How to Be Successful without Hurting Men's Feelings: Non-threatening Leadership Strategies for Women

I wish men would read this book, but they won't. It probably wouldn't change much if they did, but it might at least make them feel really insecure deep down on the inside. It might keep them up at night wondering whether or not we're laughing because they're funny and likeable, or if we're laughing because they suck.

I came across a preview of this online and immediately pre-ordered. This is easily the most funny-sad book I’ve ever read. It is absolutely hilarious and extremely accurate at the same time. I am a woman engineer and have worked in male dominated work environments my entire career so some of these were too real. The diversity in tech section was dead on. Bonus, my husband tried to explain to me why parts of this book were unfunny! Definitely plan on borrowing this out to all my women friends who work in similar environments. Highly recommended.

First things first, this is a picture book. I repeat, a picture book. It also comes with 3 sticker mustaches.... Anyways, here is the entire book in one sentence: to be successful without hurting men's feelings don't be a woman (said in a sarcastic tone, ha ha). There you go, thats the entire book. The reviews for this book make it sound like you're going to get a belly-aching laugh from the "wittiness" of this author. Wrong. This book is trash. There is no depth of thought, no laugh-out-loud moments and seriously, it could be read cover to cover in about 45 min. Not worth $16, not worth $1. Sad I purchased.

I love, love, love this book. I needed this book. This book needs mass distribution in the tech industry. I'm glad I'm not alone out here.

This is a book of satire - the reviews stating that this book sets women back by decades or falls back on old stereotypes are completely off base. This is the reality that many women face in the workforce, particularly in corporate America. The author is acknowledging the disparate treatment of gender in a humorous and in my case, a very relatable way. Her conclusions are very much, be yourself and do not allow anyone to push you in to trying to be anyone else - hence my confusion on those negative reviews. I love the pictorial format, comedic situations, the silly mustaches and the funny badges. This book is stress relief, brings out a laugh and reiterates that I am not alone in the unrealistic expectation that all women should behave a certain way and that only men are rewarded for being assertive and direct. Most importantly, this book elicits conversation.

Love it! The book is hilarious and also very relevant to our modern reality. Through humor it emphasizes the issues that we have as a society. I have it at my work place and my team loves it.

This book, written by a former Google employee, really nails what it's like to be a woman in the workplace. The restating of your ideas, coddling egos, modulating tone - all the stuff that makes me so mad is presented with hilarious illustration and a smart satirical eye. Come for the glitter cover and Men's Achievement Stickers, stay for the sharp-eyed commentary on the current state of our offices and how to improve it.

This book is really, really funny. I love it and absolutely recommend it. But... wow, some parts are an excruciatingly accurate satire of the issues women still face.

When I was recommended this book by a popular work advice blog, I thought that it would have more substance and how-tos. Instead, this book is a joke. I'm very disappointed by it because it doesn't offer any solutions to working with the opposite sex, instead presents everything as if it were a joke. What if you are really dealing with these issues at work, and need some advice? I can understand the author would like to present to women at work some levity, but that is not why I bought this book. While the author, does present some very important scenarios that women do come into contact everyday, there is something very sad about not offering any solutions and even presenting written activities in the book, as if the reader needs to complete the activity. I'm just very sad by this book.

I bought this as a gift for my boss and am thinking of keeping it for myself. I skimmed through it and everything I saw had me cracking up! It's one of those books that you probably won't find funny unless you have experienced these scenarios firsthand and enjoy sarcasm. I was extremely impressed with the amount of content in the book. I thought it would be a lot of fluff, but there is a lot of content with "helpful" suggestions. I highly recommend this book for those with a good sense of humor!

I wish men would read this book, but they won't. It probably wouldn't change much if they did, but it might at least make them feel really insecure deep down on the inside. It might keep them up at night wondering whether or not we're laughing because they're funny and likeable, or if we're laughing because they suck.

I came across a preview of this online and immediately pre-ordered. This is easily the most funny-sad book I’ve ever read. It is absolutely hilarious and extremely accurate at the same time. I am a woman engineer and have worked in male dominated work environments my entire career so some of these were too real. The diversity in tech section was dead on. Bonus, my husband tried to explain to me why parts of this book were unfunny! Definitely plan on borrowing this out to all my women friends who work in similar environments. Highly recommended.

First things first, this is a picture book. I repeat, a picture book. It also comes with 3 sticker mustaches.... Anyways, here is the entire book in one sentence: to be successful without hurting men's feelings don't be a woman (said in a sarcastic tone, ha ha). There you go, thats the entire book. The reviews for this book make it sound like you're going to get a belly-aching laugh from the "wittiness" of this author. Wrong. This book is trash. There is no depth of thought, no laugh-out-loud moments and seriously, it could be read cover to cover in about 45 min. Not worth $16, not worth $1. Sad I purchased.

I love, love, love this book. I needed this book. This book needs mass distribution in the tech industry. I'm glad I'm not alone out here.

This is a book of satire - the reviews stating that this book sets women back by decades or falls back on old stereotypes are completely off base. This is the reality that many women face in the workforce, particularly in corporate America. The author is acknowledging the disparate treatment of gender in a humorous and in my case, a very relatable way. Her conclusions are very much, be yourself and do not allow anyone to push you in to trying to be anyone else - hence my confusion on those negative reviews. I love the pictorial format, comedic situations, the silly mustaches and the funny badges. This book is stress relief, brings out a laugh and reiterates that I am not alone in the unrealistic expectation that all women should behave a certain way and that only men are rewarded for being assertive and direct. Most importantly, this book elicits conversation.

Love it! The book is hilarious and also very relevant to our modern reality. Through humor it emphasizes the issues that we have as a society. I have it at my work place and my team loves it.

This book, written by a former Google employee, really nails what it's like to be a woman in the workplace. The restating of your ideas, coddling egos, modulating tone - all the stuff that makes me so mad is presented with hilarious illustration and a smart satirical eye. Come for the glitter cover and Men's Achievement Stickers, stay for the sharp-eyed commentary on the current state of our offices and how to improve it.

This book is really, really funny. I love it and absolutely recommend it. But... wow, some parts are an excruciatingly accurate satire of the issues women still face.

