She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man's World

by Jennifer Palmieri

Take action and shatter the glass ceiling with this empowering and optimistic feminist guide from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Madam President.
When Jennifer Palmieri realized that everything in her life had been shaped by men, she wanted to make a change. From work behavior and use of language to wardrobe choices, she decided to follow her own convictions and reject paternalistic expectations. In an era of wage gaps, the Kavanaugh hearings, the #MeToo movement, and a domineering administration, Jennifer found a way to move beyond the bounds of patriarchy and wants to show readers a way out.

Where Dear Madam President introduced a blueprint to succeed and the tools to prosper, She Proclaims gives readers the advice they need to to step out of a man's world and into their own. Jennifer believes that every woman has "power to change the world by changing the way she behaves in it." She Proclaims celebrates the accomplishments and history of the women's movement, and it will inspire you to be subversive, courageous, and bold.

This book is a Declaration of Independence for women, broken into three types of sections:

A preamble that expresses gratitude for the lessons of a man's world
An assertion: the time has come for women to declare their independence from a world not created for them.
Each chapter begins with a "whereas" clause and includes advice for combatting the reality of living in a patriarchy.
Through personal reflections and stories of other inspirational female leaders, Jennifer shares the key lessons she's learned from her journey to success.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Politics, History, Memoir, Audiobook, Womens

208 pages, Hardcover

First published July 21, 2020

Reviews

[Andre Engco · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s time to take down the patriarchy

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Grand Central publishing for my gifted copy

4⭐️

I must admit that the only time I read nonfiction is when it is a requirement for school or work. I know that’s horrible. When I got this book, and after reading the description, I knew I would love it. I always believe that women are not just meant to be in the shadow of a man. The era where women’s job is to obey and serve her man is long gone. We now live in a time where we are known to be creative, inspirational, intelligent, and that we can lead. Thanks to all the brave women who fought for our freedom, ensuring that our voices will be heard. This book gives us historical facts and current information about our most profound challenges as a woman and our coexistence with men. It is inspirational, educational, and overall outstanding. Women’s s empowerment at it’s finest.

[mowgliwithabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Powerful,Persuasive,Paramount✨
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She Proclaims by Jennifer Palmieri is one of those books that makes you see injustices & biases you have been blind to. And you can’t unsee them, once aware of it.
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🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
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SYNOPSIS->
She Proclaims declares what most women know in their souls but have yet to say out loud- that they deserve something better than a life where men hold a vast majority of power and women continue to be undervalued. It is a manifesto for the second century of feminism that no longer chases a man's elusive path but proclaims the value, ambition, and emotion women have had all along to change their world by changing how they engage in it.
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REVIEW->
In She Proclaims, Jennifer takes examples & inspirations from historical Women heroines to portray how a Woman’s place in a Man’s world always needed to be fought for. It sheds light on how the workplace, politics & even sports are arenas that favour men and are built to propel their success, while Women have to strive to be “good enough” to fit in.
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In short chapters, mimicking the Declaration of Independence, the book touches upon how & why Women should not be hesitant to show ambition, speak up, demand their place or advocate for themselves & each other. The writing did take a little while to get used to, but the book definitely inspired and angered me, thinking about how much more work Women have left to do!

[mack ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

not really what i was expecting. i like the premise of it but it was very white feminism-y, had personal stories from when she was working in the white house, much hillary clinton praise, adoration for the suffragettes, and the majority of the proposed changes happen in the workplace. this feels like it could be good for a lot of upper middle and upper class women but to be honest i don’t suspect many others would resonate with it. some good lines and assertions, though

[Sugarpuss O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**

Part memoir, part Women's history, part Feminist Manifesto, this is a book I wish I could've read 20 years ago. And of all the books I've read about the Women's suffrage battle, the Declaration of Sentiments had never been included, so I thank Ms Palmieri for that. Seeing it side by side with the original the Declaration of Independence is quite eye-opening.

