces and academic environments. It will allow you to advance your career--while acknowledge your feelings and femininity--without making career limiting moves. Smart and practical. Buy it and circulate it to all of the women in your office or MBA/engineering/law school class.

This book is a rare, wonderful combination of humor, empowerment, and enlightening research on women in the workplace. But perhaps most importantly, it is USEFUL: the book focuses on solutions and provides so many easily applicable tips for overcoming the kind of subtler, "hipster" sexism most people are afraid to call out, but which exists even in the most progressive workplace and can create major obstacles. Worth every penny.

I have recommended this book to everyone in my life - at work, in my personal life, men, women, etc. It's just such a great guide and it was exactly what I was looking for. It helped me pinpoint where I was going right and wrong at work, and how my approach can be softened with certain audiences (e.g. some managers) and a bit more direct in other instances (e.g. group meetings). I borrowed a copy, but will definitely be buying myself a copy so I can refer to it in the future.

Every woman, buy and read Feminist Fight Club IMMEDIATELY. This is the only guide to surviving in a male-dominated workplace you'll ever need. There are tactical responses to literally every single career-inhibiting thing we encounter - mansplaining, manterrupting, self-sabotage etc etc. Whatever it is that you're encountering, look it up and stop it NOW.

Every man, buy and read Feminist Fight Club IMMEDIATELY. The most comprehensive and illuminating guide you'll ever read on what you do to us unthinkingly every day, and how to help look out for it and stop it.

Absolutely encouraging and informative. Being "new" to feminism this book has given me the courage to start asking for what I want. What I would of also like to hear more of is how to do this if your boss is also a woman.

Laughable. Poorly written. Some REALLY cringe-y parts. And apparently the author plagiarized another woman's work. This is what happens when you give a 20 year old a pen and a job at NYT. I feel bad for writing this review but I have no idea how this was published or why it has anything above two stars on the store. Sure, she hits some valid points, but it's 95% garbage (she uses many uncited, arbitrary statistics)

For something so many women I respected advised to read I couldn't have been more disappointed. Puerile, simplistic and frankly assumes women are idiots. Much of the advice can be likened to how to boil water in a cookbook. Unimpressed with many serious issues glossed over. Don't bother

Welp, I'm OBSESSED with the wordplay, those amazing footnotes, and of course the practical solutions to the workplace woes we all find it easier to brush aside. I'm going to buy this book for my Dad as well :)

This makes me embarrased to be a woman. Maybe concentrate more on being an exceptional worker and less on making up names and stereotypes of people in your office (following the "do unto others as others do unto you" rule is hypocritical in this case). If you didn't spend so much time making excuses for why you haven't gotten where you want to be in your career, you'd be there already.

Yikes. For a book with "feminist" in the title, this was a huge disappointment. It was heavy on the gimmicky flash (dude names like "The Menstruhater") and light on actual, you know, feminism: looking at workplace sexism from an intersectional perspective that takes into account things like race, class, transphobia, and ableism, not just that guys like the office AC turned up more than women. It read like Bennett realized feminism was trendy and decided to capitalize on that.

A friend mentioned that Bennett was the subject of a scandal a few years back and now I'm also disturbed about her credibility. Apparently while working for Lean In, she posted an ad asking for an unpaid intern (see [...]). So the way to fight the wage gap is...accept no money at all for your labor? I did more googling and found that also while employed by Lean In, she wrote a glowing article about it for the New York Times without ever disclosing her position. (See [...]) Seems sketchy to me.

All told, this reads as part of, as Slate calls it, "Corporate Feminism: Rich Women Congratulating Each Other for Being So Inspiring." No thanks!

This is an AMAZING book for women in the workplace.. and just in life! It was a sigh of relief reading about situations that I've been in and how i can help myself better if i'm ever in that situation again. Let me just say this.. THIS IS NOT A BORING READ. THIS BOOK IS HILARIOUS! #FFC