When I was recommended this book by a popular work advice blog, I thought that it would have more substance and how-tos. Instead, this book is a joke. I'm very disappointed by it because it doesn't offer any solutions to working with the opposite sex, instead presents everything as if it were a joke. What if you are really dealing with these issues at work, and need some advice? I can understand the author would like to present to women at work some levity, but that is not why I bought this book. While the author, does present some very important scenarios that women do come into contact everyday, there is something very sad about not offering any solutions and even presenting written activities in the book, as if the reader needs to complete the activity. I'm just very sad by this book.

I bought this as a gift for my boss and am thinking of keeping it for myself. I skimmed through it and everything I saw had me cracking up! It's one of those books that you probably won't find funny unless you have experienced these scenarios firsthand and enjoy sarcasm. I was extremely impressed with the amount of content in the book. I thought it would be a lot of fluff, but there is a lot of content with "helpful" suggestions. I highly recommend this book for those with a good sense of humor!

When I first started reading this book, it annoyed me. Yeah, yeah, okay: Better not wear this hairstyle because men find it threatening! And better not talk too loudly because men find that threatening, too! Etc., etc. It was all stuff I'd heard a million times before. Boring. But as I kept reading, it really started to dawn on me that I do a lot of the "passive female" mannerisms shown in the book. That overly-fake-excited tone in emails? Yep, I do that. Letting men (and sometimes women) talk over me and even explain my own ideas to me? Yeah, I've done that, too. Allowing a man to make me feel physically uncomfortable but feeling powerless to do anything about it simply because he ended that douchey comment with a smiley emoticon or that suggestive touch with a "we're cool, right!" smile? I have. I've allowed that. Honestly, the more I read this book, the worse it made me feel. I consider myself pretty self-aware and progressive. I know how to be a strong woman. I'm woke, kids! But with every tongue-in-cheek cartoon, I couldn't help but realize how many tiny grievances I let slip by. Not that I'm looking to become petty, overly-sensitive, hurtful, or rude toward other people. (I've worked hard to become a more confident advocate for myself, while still embracing the power of grace and forgiveness.) But wouldn't it be nice to be able to communicate honestly every once in a while without fake smiles and the excessive use of exclamation points---all without worrying about who I'm offending in the process? Is that a world I ever get to live in? Some of the examples in here are dated, and I would argue that many of the situations shown are no longer specifically "men vs. women." (Shoot, I've learned that female bosses and coworkers can be brutal, too...) But there is still no denying the truth of what author Sarah Cooper writes. Ultimately, this book isn't going to be for everyone, but it's definitely an interesting and eye-opening read. It made me think.

You'll probably find this riotously funny if you like Stephen Colbert, John Stewart, or John Oliver. If you bought The Adventures of Marlon Bundo, you are guaranteed to enjoy it. I showed it to my team of 10 and 2 people immediately bought copies, however, we all fall into the camp above.

This is a tongue in cheek graphic design heavy book. It is all written in sarcasm and there is no real advice here about being a strong woman in the workspace. I had hoped for a tongue in cheek title and humorous but solid advice , instead it’s just a bunch of sarcastic design work- which can be funny, and I appreciate the “reward buttons” for men. 😂 It just wasn’t what I expected, so if you are looking for advice look elsewhere. If you are looking for a funny thing to give your corporate female friend, this is it.

Every page in this book reminds me how many companies are structured to make life easier for men and difficult for women, especially smart and strong women. Yet a woman who can take these tips to work and use them every day will be able to advance to her inferior position on the corporate ladder without damaging delicate egos of men. This book might be considered a comedy if the truth of it weren’t such a tragedy. Sarah Cooper nails it- gently, though, with a dainty flowered hammer, so no man’s feelings are intentionally harmed in the writing of this book.

A friend of mine read this recently and commented to the effect that this book would have really made her laugh if it didn't make her so angry because it's so true. Going through a situation myself right now, I kept saying "Yes!" and nodding in agreement as I read. I can't wait for the day when someone reads this book and can't imagine how people in the past were this crazy, but right now, for many of us, this is reality. I appreciate the author's sense of humor and her sarcasm is spot on. I would love to leave this book for a few selected readers but for now, I will roar quietly in my corner so as to not startle anyone. ;-)

This book is a witty satirical take on professional development books for women in male-dominated industries. I don't think it's intended to provide any profound career advice but maybe you might find a few tips/insights that are helpful. Mostly this book will make you laugh/cry if you relate to it. I think this is a great gag gift between female co-workers or hey, even from a male co-worker that might have a clue why his female colleague is frustrated with her work environment. I purchased the kindle version and enjoyed it for the laughs and even the cringe-y moments. The author has a blog that gives a taste of the content in this book or if you just need more satire

I saw a meme, that led to a blog post, that led me to this book. I ordered a copy instantly and sent one to a friend. It arrived today and I read the entire thing in one sitting while laughing so hard I was in tears. It's so completely snarky and sarcastic laced with enough truth to truly be funny! This is so true to my life at work it's sad, but it she makes it so funny that you forget how ridiculous it all is and just laugh. If you can't laugh you will just cry so go ahead an laugh. It's way more fun! I now want to stalk the author on social media and buy everything she's published.

It sounded so interesting from the title, but ended up being a complete waste of time. It's just not funny and has no depth at all. I want my $11 and the half an hour it of my life back that it took me to read through this picture book.

I almost didn't buy this because I had seen parts online and thought oh, those are probably the best parts, but it's all excellent and I really have enjoyed having the actual book. And it's not just jokes but I felt like I was reading something also, if that makes sense. When I have a bad day at work, I look at this and always feel better and ready to keep on.

This book sets women back decades. Why should we have to hide our true thoughts and feelings to make men happy. Upset that I spent $12 on this book and it’s complete garbage.

Comedian Sarah Cooper, who's made a name for herself lip-syncing Trump on Tiktok, used to work in Big Tech (Google, Yahoo) and turned her observations about the double-bind that women leaders (or women aspiring to be leaders/manager) face in the workplace -- express your opinions and lead and you're considered aggressive; act more "feminine" and you don't have the right stuff for leadership. You can't win! But with this book, at least you can laugh. A great gift for women friends and colleagues

This book is on point. As a woman in STEM, I'm all too familiar with the contents of these pages. Sarah Cooper uses hilarious satire to really capture the kind of crap women in offices have to deal with.