[Emily B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holy white feminism…..promotes the idea of “universal sisterhood” and barely acknowledges the additional barriers women of color face. Consistently referenced the suffrage movement, but failed to mention how white suffragettes strategically excluded black women from the movement to further their (white) cause. Major woof and this book needs a heavy dose of intersectionality.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent intro to women's rights, but if you know a lot about women's fight for equality, and if you are working towards intersectionality in feminism, this may not be very engaging.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man's World, by Jennifer Palmieri


This is the first non-fiction book I've reviewed in a significant time, so if this comes off as scattered and a little unfocused, please bear with me.  But when I say non-fiction, as I am going to make abundantly clear, we're going to have to agree that the author had a much brighter vision of the United States than the nation currently exists in late 2024.


Let's start with the overall structure:

Written as a clause for clause rewriting of the Jefferson list of grievances and responses to the English colonial government, the book is a mix of the history of the women's rights movement, modern events, the aftermath of Hillary Clinton's defeat in 2016, and a call to arms for women to not rest on past successes as we must liberate ourselves from white male patriarchy in life, business, and government. The author has been deeply involved in Congressional and presidential politics, and she offers some very insider views of even the Clinton 2016 campaign that are frankly disturbingly sexist.  She pulls no punches even as she offers what now reads as a supremely rosy view of the U.S.


Unfortunately, this now reads as a sort of time capsule.  Published in March 2022, the author had no way to know we were less than 4 months from the Dobbs decision, overturning Roe vs. Wade.  The author took as read that women's progress, even if it was stalled, was not going to go backwards in such a dramatic manner.  This taints my reading of this otherwise uplifting and tightly written piece.  Well-researched, containing abundant annotations and a writing style that is simmers just below the boiling point.  She does not deny her frustrations about women not supporting each other, nor does she ignore the wealth and racial disparities playing a factor in the lack of women's solidarity.


I am reviving the Non-Fiction Rubric, rusty as it is:


Tone:  Optimistic.  Jennifer Palmieri's history in Washington gives her a deep understanding of how progress can and should happen. She echoes language from the Civil Rights movement, even what I felt were variations on Dr. King and Minister Malcolm. 


Structure/layout:  extremely tight, lucid, and direct.  Written in the same style as an annotated Declaration of Independence, where the author lays out the necessity of each clause, this book is a 10 k run.  What I mean is, if you are prepared for the structure, it's a fast read with easy transitions and a clear finish line.  I don't know if the author always writes such.sharp prose but I think this is the redemption of the whole concept, given what was just ahead of women in the U.S.


Audience:  largely educated women, politically motivated men and women, and feminists.  She is not writing a love letter to the patriarchy, and I suspect men might not like the way she calls out "boys club" behavior in business and government.  With that being said, feminist theory is sometimes hard to read if one is not comfortable with the words.  But honestly, I would give this book to every young person (men and women) because the conversation around women's rights in the world has become very aggressively negative.


Final thoughts:  a rosy vision of America, where women were secure enough in their bodies to take the fight to government and the workplace.  Sadly, we are now in a place where the argument has devolved into something so basic as bodily autonomy and the right to not die during pregnancy.  This book is Sisterhood Solidarity, and I really hope more people read it. 

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She Proclaims” is fabulous. I loved it, and hope you will, too.

Before sitting down to read it, I wasn’t familiar with Jennifer Palmieri or her political background. But I’d heard about her #1 New York Times bestselling book, “Dear Madam President.”

Now that I’ve read She Proclaims, I totally want to hang out and befriend her. From one communications professional to another, Jennifer seems like an amazing mentor.

Sign me up. I’m on board.

This book is a call to action for women. It’s time to stop living in a man’s world. Instead, we need to take charge and redefine what equality needs to look like. Then we need to get ourselves there. For far too long, we’ve played a game designed for men by men. And guess who wins?

Despite our successes, our gender is clearly not there yet. So it’s our turn to rewrite the future.

