Unfinished business : women, men, work, family /

THE HEART GOES LAST, by Margaret Atwood. (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, $26.95.) Captivating "speculative fiction" about a town whose residents serve as prisoners explores both economic oppression and the conflict between love and independence. NEVER ENOUGH: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success, by Michael D'Antonio. (Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's, $26.99.) Psychological, technological and social trends lend a thoughtful context for Trump. THIS IS YOUR LIFE, HARRIET CHANCE!, by Jonathan Evison. (Algonquin, $25.95.) This intricately structured novel reveals dark secrets behind an apparently sedate existence. BLACK SILENT MAJORITY: The Rockefeller Drug Laws and the Politics of Punishment, by Michael Javen Fortner. (Harvard University, $29.95.) A professor offers a fascinating argument about the African-American roots of the war on drugs. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Women Men Work Family, by Anne-Marie Slaughter. (Random House, $28.) Public policy changes to enable working parents to meet responsibilities are usefully examined. THE VISITING PRIVILEGE: New and Collected Stories, by Joy Williams. (Knopf, $30.) These tales, spanning nearly 50 years, are marked by queasy humor and a wry nihilism. THE INVENTION OF NATURE: Alexander von Humboldt's New World, by Andrea Wulf. (Knopf, $30.) The German scientist's monumental journey in the Americas; a readable account. ONCE IN A GREAT CITY: A Detroit Story, by David Maraniss. (Simon & Schuster, $32.50.) A bighearted study of 1963, the turning point in the city's decline. THE PRIZE, by Jill Bialosky. (Counterpoint, $25.) This graceful novel balances the transcendence of art against the slog of everyday life. The full reviews of these and other recent books are on the web: nytimes.com/books.

As this heartfelt book relates, when the author (The Idea That Is America) left her Princeton University professorship in 2009 to work on policy for then-Secretary of State Clinton, her sons were 10 and 12. Slaughter could only get home on weekends, and before long she found her children were suffering from her absences. Her conflicted feelings resulted in her much-read Atlantic piece, "Why Women Still Can't Have It All," which she expands here. "Lean in too far without a counterweight... and you will tip over," Slaughter warns. As she explains, her tipping point led her not only to leave D.C. but also to more widely examine the challenges of caregiving in the U.S. Slaughter also takes a fresh and informative look at recent advances made by feminists, finding that though much has changed since the women's movement came to prominence, the movement is still "only halfway home." She provides concrete steps for the remaining journey, concluding that until society learns to value care (of children and the elderly) as much as competition, there will never be true gender equality, in the workplace or elsewhere. If heeded by Americans, her thoughtful analysis could cause a sea change in how they value their jobs and one another. Agent: Will Lippincott, Lippincott Massie McQuilkin. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Many listeners will remember Slaughter's controversial 2012 essay, "Why Woman Still Can't Have It All" (ow.ly/WBtzz). The intervening years have given Slaughter a chance to revisit some of the experiences leading up to and following that writing. The result is a thoughtful, well-researched, and thought-provoking book, dedicated to the examination of gender inequality at work and at home. The book examines common beliefs and assumptions related to gender roles; looks at the lenses through which we view those roles, the workplace, and one another; and offers both practical proposals and other, more open-ended thoughts about how society might need to change in order best to serve the needs of both one's family and one's career. Slaughter makes a commendable effort to write an expansive, inclusive piece that will speak to all genders and to workers up and down the career ladder. Perhaps the most crucial theme is her focus on the importance of the role of caregivers in our society and how we should address this need going forward. The author reads the introduction and coda, enlivening her point of view. Unfortunately, Karen White's performance of the main text somehow lacks the same emotional resonance. VERDICT In spite of some excellent anecdotes, the subject matter is occasionally a bit dry, making it hard not to wish that Slaughter had given voice to the entire audiobook. ["The joint themes of working smarter not harder and giving caregiving its due respect will [appeal to] a wide audience": LJ 9/1/15 review of the Random hc.]-Heather Malcolm, Bow, WA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

One woman's vision on how to create gender equality for men and women. After New America Foundation CEO Slaughter's (The Idea that Is America, 2008, etc.) 2012 Atlantic article, "Why Women Still Can't Have it All," created a whirlwind of debate on both sides of the issue, she realized the "fifty-year-old conversation about what true equality between men and women really means" was still open to definition. In this comprehensive analysis, the author interweaves thoughts about the necessity of equal time at home and at work with her personal story of juggling a career as the first female director of policy planning, reporting directly to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her deep desire and need to be at home with her sons. Slaughter skillfully breaks down old myths and offers useful advice on how, with slight twists and tweaks, the old theories can be reinvented into methods that are readily accessible and actionable. With strong research, the author outlines the inherent problems that still exist in the workplace, which create an unequal atmosphere, particularly for women, who are often seen as "giving up" a career if they elect to spend more time with their children. She offers solid advice on how these disparities can be changed, allowing workers to have more flexibility. Her advice includes using at-home independent contractors and freelancers, using OpenWork ("a platform and movementa way of working, a spirit and set of values that animates a particular workplace"), and focusing on results rather than on the steps to get there. Although much of this is common sense, the fact that men and women do not yet share equal pay for equal work or receive fair treatment in regard to time off for child care only underlines the need for this kind of ongoing conversation, a discussion over which Slaughter eloquently presides. Informative guidance on how men and women can come together in the workforce and at home. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.