I just bought this book and was going to write a review. But as I read the women’s comments that came before mine I realize I had nothing new to say. If you have worked in corporate America as a woman, you know exactly what Sarah Cooper is talking about. She needs to write another book about what it’s like to work with women who step all over each other and act like men.

This book is both really funny and somewhat depressing. I found myself reading through the ridiculous advice and thinking "wow I literally do that everyday already!" There were many things that I didn't realize were experienced by other people, so that opened my eyes. Overall I'm glad I got this book, but in the end it made me feel kinda hopeless.

SARAH COOPER!!! Funniest woman all of 2020 and during Trump's sideshow of a presidency is also an author. Great!! I am a huge fan of witty, intelligent, sarcastic comedy. Unfortunately most women comics, dumb down and opt for the "b*tch, b*tch, sister girl style of comedy. I always had to turn to men for the comedy style I enjoy ie Chapelle, Frasier, Rock, Carlin, Gervais etc but now there's Sarah Cooper. This book is a hilarious network special on text! It's target audience is women but I swear men NEED to read it, so they can take an honest look at themselves. And if they're cool dudes, they'll definitely find the humor. Kudos Sarah! PS I had to wear the mustache, it came with the book!! 🤣

This book totally describes my work experience as a woman in tech. What troubles me is that my work in corporate America was over 35 years ago. Haven't things changed yet?

This book is AMAZING. Sarah Cooper does it again - she is comically brilliant and cuttingly on-point with her analyses of sexist culture. I tried to just read a few pages, but couldn't. I read the entire book in one sitting, laughing out loud, and sometimes getting choked up by how real it was. It was good for my mental health, both through the laughter and also feeling seen and vindicated. No, you're not crazy, fellow women - read these pages and join with the millions of others who feel the same subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) harms of sexism. I want to buy one for everyone at my work, regardless of gender. SO GOOD! Thank you, Sarah!!!

Just kidding, I laughed all the way through this book. Angry, burning, spiteful laughter. It was really more of a ferocious cackle, let's be honest. Then I moved away from Silicon Valley and now I can laugh again. Like, actual human laughter, emitted as a sign of joy, not a sign of schadenfreude. This book is so accurate that your dude friends who work in tech will not, WILL NOT, understand why it's funny (but you know that it's because it's true, and its about them).

Sarah Cooper has the ability to take things that happen in real life - to women in the workplace - and make them funny without being mean-spirited. Humor is a great way to approach a situation and, hopefully, have it result in a meaningful conversation.

Gave this to a coworker who is kicking ass and working hard to climb the corporate ladder. Sadly too many of the pages, intended as a joke, rang true. Thankfully we can all laugh at the absurdity of others and how much this book comically shines light on the challenges women face in the workplace.

This book had me laughing and cringing on every single page. Sarah Cooper writes with such realistic prose I would have thought she’s been following along in my professional career. Well done!

Brilliant and relatable, which would make me sad if I thought it about it too much. Sent one to my daughter, too, who is majoring in Construction Engineering Management and gets pissed every time she gets mansplained to at Home Depot.

This book was going to be a 'silly desk book' to add to my collection at work, but I spent a solid hour with a female coworker reviewing this, page by page, crying both from laughter and from the irony of it all. I would recommend this to any female (especially those working in corporate, tech, operations, retail, hospitality.... really any job) and to take this with a grain of salt. It's not supposed to be serious, but there's certainly some pages and gems of honesty about the reality of working in a corporate environment as a woman. For those of you that this doesn't resonate with - consider yourself lucky, but maybe buy this anyway to understand the pain the rest of us go through on a day to day basis.

I honestly get more entertainment from her TikTok videos. I read thru this "book" super quickly and had a few chuckles here and there but nothing can replace her videos. I love her really and think she's great but this book didn't quite do it for me.

The book? Great. However, I purchased a few for gifts and they literally ALL came to me. I missed birthdays. I say get the book, but from a different source.

This is laugh-out-loud funny; any reviewer who says otherwise has zero sense of humor. Do not buy for the easily offended or averse to sarcasm. I loved this so much that I have since given 4 as gifts and they were all very much appreciated! (Side note: While funny, also hits a little too close to home to any woman in the business world...)

What I liked: everything What I didn’t like: nothing Every woman who has ever worked in a male dominated field has lived this book, but it’s good to be able to laugh (while grimacing) about our shared experience.

After seeing the author on MSNBC, I immediately bought three of her books. This is the first one I read, and I laughed all the way through. Of course, it is based on truth or it would not be so funny. You just have to read it and see!

This book is AWESOME! We pass it around the office among the women and keep it hidden on a bookshelf so as not to offend the men. Rarely do comics make me laugh out loud but this one is on point! Great gift for a female leader or co-worker.

The scenarios in this book are the reason I went into business for myself. And also the reason I only worked in an office for one week of my 30 year career! But still I found it hilarious, though I love men❤️❤️❤️

Sarah Cooper's ability to identify the key issues and make them both serious and funny is important to women of all ages. from learning the term "gaslighting" to reminding me of the choice between being successful or likable, this book will stay with me for the rest of my career.

This book was the best impulse buy I've made in ages. Helped me find humor in having a misogynist boss who also suffers from terminal incompetence. Bought one for myself and my favorite badass feminist coworker.

- Just wanted you to know, so you can take my review more seriously. First, it is a hilarious take on male office behavior, showing how their power assertion strategies have nothing to do with rational behavior, but more with male primates. Second, deliberate or not, I found this book the best satire of Sandberg's Lean-in-feminism. In conclusion: A wonderful gift. Yes mostly pictures, but it is for women.

I love the art and writing style! I have seen many of these situations in real life and she captures the frustration of it very well.

We get the joke. Not worth buying a book about it.

Very funny book, laugh out loud. Purchased as a gift and recipient was very pleased. Topics are funny but of course true enough to also not be funny, alas. Which of course is the point.

As a woman who recently entered Corporate America, it was comforting knowing that there are many others that faced treatment in the workplace that would produce the same level of sarcasm/irony found in this book. I shared with a female coworker of mine and she described as "hilarious but unfortunately very true"

As someone who works in corporate america and primarily with men, I found this book to be genius. It really offers a perspective where we as women acknowledge what is, and laugh about it. And Sarah is so smart that she does it in a way that helps the reader realize how ridiculous the male and female dynamic in the workplace can be. After reading this book not only was I wildly entertained but I was empowered, felt less alone, and had a blast at work the next day. I also raffled off a copy at a women in tech group I'm a part of and most of the other women in the group went and bought the book. Can't endorse this enough!