Palmieri goes into detail in how we can do this. First, we must believe in ourselves. Then we need to support our sisters, regardless of age or race. (Um, hello to the 52% of white suburban women who voted for Trump in 2016).

“The history of the women’s rights movement shows that when women don’t back each other, women lose.” Even Madeleine Albright says “there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t support other women.”

I loved the quote Palmieri included in the “Souvenirs” chapter from the former NY Congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” It’s time to expect and demand better for ourselves. We have a lot to offer, and we need to realize our full potential.

“Working so hard to fit in over the years has given us quite an arsenal of adaptive skills—we’re great listeners, we’re solution-oriented, we handle disappointment well, we are resourceful, we have sky-high standards for ourselves, and we work our asses off. Just imagine all of the great things we can accomplish when women don’t just make the world run but are running the world.”

I highly recommend this book for women and men, especially young girls and professionals. Our time is now.

“Imagine what the little girls growing up in the world today will be able to achieve if we break the cycle of gender submission once and for all. That is the gift we can give ourselves and them—a future free of the biases that have held us back for so long. We can make the next important chapter of American history the one where women break with their old complacent ways and band together to finally realize the golden promise of equality.”


Special thanks to NetGalley, Jennifer Palmieri and Grand Central Publishing for an electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

[NCHS Library]

Publisher's Description: Take action and shatter the glass ceiling with this empowering and optimistic feminist guide from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Madam President.

When Jennifer Palmieri realized that everything in her life had been shaped by men, she wanted to make a change. From work behavior and use of language to wardrobe choices, she decided to follow her own convictions and reject paternalistic expectations. In an era of wage gaps, the Kavanaugh hearings, the #MeToo movement, and a domineering administration, Jennifer found a way to move beyond the bounds of patriarchy and wants to show readers a way out.

Where Dear Madam President introduced a blueprint to succeed and the tools to prosper, She Proclaims gives readers the advice they need to to step out of a man's world and into their own. Jennifer believes that every woman has "power to change the world by changing the way she behaves in it." She Proclaims celebrates the accomplishments and history of the women's movement, and it will inspire you to be subversive, courageous, and bold.

This book is a Declaration of Independence for women, broken into three types of sections:
A preamble that expresses gratitude for the lessons of a man's world.

An assertion: the time has come for women to declare their independence from a world not created for them.

Each chapter begins with a "whereas" clause and includes advice for combatting the reality of living in a patriarchy.

Through personal reflections and stories of other inspirational female leaders, Jennifer shares the key lessons she's learned from her journey to success.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a long-time subscriber to MS. magazine--back in the 1970s, when the articles were new and fresh and (to me, anyway) revelatory. I always felt like the scales were falling from my eyes. Twenty years later, as the magazine shifted from publisher to publisher, it felt like I was reading the same article, again and again. And that's kind of the way this book felt--the same insights, over and over.

Maybe it's because Palmieri is 16 years younger than I am (which she writes about as being 'mature') and learning that she was always going to be underestimated, underpaid and overworked came as a surprise to her, a new generation of woman discovering what women have always understood: No, we haven't shattered the glass ceiling. Yes, women have always taken the side of men--it's safer to be the perky assistant than the boss.

The most interesting bits come from insider stories about the Clinton campaign, working in the White House, and jobs she's held in Democratic politics. The book is structured as a re-write of the Declaration of Sentiments (1848) which is a re-write of the Declaration of Independence. It's a clever conceit, but it doesn't really work, because Palmieri expresses the truth--we're not there yet, not even close--early on and then spends the rest of the book embroidering. Three-plus.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
Palmieri's written an interesting follow-up to the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments. As she writes, "The time has come for the women of America to make a new declaration. One hundred years after women won suffrage, we still live in a world where men hold the vast majority of power and women are consistently undervalued relative to them. Despite all women have done to fit in, and all that well-intended men have done to help us along the way, we have only been able to rise so far in this man's world. It is no longer serving us well. We should not continue to prop it up by following its rules. It is time to declare our independence and proclaim the start of an exciting new era for women—an era in which we break from a world that does not value us enough and create a place where we are able to reach our full potential."

