What do you think?
Rate this book
Don't Be Too Polite, Girls: A memoir
Educator, activist, agent of change - the life and career of one of Australia's most influential women.
'extraordinary'
Georgie Dent
'a trailblazing headline act'
Sandra Sully
'one of the great feminist superheroines'
Jacqueline Maley
'a pleasure and an education'
Dr Anne Summers, AO
'a national treasure'
Dr Kerryn Phelps, AM
Wendy McCarthy has made her mark on Australia in many extraordinary ways. For more than 50 years, she has been on the leading edge of feminism and corporate and public life in this country and her trailblazing advocacy and leadership have made her a widely respected and revered figure. Wendy is a woman who shaped her times as much as she was shaped by them, and now, at 80 years of age, she shares her remarkable life and achievements, and the lessons she learned - and taught us all.
From sheltered country schoolgirl to relentless campaigner for abortion and contraception, from passionate teacher to lifelong advocate for education, to smashing that glass ceiling again and again and showing the way to subsequent generations of women, Wendy has championed change across the public, private and community sectors - in education, family planning, human rights, public health, overseas aid and development, conservation, heritage, media and the Arts.
This inspiring and enlightening memoir is filled with cautionary tales and insider stories about being female in Australia - as well as a few helpful survival tips. Above all, it encourages the reader to find her own voice and listen to it.
'extraordinary'
Georgie Dent
'a trailblazing headline act'
Sandra Sully
'one of the great feminist superheroines'
Jacqueline Maley
'a pleasure and an education'
Dr Anne Summers, AO
'a national treasure'
Dr Kerryn Phelps, AM
Wendy McCarthy has made her mark on Australia in many extraordinary ways. For more than 50 years, she has been on the leading edge of feminism and corporate and public life in this country and her trailblazing advocacy and leadership have made her a widely respected and revered figure. Wendy is a woman who shaped her times as much as she was shaped by them, and now, at 80 years of age, she shares her remarkable life and achievements, and the lessons she learned - and taught us all.
From sheltered country schoolgirl to relentless campaigner for abortion and contraception, from passionate teacher to lifelong advocate for education, to smashing that glass ceiling again and again and showing the way to subsequent generations of women, Wendy has championed change across the public, private and community sectors - in education, family planning, human rights, public health, overseas aid and development, conservation, heritage, media and the Arts.
This inspiring and enlightening memoir is filled with cautionary tales and insider stories about being female in Australia - as well as a few helpful survival tips. Above all, it encourages the reader to find her own voice and listen to it.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
580 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2022
36 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 26, 2022
ARC was provided by Allen and Unwin for an honest review**
A memoir, something completely different to what I would pick up and read. But I’m so glad had this opportunity to read about someone's experience and educate myself about certain things.
Reading this book really gave me some courage to never let any men tell me differently when I think I’m succeeding in life as a woman. Working in a male-dominated workforce initially the thought of it was so hard and I had so many people discourage me from pursuing it but I’m so glad I didn’t let their words affect me or my career choice.
The words selected to explore feminism within this book were amazing! Loved reading about her experiences and how Wendy handled it all like the boss she is!
This book took me a while to read, but I'm happy I finished it and felt like I learnt something out of it and understood that other females also experience similar concerns.
I personally enjoyed reading this book as I felt at some particular moments I could have related to some things. I loved how she was outspoken about her career, it was very raw and unfiltered! Which made me love it even more!
A memoir, something completely different to what I would pick up and read. But I’m so glad had this opportunity to read about someone's experience and educate myself about certain things.
Reading this book really gave me some courage to never let any men tell me differently when I think I’m succeeding in life as a woman. Working in a male-dominated workforce initially the thought of it was so hard and I had so many people discourage me from pursuing it but I’m so glad I didn’t let their words affect me or my career choice.
The words selected to explore feminism within this book were amazing! Loved reading about her experiences and how Wendy handled it all like the boss she is!
This book took me a while to read, but I'm happy I finished it and felt like I learnt something out of it and understood that other females also experience similar concerns.
I personally enjoyed reading this book as I felt at some particular moments I could have related to some things. I loved how she was outspoken about her career, it was very raw and unfiltered! Which made me love it even more!