I have experienced the behavior she describes - this book is so, so accurate it makes it funny/maddening. She is absolutely hilarious! ROFLMAO. Perfect gift for women in the business world.

I bought the book for a successful female executive - not really as a joke but maybe for perspective? I got whacked.... We’ll see if she ever gets past the title and reads it....

I bought this for my female friends who are pilots and they loved it. It's sad how true this stuff is.

More of a comedy book than an actual tool. I wish I had known that when I purchased it, bc it just wasn’t what I was looking for.

Tongue planted firmly in cheek. Astute observations with deadpan delivery, plus lively, funny illustrations. This book is meant to hold up to men as a mirror for all that they take for granted in the workplace.

Book is moreof a comic strip type reading

Hilarious

This is honestly amazing for any woman, minority or otherwise marginalized group of people who have been told they are too direct or too ambitious. This is the book for you so you can laugh at how spot on this sardonic book is. I plan on purchasing for every woman I know who has a career.

Very witty writing.

Funny to share with the girls in the office

The jokes never got old, and the images were good in the kindle format. Longer then expected but in a good way.

The best work related book ever. I laughed until I cried.

This book presents the truth while keeping the reader laughing about what it's like to work as a professional woman in a large organization. During my decades long career, for example, I often presented ideas which were initially ignored and then presented by male colleagues as their own. Of course, attendees then approved many of these suggestions - ha ha!

Love Sarah Cooper so much. She completely nails it. Got one of these for my sister too.

If you are a professional working woman then this book is a must. It will help you laugh through the pain of sexism.

Captures the moments that we take a moment to reframe what we say, how we say it in order not to come across the wrong way. Exhausting to work this way, Ms. Cooper provides welcome comic relief and perhaps permission to actually act on our instinct.

This book is spot on observational humor. I do have to be careful not to leave it around the mens in the office though. Wouldn't want to hurt their feelings. :)

Love it! My friends find it hilarious!

The author nails it. It's almost too real. Funny and a little sad because the truth is sad. But it's uplifting in the end and you feel like you're not alone.

Great coffee table piece for a house with boys!

If you're looking for a change of pace from the self help/strategy books- this one provides just as much insight & inspiration with added comic relief! I LOVED this book and so did all the girls (and even some guys) in our tech start up office!

Love this book! Its cute, funny, and very clever.

Thought it was an actual book, it’s more of a sarcastic picture book.

Excellent

It's hilarious.

Can’t wait to give this to my intern.

Loved this book! Recommend to anyone...even my 18 year old son got a kick out of it...and now he knows how NOT to act. EVER! hahahaha But he already knew because he has such an awesome mother.

Read it in an hour, since I couldn't put it down.

I bought this book on a whim because I wanted a fun read. Totally paid off--I laughed SO hard. Definitely recommend for feminist humor

Recommended by friends to friends

My husband and I read the book and thought it was hysterical. We will be passing it on to a friend to read.

Amazing - still has me laughing (although I wish it all wasn’t so true ...)

This book is hilarious! I bought one for my girlfriend as a gift and she loved it!

Love you Sarah Cooper, keep the laughs coming. We all need it right now! Every woman in business should read this.

This book offers women a mixture of comic relief with recognizing yourself in some of the situations. It’s a light read, would recommend it both to women in business and men who want a fresh perspective ;)

Like it so far

Could not stop laughing at loud at this book. So so funny and worth getting for any collection.

funny, short read

Absolutely LOVE this book! Hilarious and points out so many flaws with the corporate life.

I laughed from the first page

Laugh out loud funny. Really entertaining and even inspiring at the end. Finished in a couple sittings. Definitely recommend this book.

Every word of this book is so true. I read this book three times now and it still makes me return to it. Very well said, Sarah. Thank you for writing this.

This book explains everything for working people who have anything different about them

I keep this on my desk for amusement.

Buy 17 of these and leave a copy at your workplace, the golf range, the lexis dealership, or any other establishments men tend to frequent.

Love this book - so funny.

Funny and true

Makes a hilarious gift

Great book.

Absolutely hilarious

I bought this for my office, to share with all of my female-identifying team members, and it was a massive hit.

It’s not sétions. The author thinks that the best way to move forward is being silent and make no fuzz. But the graphics are great and it’s fun.

Funny

Incredibly funny and spot-on humor about the gender gap in the workplace. I love this book.

This book is hilarious, and also somehow at the same time really thought-provoking.

Corresponds greatly with my own career experiences. Liked it very much. Now you are just being demanding, thank you Amazon!

I learned so much about myself and the mistakes I was making, and I can't wait to share this with every woman I know.

book group choice

Laugh out loud funny but sad at the same time. I enjoyed every bit of it.

I wish there was more written content, but the graphics still had me in stitches

Laughed out loud multiple times and sang posters of all of the quotes and worksheets. Really hit the nail on the head.

Hilarious!

Funny funny funny. Only clueless will not appreciate the satire.

I know I should laugh and find the irony of the book funny. I do, but I cannot enjoy it. I understand that the book is filled with irony and should be lived on the complete opposite, but I am a little offended of the book. Working woman have fought hard to be where they are now, and to make fun of uncomfortable situations is not the way to go. I work in a male dominated tech industry, and yes some of the pages spoke to me, but they also spoke to negative of my male coworkers. This book play on stereotypes, that's why it is funny and that is why I find outdated and vulgar.

