This study traces how women have overcome a series of conundrums which would seem to block them from success no matter what they do. The author delivers a rousing and empathetic denouncement of victim feminism and illustrates how women have steadily advanced in our society.

"Like an infra-red light that makes it possible to see clearly in the dark, Kathleen Hall Jamieson's analysis shows up the tripwires in the paths of women leaders for what they are, double binds that can and must be challenged."--Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada "An important and illuminating book. Kathleen Hall Jamieson tells us that women have made progress, albeit in a damned-if-they-do/damned-if-they-don't tangle of old fashioned double binds and new fangled twists in the tale of sexism. She draws on a rich historical data base and a vast storehouse of compelling contemporary anecdotes to offer an optimistic but realistic analysis of women's advancement and leadership in new areas of endeavor. Her account exposes the roots from which double binds grew to restrict women, pinpoints the progress to date in loosening those restraints, and forecasts both continued breakthroughs and inevitable struggles ahead on the road to equality."--Ruth B. Mandel, Director, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University "If you are a woman alive today, you will recognize yourself on every page of Kathleen Hall Jamieson's brilliant new book about the progress of women as leaders. There are catch-22s for women--or double binds, as she calls them--where whatever we do, we lose. But Jamieson shows how we have surmounted these binds in the past and in the process moved forward. And she's confident we will continue to. What I most like about this book is that it's free of ideology. Jamieson is clear-eyed, unemotional, keenly analytical and above all...she's hopeful!"--Lesley Stahl, CBS News, "60 Minutes" "Kathleen Hall Jamieson provides a fresh framework for understanding the repeated frustrations that have slowed women's social progress. Her liberating conclusion: women can break every bind if they just avoid treating themselves as victims."--Harriett Woods, President, National Women's Political Caucus "[Ms. Jamieson] makes you want to get in there, on either side of a big, interesting war with lots at stake--a war intelligent people should find worth fighting."--The New York Times Book Review "Along the way [Jamieson] does a fascinating, minute-by-minute analysis of how Hillary Rodham Clinton came to be viewed as an antihousewife Antichrist during the 1992 campaign."--The New York Times "[Jamieson] is particularly fair in her discussion of the way in which some feminists have tried to dissuade women...from voicing views that disagree with the reigning orthodoxy within the movement."--Washington Post Book World "Jamieson draws a lucid, often entertaining, and at times shocking portrait of contemporary attitudes toward women leaders."--Kirkus Reviews "[Jamieson] proves herself adept at disentangling and questioning the mixed messages women receive about who they are and who they should be."--Publishers Weekly "[Jamieson] has written another thoroughly researched, well-crafted book...This substantive work makes a significant contribution to feminist literature."--Library Journal "Like an infra-red light that makes it possible to see clearly in the dark, Kathleen Hall Jamieson's analysis shows up the tripwires in the paths of women leaders for what they are, double binds that can and must be challenged."--Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada "An important and illuminating book. Kathleen Hall Jamieson tells us that women have made progress, albeit in a damned-if-they-do/damned-if-they-don't tangle of old fashioned double binds and new fangled twists in the tale of sexism. She draws on a rich historical data base and a vast storehouse of compelling contemporary anecdotes to offer an optimistic but realistic analysis of women's advancement and leadership in new areas of endeavor. Her account exposes the roots from which double binds grew to restrict women, pinpoints the progress to date in loosening those restraints, and forecasts both continued breakthroughs and inevitable struggles ahead on the road to equality."--Ruth B. Mandel, Director, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University "If you are a woman alive today, you will recognize yourself on every page of Kathleen Hall Jamieson's brilliant new book about the progress of women as leaders. There are catch-22s for women--or double binds, as she calls them--where whatever we do, we lose. But Jamieson shows how we have surmounted these binds in the past and in the process moved forward. And she's confident we will continue to. What I most like about this book is that it's free of ideology. Jamieson is clear-eyed, unemotional, keenly analytical and above all...she's hopeful!"--Lesley Stahl, CBS News, "60 Minutes" "Kathleen Hall Jamieson provides a fresh framework for understanding the repeated frustrations that have slowed women's social progress. Her liberating conclusion: women can break every bind if they just avoid treating themselves as victims."--Harriett Woods, President, National Women's Political Caucus "[Ms. Jamieson] makes you want to get in there, on either side of a big, interesting war with lots at stake--a war intelligent people should find worth fighting."--The New York Times Book Review "Along the way [Jamieson] does a fascinating, minute-by-minute analysis of how Hillary Rodham Clinton came to be viewed as an antihousewife Antichrist during the 1992 campaign."--The New York Times "[Jamieson] is particularly fair in her discussion of the way in which some feminists have tried to dissuade women...from voicing views that disagree with the reigning orthodoxy within the movement."--Washington Post Book World "Jamieson draws a lucid, often entertaining, and at times shocking portrait of contemporary attitudes toward women leaders."--Kirkus Reviews "[Jamieson] proves herself adept at disentangling and questioning the mixed messages women receive about who they are and who they should be."--Publishers Weekly "[Jamieson] has written another thoroughly researched, well-crafted book...This substantive work makes a significant contribution to feminist literature."--Library Journal "Jamieson's take...is both optimistic and refreshing."--Philadelphia Inquirer "Outstanding! Well researched, well documented, clearly communicated thesis that summarizes every issue women face."--Marilyn E. Vito, CPA, CMA, Assistant Professor of Business, Richard Stockton College, Pomona, NJ