It's a quick and relevant read and a call to action for women across the country. I thought it had several good reminders that I found useful and makes so many good points, about women and ambition, about our second-guessing ourselves, about how we're used to seeing men in leadership but not women and the impact that has on our view of women in leadership, and more. Recommend!

[Jocelyn Monroe-Holder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this book had much potential. And it lived up to that. Somewhat. The author addressed the much needed questions about sexism and how this idea of it and how it was "resolved" is foolish. People in working conditions think it has disappeared, but it has not. the need for work has just outweighed the need to discriminate. Up on Wall Street and in the Office however, it is just as bad as it was said to be. One of the things that did disappoint is the focus on sexism in high place and the experience of it. I would have love to see how it has affected a person and maybe even decision making. Also, intersectionality is not a talking point whatsoever. While not inducing much conversation, one that sprung up often is the morality of sexism and is it okay to benefit from your own discrimination. Though, maybe all these opinions are just from it not meeting my expectations.

Overall, a good beginning piece for those learning.

[Fred Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using history and contemporary societal structures, Palmieri calls upon women to free themselves from the male structure of society and act in accordance with with a new structure of their own building. This is a rather simplistic expression of this book. I would suggest reading the appendix first. In it are the Declaration of Independence From a Man's World (contemporary), the Declaration of Sentiment, written in 1848 at the Seneca Falls conference and the 1776 Declaration of Independence. The Sentiment document is quite remarkable in it's declaration. It comes at the end of an era were true equal rights for men and women were well articulated starting with the writings of Mary Wollstonecroft in the 1790's. Let's hope that the current tide of equal rights continues to move toward justice.

[Danielle W · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMEN. So much truth in this book. I enjoyed her Dear Madam President but this one rocked.my.world. It encapsulates so many of the hard lessons I've learned in my career to date and it is not negative or "woe is us" at all. It is a collective call to action about why women are often seen as imposters at work or other power positions, what we must no longer tolerate and enable, things we are doing that unwittingly help keep women down (like accepting less pay than we deserve or being indispensible to a team but not demanding the title or pay that corresponds), etc and so forth. A MUST READ. And we must not simply read and say "yes." Indeed we must ACT to bring about the change we need to see.

[Jenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Complete garbage. She asked for a raise and got one. Oh, the oppression! The USA women's soccer team was offered the same compensation structure as the men's team and they turned it down. Now they're upset they don't get paid the same as the men. What horror!

She mentions that women earn more bachelors degrees than men but conveniently doesn't bring up what fields the women are getting those degrees in. Sorry, but Hillary Clinton lost to someone as horrible as Trump because she is also horrible.

Apparently everything negative is a woman's life has nothing to do with her own choices and everything to do with "the system." This is a destructive idea.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Brenda Stice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very inspiring book, my only complaint is that it was too short. Short enough to revisit though! I appreciated that the author didn’t take the approach that all men are awful. To raise women up, we will need to do it together. However those men that are sexist and out to keep women down are far too numerous. There are women that I admire and try to build up but I know I can do more. They do, as the author says, stand strong in a room full of men and make the room better. I too strive to do this in my career.

“Because when a woman refuses to be intimidated by a man, she takes his power away.”

All women should read; and have your daughters, your sons, and your husbands read it too!

[Danielle Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ~ rounded up

She Proclaims is a fantastic feminist read that really illuminates the inequality between the sexes. The author does a great job at highlighting these inequalities and encouraging women to fight against the patriarchy and glass ceilings we repeatedly face, but in a way that doesn't put down men.

I feel like the book is perfect for younger readers or for readers beginning their self education on feminism. However, if you are well versed in the subject, I'm not sure the content of the book would add a lot, as it primarily highlights the basics. Im not suggesting there would be no benefit, just that it doesn't exactly contain new ideologies from other feminist reads.