This book is a true head-scratcher. It’s unfathomable to me in the wake of the Google Damore scandal, that the author could have worked as an “experience designer” for Google. In this book she makes exactly Damore’s argument – women are different, need to be treated differently, and, possibly, aren’t up to real work due to reasons anchored in the female nature. Women don’t fit into business or tech culture, and if it looks like one does, she’s probably faking it. The feminist sisterhood should be charmed. No matter how you slice it, the basic message of this book is that women can’t hack it without faking it – while men (probably) can. There is an endless parade of panels which oppose a man’s “world” with a woman’s “world.” In each one women are given tips of how to fake it, while the man’s experience is described neutrally. Maybe this is meant as irony or parody or whatever – but the words are said nonetheless. So we have headings like: “Use math words to sound smart,” “Share random thoughts at odd hours,” “Complain about how much email you get,” “Walk around with your laptop open.” There is another chapter which teaches you how to lie outright to be “authentic.” The mindlessness of the book is brought home in the chapter Diversity which is full of the oldest clichés about things nobody cares to know, like when people wear hoodies or who makes craft beer. Even if taken as satire, these are tips which, until very very recently, were seen as sound and helpful, and among very large circles they are still regarded as such. I simply cannot make out how far her tongue is in her cheek in any specific case – if it is in her cheek at all. I’ve gone through the whole book and I challenge anybody to find a single piece of advice that would genuinely advance the cause of women in a constructive way. There is oblique griping about low pay and harassment, but it never rises above the level of clichés – and bad ones as such. She never makes a single reasoned argument supporting any of her claims – not to mention quoting sources or studies. Indeed, her overarching claim “ambitious women are scary” is pretty much contradicted by the contents of the book. All her examples are hoary clichés that may have applied 25 years ago. What this book tells you is that women are tender wallflowers who will never be able to feel quite at home in today’s world unless they use lies, deceit, subterfuge, a kind of mental makeup applied by the pound. The whole thing is presented way too earnestly to be satire. This sets back the cause of women by at least two decades. The book itself is quite attractive. The illustrations are very basic. The illustrator showed no personal style at all. At least it seems decently edited. I found no misprints, which is quite an achievement for today’s books, even with spell and grammar checkers.

Early in my career I was almost always the only female and while things have certainly improved over the past couple of decades, this book still manages to reflect some of the absurdities commonly encountered by most women at some point and time. The bright pink cover with sparkled text followed by pages of quirky comments, doodle pages and clip art examples is sure to strike a chord with female friends and coworkers. Makes a terrific office gift for the upcoming holiday season but be sure to keep a desk copy of your very own!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is excellent satire. I'm sure there will be people very offended by it. Oh well. Having worked in retail (even though this book seems to pertain to office work) I can tell you that there's an uncomfortable amount of truth in this book.

If you have a sense of humor, buy this book! If you don’t have a sense of humor, buy this book! This is a delightfully funny and witty book from beginning to the end. I love the girly pink cover and the title that aims to spare men’s feelings, or not! So for you men out there, go and buy this book. Walk around proudly with your chin held high and carry this little pink book. The books are perfect Christmas gifts. The author Sarah Cooper is a genius!

This book makes some good, insightful and often funny points. Although at first glance many of the ideas seem obvious, in reality some women do demean themselves in the manners described at times. So it’s a good and humorous book for raising awareness. While the book is clever in that way, I found it to be unsophisticated in another. I was not thrilled with the book’s implicit blanket indictment of men- the general idea and basis for all the humor is that men have fragile egos and need female subservience to maintain their dubious senses of self-worth. Blaming “men” as a group seems like almost as cheap as shot as a joke book aimed at the perceived stereotypical weakness associated with some racial minority. Plus the paradigms Cooper describes can often be seen playing out with non-dominant men playing the role of the woman. Or the roles may be filled by an older, experienced person belittling a young, inexperienced person of any gender. Despite its significant, hard-hitting and sometimes painful truths, Cooper encourages a type of thinking that may provide comfort (it identifies a villain - men). Because as a group men have indeed been the customary oppressors, all men are seen by some as fair game for unvarnished ridicule. Yet with her obviously deep level of insight and well developed sense of humor, I wondered if the author couldn’t have taken all this one step further and provided more in the way of additional effective strategies. When so broadly applied, bitter ridicule falls short of profound and makes people laugh at the expense of seeing the bigger picture. It’s a clever, funny book that in some ways isn’t funny at all.

Hilarious look at the sad state of how women are treated in the work place. When you think about it too much you either have to laugh or cry and, like the author, I would rather laugh. So much of what is joked about in this book is true. Often truer than true. I would love to leave copies of this on everyone's desk at work (including the bosses) in hopes that it could bring enlightenment to some and chuckles to others.

I think people might want to buy a few copies and sorta strategically leave them around the office ...

I selected this book because of all the five star ratings thinking it would be funny. It may have been - three decades ago. It's based on really old male and female stereotypes. Now, I am not in corporate America where some women may have to encounter dinosaur male bosses, but I am in a male dominated field (legal) and I have never changed my behavior because my way of doing things may be offensive to a man. Nor should any woman. Besides that, this book just plain wasn't funny.

Before Sarah Cooper achieved fame and fortune with her spot-on lip-syncing performances of Donald J. Trump’s greatest hits of hilarious stupidity, she was already really, really funny. Witness this parody of the self-help manual for women in the workplace. Every episode rang true: the interruptions, the diminutions, the idea theft, the victim-blaming in sexual harassment, the rancor when a woman’s warning turns out to be true — it’s all here. "How dare I seek opportunities? How dare I speak up? How dare I know stuff? How dare I tell a man he’s wrong? How dare I tell a man he’s right? He’s a man! He knows he’s right! …Because you know what’s more precious than my hopes and dreams? A man’s ego." I can’t believe Ms. Cooper isn’t selling this quote on a petit-point pillow. I could finish my Christmas shopping in one fell swoop.

If you're a woman who works in an office, or uses social media, likely you've already seen some of these drawings floating around. They resonate with us because they're true: while we've made great strides in terms of equality in the workplace, there's a great distance left to go. The most poignant part of this book, for me, was the epilogue wherein the author describes men's reactions to her telling them about the book. Some were supportive, but others... weren't. In short, this book would make a great gift for the understanding coworker/friend. A few (mild) criticisms: -the author has spent her career in tech, and it shows. That doesn't mean it's not relevant for other industries, but expect that the jargon and the examples are more relevant for the tech field. -if you read it all in one sitting, like I did, it will feel redundant and old by the end. Not in the "so true" way, but in the "yawn" way.

Bought it because the cover & title were catchy. And then: wait... ha! Some of this is really true! Like: I’ve seen & thought some of this stuff during much of my professional career. Yikes! I didn’t used to think these things really happened, so I feel like I can understand how many still don’t think they do. But....welcome! Sad part is many don’t realize what they are doing (talking 95% of the time, not knowing their topics but acting over-confident, giving compliments that are rooted in what they think women want to be). Nails it pretty well. As for solutions? I’ve found when I try to appeal to some by asking how they would feel if their daughter’s were to ever encounter such diminishing, truth be told they don’t think they will because they are “different,” wouldn’t be in that position, etc. There is still a prevalent attitude of it being a woman’s “fault.” Good luck!