September 30, 2023
3.5 stars
This was an interesting book, part personal biography, part business biography which gives us an insight into the corporate and Not For Profit (NFP) worlds. Wendy McCarthy takes us briefly through her early life, before she becomes involved in Family Planning NSW, the first of her many NFP roles. Throughout the book, Wendy’s passion for the rights of women to have more control and influence over their lives, most especially reproductive choices and sexual knowledge comes through. She has had a remarkable life and acknowledges this. Her work has taken her around the world and allowed her to mix with influential people, contacts that she uses to address inequalities in our society, and to get things changed, albeit slowly.
Her: loyalty to friends; the urge to help and assist other women to succeed; love of her family; and calling out the inequalities in society shines throughout this book. Having said that, I do feel that it could have benefited from tighter editing. I don’t think that we really needed to have: whole articles that Wency has written in various magazines over the years reprinted in full (a short quote to support what she was saying would have been sufficient); tributes for her brother; her eulogy for Hazel Hawke; or the numerous references to Dame Quentin Bryce as a close friend, once would have been enough.
I did enjoy the book, Wendy McCarthy writes well, with a light touch and certainly her passion for life comes through. I did find it depressing, however, that women are still fighting the same battles. Yes, we have made progress, but baby, we still have a long way to go before we are equal to men in terms of: wages; superannuation; health; safety from sexual harassment and assault; and being judged on our abilities and not our appearances.
This was an interesting book, part personal biography, part business biography which gives us an insight into the corporate and Not For Profit (NFP) worlds. Wendy McCarthy takes us briefly through her early life, before she becomes involved in Family Planning NSW, the first of her many NFP roles. Throughout the book, Wendy’s passion for the rights of women to have more control and influence over their lives, most especially reproductive choices and sexual knowledge comes through. She has had a remarkable life and acknowledges this. Her work has taken her around the world and allowed her to mix with influential people, contacts that she uses to address inequalities in our society, and to get things changed, albeit slowly.
Her: loyalty to friends; the urge to help and assist other women to succeed; love of her family; and calling out the inequalities in society shines throughout this book. Having said that, I do feel that it could have benefited from tighter editing. I don’t think that we really needed to have: whole articles that Wency has written in various magazines over the years reprinted in full (a short quote to support what she was saying would have been sufficient); tributes for her brother; her eulogy for Hazel Hawke; or the numerous references to Dame Quentin Bryce as a close friend, once would have been enough.
I did enjoy the book, Wendy McCarthy writes well, with a light touch and certainly her passion for life comes through. I did find it depressing, however, that women are still fighting the same battles. Yes, we have made progress, but baby, we still have a long way to go before we are equal to men in terms of: wages; superannuation; health; safety from sexual harassment and assault; and being judged on our abilities and not our appearances.
June 10, 2022
A trail blazer whose life exemplifies the importance of education for women and who came of age as the rise of feminism hit Australia, was in the right place at the right time to make a difference in Australian women’s lives
December 29, 2023
An interesting memoir by an Australian leader in business, education and government, who happens to be a woman who was involved in many of the changes that now form the basis of our community expectations.
An interesting read for women to see a role model for excellence and ambition.
An interesting read for women to see a role model for excellence and ambition.
May 5, 2025
You are truly an inspiration to all women. I read your memoir the weekend of the May 2025 Federal election. The number of women who were newly elected or retained their seats speaks volumes. Yes let’s continue to write our own story and thank you so much for sharing yours with us.
March 23, 2022
3.5 stars, very interesting life.
May 7, 2022
What an interesting tapestry is the life of Wendy McCarthy, a true Australian gem. It was a fantastic account of her life’s work and achievements.
September 19, 2022
Impressive! What an inspiration, such a change advocate for women in Australia.
October 22, 2022
Incredible pioneer. Amazing career. Absolutely 100% Australian story. Enjoyed every page of this book.
October 24, 2022
Fascinating autobiography of a woman I knew little of prior to picking up the book. Great to hear the stories of the pioneers that changed the course of womens and childrens lives.
January 13, 2023
3.5* maybe?
August 23, 2022
Wendy McCarthy has certainly packed a lot into her life and her memoir reflects this. This is her second memoir, the first written 20 years ago. I found it sometimes repetitive and the final chapters rely far too much on emails, report and letters which are too long and which I confess to skimming. However despite these issues it is an impressive life.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews