The Shriver Report is an anthology that examines the connections between public policy and the success of women. This book looks at the state of women in contemporary America including how public and business policies have not kept to date with the current reality of women and families in modern America. This book is a balanced account of how to solve this problem. IT should be noted that its balance does not come about in an attempt at a utopian idea of objectivity but rather from portraying a multiplicity of viewpoints. The Report consists of four sections with an introductory essay regarding each section. This introductory essay is then supported by shorter essays from various personalities from popular culture and the business world. This book is highly recommended for those people who are concerned about supporting American families and helping to bring about equality in America.

The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Pushes Back from the Brink is by no means light reading. Heavy with statistics and facts, it is a sobering look at the way our society has forced a segment of the population into a difficult to break cycle of living in poverty or too close to the poverty line to escape the danger of falling back under it. This is an excellent read for anyone curious about this issue and what we as a country can do about it. ( )

This book is both thought provoking and informative. It can feel a bit repetitive at times, but much of the information in it bears repeating. That said, i think the strength of the book lies, not in reading it cover to cover, but in reading the essays that are most relevant to you. If you're an employer, read the essays about business practices. If you're a parent, read the sections that talk about child care. If you're a woman (or man) on the brink of poverty, read the sections that talk about the resources available to you. The book paints a stark picture, but remains optimistic about the future and gives some concrete ideas about how to lessen poverty in the United States.

This report mixes personal essays, backgrounds stories and scientific research to show the financial struggles faced by women in USA and the potential solutions that would promote the entire country. The struggles and obstacles numerated in this report are not new and can be observed on a daily basis by anyone who looks. This report verbalizes what just about everyone knows about poverty. The solutions seem so simple. And yet, while the report seems to seem minimal effort and common sense, it is nonetheless heartbreaking to see that growth and progress cannot be achieved. ( )

When I saw a chance or review Maria Shriver's new book, "The Shriver report : a woman's nation pushes back from the brink", I jumped at the chance. I also set my expectations for the book. My disappointment with the work is not any failure of the book or it's many contributors but its failure to meet my expectations. There was nothing in the book that I disagreed with. There was some information that was new to me. The Shriver Report is a good safe study of the state of affairs women face in the United States today and what we can do to improve their lot.

That all could be part of my disappointment. I pay attention to current events and politics but I am not a student of feminism. I expected to learn much more. I expected well reasoned and well researched essays. There were several of those but they were far outnumbered by 2, 4, and 6 page essays. Considering the ratio of word to illustration, essays that short cannot achieve the depth required to impart understanding. They simply seemed to be shouts of "Amen!" following the longer, more detailed pieces.

It surprised me that there was nothing I disagreed with. I am a male, approaching sixty years old, and I grew up in a conservative, rural section of the country. I may be a liberal but I expected that a study like this would come up with ideas that would at least make me uncomfortable. My lack of discomfort is why I think the report was too safe. With all the discussion of pay inequality there was no mention of the historical American quest for cheap labor. Unions were only mentioned in the past tense. Why? I have seen "Norma Rae" and "The Pajama Game", women and unions do mix.

In spite of the fact the my inflated expectations were not met this is an interesting work. It gives a realistic view of the economic cliff that many families today teeter on and is worth the time to read. ( )