I honestly thought this was a real book when I selected it. I mean, I figured it would be funny given the title, but I thought it would generally be prose. It's really more of a humor piece--it dimensions are smaller than a normal book and most of it is illustrations of a man doing something and being labeled confident or helpful and a woman doing the same things and being labelled arrogant or bossy. Each chapter deals with a different theme like leadership, communication, negotiation, harassment, etc. with the aforementioned pictures and a short paragraph humorously describing the issue. There is also a funny "activity" at the end of the chapter to reinforce the "lesson" of the chapter (like the one on achievement has a thing at the end about lowering expectations where you write a goal you would like to achieve and then in the next column lower the goal you have to something less grandiose.) Not going to lie, it made me laugh out loud often and I think most women (working or not) could relate to some of these scenarios. I'm sure this will rile up some folks who will think it's sexist. It's clearly trying to be humorous but it really pinpoints a lot of experiences that women have in the work place and elsewhere (I've certainly been in a meeting where a woman suggested something and later a man suggested the same thing and somehow got the credit for the idea.) My husband also found the book amusing, chuckling at some of the scenarios. Honestly, though, there are some parts (like the whole chapter on diversity in tech) that I think are universally funny without poking too much fun at men. My favorite joke (apart from the stickers for men that are allies) is the pie chart on why you cc someone on an email. We all know it's so you can prove that they knew about whatever project or topic that they will later try to deny knowledge of. :)

Reading this book make me realize how happy I am in my industry. Libraries tend to be female-heavy workplaces. My first job out of college, though, I was the only woman in a computer building business. I always wondered if I was the “diversity hire,” but don’t recall anyone ever hassling me outright. Now that I’m older, I can look back and recognize how paternal (and slightly condescending) all those guys were to little ol’ me. One mustn’t forget, however, that the shoe can always be on the other foot. A guy friend of mine is the only male in his department. He recently expressed frustration that he feels he has to be much more careful than a woman would about what he does, what he says, and how he approaches his female coworkers for fear that they’ll read his intentions as inappropriate. A small, nasty, part of me thinks, “yeah, well now he knows how women have felt for years.” Most of me just thinks it’s unfair that anyone--male, female, or otherwise--should be made to feel uncomfortable in their workplace.

I took a chance on this book before any info was out. While it looked like self help, poke me in the eye, type of content, I thought no way, this can be serious, and I love a good wit so took a chance. This tongue & cheek style "How To" book is a must for any woman who has had to laugh, to stop from crying, at how far we have not come in the workplace. I have been shut out, shut down, bullied & sexually harassed to the point I had to leave a job, over the course of 30 years of putting a roof over my head. And here we are in 2018 & the only difference from 1918, is men don't openly admit, They just want us in the bedroom not the board room. Well, tough for them. This openly ballsy book actually gives some great info, while looking like a comic strip. The part I love most, is how it deals with women, not rocking the boat & being people pleasers. Makes you think twice about who should come first. I'm lucky, I wasn't raised to be quiet and have no regrets about others bad behavior but, I had to get through the whole book just to have the first story be the one that stuck with me. "Mary & Steve are driving to a work event. Mary reminds Steve to turn on his lights. He does & laughs it off. On the way back, Steve again forgets to turn on the lights but, there are co workers in the back seat. Does she say anything? Yes, she does. Steve becomes flustered. Runs a stop sign. T bones an SUV. Everyone is ok but taunts Mary for telling Steve how to drive. Did Mary make the right choice? No. no she did not Bc if you have the choice between saving a man's ego & his life, Always choose his ego." And that ladies, is how you play the game. Not by sense or right & wrong but by ego.

I got this mainly so i could nod along, sigh, and occasionally roll my eyes at the utter BS many women have to put up with at work or other para-professional endeavors. Oh, and also to sometimes be filled with a rage so incandescent that i'm surprised the book doesn't burst into flames. But then it occurred to me - what if we used this to help woke or semi-woke men recognize the ways women have adapted to the BS, and help them defuse it? For example, in the leadership section, it gives the example of when a woman finds a mistake in a man's data. The 'threatening' example is saying, "These numbers are wrong." The non-threatening version is "I'm sorry, are these numbers right? I'm not 100% sure." So, theoretically, a dude who wants to 1) not be sexist, and 2) help women overcome institutional sexism, could keep an ear out for such minced statements and realize what's going on. Heaven forbid, such a statement is directed at him, he could, y'know, own it. Anyway, there are also a lot of infographics and other sections, like one pointing out that women and men can say example the same phrase and be perceived differently (managerial/bossy, etc). If you're a woman who's ever interacted with men, you'll probably find the huge majority of this book awfully familiar. *sigh*

Sarah Cooper is a rare talent--she has the ability to encapsulate, in trenchant and hysterically funny prose, what we all experience. I have been talking about the book with my friends by quoting numerous passages that hit the mark. I am seriously thinking of sending it to long past (male) bosses who continually analyzed my non-verbal and verbal behavior (and that of other women employees) in precisely the way Sarah sets forth. So familiar! Absolutely worth reading for affirmation in a humorous manner.

Sometimes it's best to trust your own instincts and not listen to book recommendations from acquaintances. When someone suggested that I read this book, I admit that I was put off by the title. While it's a quick read and clearly meant to be satirical, it just wasn't for me. We all know that women in the workplace have (and continue to have) challenges not only from male colleagues, but from female ones as well. Satire has its place (I think of Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal), but Cooper's book just made me sad.

I saw a couple of the pages and preordered on the spot. It arrived today and I've spent the last couple of hours laughing out loud and sharing with my family. Sarah is incredibly witty and thoughtful and creative and that makes for plenty of laughs and "Hey! Read this!" moments! This book will still be funny years from now. Its THAT kind of funny!