"Like an infra-red light that makes it possible to see clearly in the dark, Kathleen Hall Jamieson's analysis shows up the tripwires in the paths of women leaders for what they are, double binds that can and must be challenged."--Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada "An important and illuminating book. Kathleen Hall Jamieson tells us that women have made progress, albeit in a damned-if-they-do/damned-if-they-don't tangle of old fashioned double binds and new fangled twists in the tale of sexism. She draws on a rich historical data base and a vast storehouse of compelling contemporary anecdotes to offer an optimistic but realistic analysis of women's advancement and leadership in new areas of endeavor. Her account exposes the roots from which double binds grew to restrict women, pinpoints the progress to date in loosening those restraints, and forecasts both continued breakthroughs and inevitable struggles ahead on the road to equality."--Ruth B. Mandel, Director, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University "If you are a woman alive today, you will recognize yourself on every page of Kathleen Hall Jamieson's brilliant new book about the progress of women as leaders. There are catch-22s for women--or double binds, as she calls them--where whatever we do, we lose. But Jamieson shows how we have surmounted these binds in the past and in the process moved forward. And she's confident we will continue to. What I most like about this book is that it's free of ideology. Jamieson is clear-eyed, unemotional, keenly analytical and above all...she's hopeful!"--Lesley Stahl, CBS News, "60 Minutes" "Kathleen Hall Jamieson provides a fresh framework for understanding the repeated frustrations that have slowed women's social progress. Her liberating conclusion: women can break every bind if they just avoid treating themselves as victims."--Harriett Woods, President, National Women's Political Caucus "[Ms. Jamieson] makes you want to get in there, on either side of a big, interesting war with lots at stake--a war intelligent people should find worth fighting."--The New York Times Book Review "Along the way [Jamieson] does a fascinating, minute-by-minute analysis of how Hillary Rodham Clinton came to be viewed as an antihousewife Antichrist during the 1992 campaign."--The New York Times "[Jamieson] is particularly fair in her discussion of the way in which some feminists have tried to dissuade women...from voicing views that disagree with the reigning orthodoxy within the movement."--Washington Post Book World "Jamieson draws a lucid, often entertaining, and at times shocking portrait of contemporary attitudes toward women leaders."--Kirkus Reviews "[Jamieson] proves herself adept at disentangling and questioning the mixed messages women receive about who they are and who they should be."--Publishers Weekly "[Jamieson] has written another thoroughly researched, well-crafted book...This substantive work makes a significant contribution to feminist literature."--Library Journal "Like an infra-red light that makes it possible to see clearly in the dark, Kathleen Hall Jamieson's analysis shows up the tripwires in the paths of women leaders for what they are, double binds that can and must be challenged."--Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada "An important and illuminating book. Kathleen Hall Jamieson tells us that women have made progress, albeit in a damned-if-they-do/damned-if-they-don't tangle of old fashioned double binds and new fangled twists in the tale of sexism. She draws on a rich historical data base and a vast storehouse of compelling contemporary anecdotes to offer an optimistic but realistic analysis of women's advancement and leadership in new areas of endeavor. Her account exposes the roots from which double binds grew to restrict women, pinpoints the progress to date in loosening those restraints, and forecasts both continued breakthroughs and inevitable struggles ahead on the road to equality."--Ruth B. Mandel, Director, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University "If you are a woman alive today, you will recognize yourself on every page of Kathleen Hall Jamieson's brilliant new book about the progress of women as leaders. There are catch-22s for women--or double binds, as she calls them--where whatever we do, we lose. But Jamieson shows how we have surmounted these binds in the past and in the process moved forward. And she's confident we will continue to. What I most like about this book is that it's free of ideology. Jamieson is clear-eyed, unemotional, keenly analytical and above all...she's hopeful!"--Lesley Stahl, CBS News, "60 Minutes" "Kathleen Hall Jamieson provides a fresh framework for understanding the repeated frustrations that have slowed women's social progress. Her liberating conclusion: women can break every bind if they just avoid treating themselves as victims."--Harriett Woods, President, National Women's Political Caucus "[Ms. Jamieson] makes you want to get in there, on either side of a big, interesting war with lots at stake--a war intelligent people should find worth fighting."--The New York Times Book Review "Along the way [Jamieson] does a fascinating, minute-by-minute analysis of how Hillary Rodham Clinton came to be viewed as an antihousewife Antichrist during the 1992 campaign."--The New York Times "[Jamieson] is particularly fair in her discussion of the way in which some feminists have tried to dissuade women...from voicing views that disagree with the reigning orthodoxy within the movement."--Washington Post Book World "Jamieson draws a lucid, often entertaining, and at times shocking portrait of contemporary attitudes toward women leaders."--Kirkus Reviews "[Jamieson] proves herself adept at disentangling and questioning the mixed messages women receive about who they are and who they should be."--Publishers Weekly "[Jamieson] has written another thoroughly researched, well-crafted book...This substantive work makes a significant contribution to feminist literature."--Library Journal "Jamieson's take...is both optimistic and refreshing."--Philadelphia Inquirer "Outstanding! Well researched, well documented, clearly communicated thesis that summarizes every issue women face."--Marilyn E. Vito, CPA, CMA, Assistant Professor of Business, Richard Stockton College, Pomona, NJ

Kathleen Hall Jamieson is Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Dirty Politics, Packaging the Presidency (winner of the Winans-Wichelns Book Award), and Eloquence in an Electronic Age which won the Speech Communication Association's Golden Anniversary Award.