[Kayla Littleton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Though I enjoyed the sentiment and the information about the suffragists, this book felt very "look at me I'm a successful woman in Washington and all of you can be successful too". I lost count of how many times the author mentioned she worked in the Clinton and Obama White Houses. She also somehow managed to center the Monica Lewisnky scandal on herself and her guilt... that was the line for me.

Love the message, not a huge fan of how self-centered the delivery was.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me access to this eARC.

[Mackenzie (taleswithtank) · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s no denying that Palmieri has had an impressive career. However, for someone who continually talks about “all women” this book largely excludes the needs and experiences of women of color. Palmieri writes from a place of privilege that she does not acknowledge. The sections in which specific women of color were mentioned felt as if they were there to check off a box, not to truly include their voices. In my opinion she often used quotes or stories that already aligned with her arguments or points rather than expanding upon their thoughts. After reading and loving Dear Madam President, I am sadly disappointed.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate this book and the woman who wrote it. It seems she is attempting to rally the troops (women and men troops) to be more substantial in our resolve to promote women's rights. It is a quick read and has some good references to the history of women's equality....albeit brief which may be a good thing for those with little tolerance for history. Unfortunately, it seems to be underlined with a message of "do as I say (suggest), not as I do". There is a need for this type of discussion, this book could be more forceful and realistic in the methods.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend reading or listening to this short but powerful proclamation patterned after the Declaration of Independence. This recorded version is read by the author and proclaims, as the cover says, women's declaration of independence from a man's world. She states the case clearly and everyone should hear it. The recorded version is only 3 discs long, so why not listen to it twice! It takes a while for society to absorb this important information and change the way we have functioned for hundreds of years.

[Hannah Havenspell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where to begin. The book was more of a memoir and the personal experiences rather than the broadening of feminism. It was interesting to see the psychological affects when it comes to women and politics, especially in positions of power. Other women were definitely overlooked when it came to this "manual". Honestly I didn't love the writing but I liked how the book was divided into small chapters. I enjoyed the declaration at the end but also this overall was just so unorganized and thoughts were everywhere.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL women need to read this book! The author really focuses on how women can come out from behind the shadows of men and be successful. As women, we are trained not to "rock the boat", but the author shares insight from her own success, as well as from other influential women. This book is one that we shouldn't need in 2020, but sadly do, as women as still not treated the same as men in many situations.

[Anne Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick read that makes some good points. I loved that she kept referring to the struggles of the US women's suffrage movement and its leaders for historical context. I felt that many of the sections were just pointing out problems and not offering action items to fix it, but that got better in later chapters. A worthwhile read about power structures and the idea of moving forward by shifting away from a "man's world" towards "a world" that makes space for everyone.

[Kate Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book and shared multiple quotes with friends and on social media throughout my reading. The writing is excellent, the backstory of politics including Hilary Clinton's run and the Monica Lewinsky situation was quite interesting, and the whole book is just empowering as all Hell. This book should be required reading for a lot of people, but I would especially recommend it to women in their 30s and up.

[Emily Slavin]

Finding all of the critiques about it being very centered in white feminism and the workplace to be accurate, but a nicely optimistic short read with some impactful lines and cool insider Clinton/Obama White House & campaign stories.

“[M]uch of what women blame ourselves for and what we try to fix really are part of a social phenomenon that is bigger than us. We feel powerless, but still driven to fix things.”

[Carol Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book tells you that it is not enough to conform to a man's world to get ahead, but to feel enough confidence in yourself to do things your way. Don't conform to what men have built. Build something that empowers you and other women. I now have Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" running through my head.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jennifer Palmieri's style of writing. She's inspiring and relatable, and I feel hopeful after reading her words. This book is a call to action, to remind women that the fight for equality isn't over, despite how easy it is to believe it is (especially for white women). I hope to continue to internalize the message she shares in this book.

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were many great quotes and nuggets sprinkled throughout the book, but it was lackluster as a whole. I think Palmieri took on too much - it's part women's history, part memoir, part gender inequality, and part encouragement. I wish she had focused on one or two topics instead of jumping around.