This is the kind of book that makes me want to grab everyone I know and tell them to read it. Written by a former employee at Google and other tech companies, it does a great job illustrating the frustrations of being a woman in a male-dominated industry in laugh-out-loud style. Full of cartoons, graphs, and other illustrations (including blank pages to doodle on while men are explaining things to you that you already know), this is an extremely quick and enjoyable read. This is satire at its finest, and behind the instant recognition of shared experiences is encouragement to stop worrying about hurting men's feelings and be threatening anyway. (Showing it to men also works as a excellent winnowing tool to find the ones who get it, too.)

this book is completely misleading and will get you fired. I think this book is designed to divide men and women. Women should do complete opposite of what this book is telling them. The author is a comedian so maybe this book is just a joke, who knows

AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Just based on the title, you know you're going to laugh until you cry. And you're going to laugh because you want to cry. And maybe you're just going to cry. This book is very funny, but also very real, which makes it...not funny. You see the conundrum here, yes? Irony runs rampant throughout, and I think the best part is the fact that maybe, just maybe, you can find humor in the bs scenarios you have experienced more than once in your professional life. Also, the motivational pretty fonted breaks in the chapters make everything better.

This book is a comedic manual for women on how to survive in the business world. There are chapters on how to accomplish Communication, Ambition, Leadership, Negotiation, Harassment, and more, all without bruising the fragile egos of male co-workers. Comedy relies on exaggeration, and unfortunately the author didn't have to stretch the truth too much here. There were a lot of times when I read something in the book and thought, "Yeah, I've seen that happen." I've got some women friends on a waiting list to borrow this book. But I think men could get a lot out of it too. As long as they had a jar of Ego Salve on hand.

This book is full of satirical examples of how to work as a likable (non-threatening) woman in a male dominated industry. While funny, there were a few times where it was almost too real to laugh at since it hits close to home. I'd recommend this book for its satirical content! The print copy is ideal so you can see the images, but the audio book was enjoyable too. Some reviews seemed a bit disappointed with the nature of this book, so I'd say two things: 1) The book uses satire. Some people seem confused, and are focusing on the actual "strategies" rather than the issues that are being surfaced. 2) If you're looking for additional material on the topic of women working in a male dominated industry that doesn't use satire, I'd recommend something like Brotopia.

Hilarious! This witty, brutal but honest guide would sure make you plan for your big jump and attack for greatness. However, at some point, I find it confusing. I know it's supposed to be sarcastic but sometimes I can't identify which is real. I want to take it so seriously that it'll be my "How-to" but then again, I may find myself odd when following the tips. The book is very entertaining with all the illustrations and exercises plus tons of examples and comparisons.

This book is awesome. It was a super quick read but it made me laugh out loud constantly. I wanted to share it with all the threateningly successful women I know and I even showed parts to my husband (a man who is secure enough in himself to laugh and not feel threatened). I loved the format, the comic book like style, and the humor. I am excited to read more of this author’s books! Thanks to netgalley for providing a free copy for me to review.

I got this book for Christmas, and I've literally been carrying it around with me ever since so I could show all the women I know. Every single one of them ended up laughing and wishing they also had the book and at least 4 have taken pictures of the cover so they could buy it for themselves. It's truly awesome! I haven't found a single woman who couldn't relate to this book. Buy this. You WILL loveeee it.

The title should be what it is minus the 'without hurting men's feelings.' And the same for men. They should not be concerned about hurting women's feelings. By the way: they AREN'T. Men don't even think about that. Why are you suggesting women should tread lightly? This is not a healthy mindset or good example for anyone, especially young women/girls. Who cares if your leadership is 'threatening' to anyone else? Everyone: Do your thing.

Someone gave me this book while I was still employed as a manager in tech. I found I couldn’t laugh, it pissed me off. It was too real. Now that I’m retired, I can’t recommend this book highly enough! As distressing as the reality is, this kind of humor may be the only way to shine a light on its truth.

Any woman who has had to deal with a male-dominated workplace will get a kick out of this book. It's funny and at the same time painstakingly accurate. There are no golden takeaways here or great ideas on how to solve the problem, but professional women will get a kick out of it. It's a funny, easy read.

Every page is another chuckle or laugh-out-loud moment. You will see yourself, your teammates, and your friends reflected in these pages. And if you ever get uncomfortable because it hits just a little too close to home, remember that there are fake mustaches you can use to disguise your discomfort. (note: I bought the paperback on Amazon but for some reason it says Kindle. This review is for the paperback book)

I thought this book was hilarious and also insightful. I laughed and sighed over the Professional Hair, Professional Dress, and Volume of Voice areas. Too much of it rings true! This is a great satirical work and I definitely recommend it for both the women AND the men in your life (for the men, so they can see what many women have to go through and consider in their daily work lives).

¶ Great read. It's useful for everyone. Being cognizant of the techniques in this book will help you become a better person. ¶ I found the glitter on the cover a little irritating. ¶ Chapter 8 can be depressing so be aware that it's not all laughs.

This is a hoot. When I first read the description, the satire missed me. I was all outraged. You might say it ruffled my feathers. :D But this is a fun read for those who understand the gift of humor based in sharp-tongued satire. Get this for yourself and for a friend. It's truly funny. Salient points are that we are not all that different and we all have to pull on our grown-up pants.

This truly is awesome! It's funny, relevant, and it comes with mustaches. This is a very witty and painfully sardonic look at the modern-day workplace - and everything a woman must do (or not do) to get ahead and not annoy her male coworkers. Even as you laugh, you realize it's incredibly sad - because it's true! This should be on every woman's desk!

It would be hard to imagine any person (male or female) who has ever worked in an office that wouldn't find this book hilarious. Also, it's good for anyone who just likes things that are very funny.

As a female who wanted to get ahead, but didn’t want to rock the boat, this book helped me lower my standards for career advancement immensely. Now I work for just over minimum wage, with great men who aren’t threatened at all by anything I say or do, and I’m hoping maybe one of them will marry me so I can afford to eat again!

If you like Sarah Cooper's TikTok videos--and even if you don't--you will like this book! She is so clever, funny, and observant about the Catch-22s for women at work. Highly recommended!

Most people know Sarah Cooper now because of her Trump video humor -- which is excellent -- but I loved her work before those videos became a thing. This is such an excellent and fun book.

I am not sure how else to put this but why in the world would you suggest that professional women alter their authentic selves to cater to MEN?! This is insane and should be sitting in the 1950s. I head a women's network of professional leaders and thought this book was written to be funny. I assume I was wrong??

Don't read this if you don't want to be depressed. Everyone experiences problems in life and you just have to soldier on and look forward. I find it too hard to have all of these situations explicitly spelled out. ymmv

Hilarious and so true! I am a woman in tech and these are all so relatable and fun, it’s a quick read and great coffee table book for conversation. Men should read it too! I was LOL’ing the whole time

Funny and true at the same time. I like her writing style. She mixes comedy with hard truth. I have worked in business and so many of her observations are true! So funny. Also, it is not vulgar. I like that too!

This book is hilarious, very well written and organized, and a little scary with how spot-on it is.

This is truly a tongue-in-cheek expose, drawn from Cooper's experience in corporate America. You have to laugh at the all-too-real scenarios. Because while they may not ring true for you, there is a solid kernel of truth for at least one person. My office mates will love it.

This book was very enjoyable and humorous with positive message for women in the workforce. Recommended for all the women

I find that this was a pretty good satire, and took a step back and thought that this is so real in the modern world. I guess this helps me understand my female colleagues much better.

I saw the author at a comedy night and was blown away. I sent this book to my best friend because it is just so good! Buy it, you won't regret it

LOVE Sarah Cooper! She’s a genius.

Laughed put loud many times, so relatable!

If you've worked in offices, a rush of memories will flood your mind as you work your way through this book. Well written, hilariously designed and so true. Only a MAGA misogynist would fail to find the humor.

Many women who work in offices will relate to this book

A lot of the reviews miss the point of the book - it is making fun of all the horrid situations women are forced to cope with in the workplace. I adore this book because of its hyperbolic, ironic sense of humor. If you do not have a good sense of humor, this is not the book for you. It is not a self-help book in the traditional sense. It is a self-help book if you want to help yourself to some great laughs about the patriarchy that we all live under. In the end, the book encourages all women to know this behavior is out there and to still be themselves despite the fact that they will encounter it.

A friend showed me this and I had to buy it. Funny because it's true... But also sad. Guys tend to either be offended (because they secretly find it accurate) or hilarious (because they openly know it's accurate). Girls - it may open your eyes to what's been happening and why! This encouraged me to leave my workplace and get a new, higher paying job ... Because it made me aware of what was going on. Very happy :)

Sarah nails the problem in an incredibly funny and ironic take on the workplace. Men, get over yourselves and then get out of the way

I haven't read the book yet but the Kindle edition' s format is horrible: feels like I'm reading a PDF file (no access to dictionary and pages do not fit my kindle's or phone's screen).

I laughed until my belly hurt but also it put subtle observations and feelings I had into words and a recognition that these things do happen, I’m not dreaming it. It was a bit sad in a way how many of these things are actually still a reality but it was empowering to recognise that and have the confidence to challenge and call them out.

I thought this was very amusing and recognised most of the behaviours in myself and others at work. However I work in a very female environment, and I find that a lot of it equally (and sometimes more) relates to working with other women - eg the tendency to couch orders as emoji-laden inquiries. Other women can find the same behaviours threatening in other women, and interestingly, the men in this environment exhibit the same low-power indirect communication styles ie this low-power communication style has become the company norm. A more even male /female mix works best I have found.

My wife told me to read this. Got as far as page eight. I find it really offensive and I'm still not talking to her.

This has got to be one of the funniest books that I've seen!. Full of tongue in cheek humour & great illustrations. It just about sums up the workplace! I have bought two, one for each of my daughters as I know this book will resonate with both of them & give them a chuckle at the same time!

Close girlfriend is graduating and starting her career. Thought this would be exactly the thing to let her know I believe in her and she’s going to do great. It’s funny but meaningful at the same time. She loved it. Looked pretty good when I flipped through before wrapping. Would recommend.

Sarah Cooper is fabulous - can’t love her enough. For anyone whose ever been in work life you can see what a marvellous human observer, psychologist and priceless wit she is.. so wish I’d had these at work as trainer.. to help people see the idiocy of there actions!!

The book is a masterpiece. I can't recommend enough the non-digital version. It also makes a great gift.

My daughter in law laughed out loud ... job jobbed!

Saw this recommended on Instagram so I bought it on a whim and it was a very well-received christmas present for my girlfriend.

Not a long book but very amusing.

Great buy and read!

Bought it as a Christmas present for my boss. She loved it.

Really great gift. Good book

Dont buy this thinking it will change your life you will get a good chuckle from it though

Buy it for everyone

Este libro no tiene nada que ver con feminismo. Es sarcástico e incita ponderar el éxito profesional sobre la opinión personal. Enseña que el ego de los hombres es súper frágil. Explica estrategias sobre cómo ser menos amenazadora en ambientes masculinos. Hace visibles problemas en círculos de trabajo, en lo que concierne a mujeres. Por ejemplo, explica la perspectiva de acciones como tener hijos, llevarlos al trabajo y pedir licencias para cuidarlos, y expone cómo la óptica es distinta cuando lo hace una mujer, a cuando lo hace un hombre.

For male readers: It’s good to be reminded what jerks we can be even when we think we have noble intensions. This book is a poignant and hysterical look at how miserable the working world can be for women and other people when the system is rigged against them, especially when the people who created and maintain the system don’t want it to change. This book is laugh-out-loud funny, but in that cutting you to your core kind of way. Read it!

Dieses Buch ist wirklich der Hammer! Ich habe es in einem Rutsch durchlesen. Es ist für alle Frauen die in größeren Firmen arbeiten und sich oft fragen warum sie es im Büro so schwer haben, im Vergleich zu den Männern. Natürlich ist es überspitzt dargestellt, dennoch finde ich es klasse 😁. Ich musste so oft lachen und habe viele Markierungen im ebook gemacht. Liebe Frauen, lest dieses Buch und genießt!

Now I see what the other poster meant about having very mixed feelings. All I can tell you is that once you relax and get over being horrified and saying "OMG so true" you wont be able to stop laughing. Wud suggest not reading the book all at one time or you will end up being a bitter man hater. (wink)

I‘m sure you‘ll find yourself and your male coworkers in this book! Definitely recommend this to all threatening and non-threatening women out there!

I don't think it matters if you're a man or a woman reading this book - it's pretty funny. I actually think some of the things detailed in the book could apply to either a man or a woman and sometimes how you get treated in an office environment.

This book provides a lot of comic relief and is a very entertaining read for folks with office jobs. Of course it's a parody and not intended to be taken seriously. I've definitely seen examples of the behaviours described in the book (From both genders) - I recommend this book for career-goers who want a good laugh.