📖 Book Review ~ Saving the World by Paola Diana

Quartet Books
2018

My thanks to Midas pr for my copy of this book

A passionate call for international gender equality by a leading entrepreneur; this smart, accessible and inspiring book makes the case for why all nations need more women at the top of politics and economics. `The status of women is a global challenge; it touches every human being without exception. How is it possible that countries where women have achieved political, economic and social rights after exhausting struggles remain seemingly indifferent to the egregiousness of other nations where the status of women is still tragic? The time has come to help those left behind.

Part manifesto for change part historical and sociological essay, Saving the World charts women’s condition through the centuries, analysing their treatment within political, religious, economic and societal contexts to form a bigger picture of their place in the world; and explores what needs to be done in 2018 to create a truly equal world. Having already broken the glass ceiling for women in Italy, where she introduced a new bill requiring company boards to have 30% female representation, Paola turns to the Gender Pay Gap and puts forward her vision for how we reach an equal society, one in which all women are set free from fear, violence and oppression. Paola Diana impresses on us that this world we inhabit, dominated by men and often seemingly immutable, is far from the only one possible.

Already a bestseller in Italy, this translation has been extensively revised by the author to incorporate recent UK events that impinge on women’s rights and the struggle to achieve equality. A clarion call for change, Diana’s polemic should be read by all who hold powerful positions in government, industry and the arts.

📖 My thoughts..

The book works well as an interesting starter into the complex issues which surround feminist ideas and is easy to read in short and succinct chapters which cover the following topics:

Feminist Diplomacy

God is a Woman

Work is Freedom

Born A Woman

To be a Woman in England

2017: A Year of Chance

Bonus Care Draft Bill

I enjoyed flitting into and out of the various chapters, and reading the author's ideas and philosophies gave me much food for thought. She covers the various topics in a lively, intelligent and thought provoking way and with fascinating insight into the lives of women around the globe.

In our so called enlightened age it is still difficult to imagine that the lives of women in some parts of the world have changed little over centuries. There is still exploitation, abuse, manipulation and degradation of women, which, if we are ever to succeed, needs to be eradicated. 

The author writes with passionate commitment to the subject and whilst this short book cannot provide all the answers to the questions which have been raised, it is an interesting starting point for those who want to go deeper into the complicated world of modern feminism.

About the Author

A top ten bestselling author and political activist in Italy, Paola Diana is a mouthpiece for female equality in a country that has some of the worst work place equality in the world ranking 118th out of 144 countries in terms of women’s participation in economic life and 126th for wage equality for similar work according to the 2017 Global Gender Gap Index, with Italy lagging behind India and Iran in wage equality.

A London based entrepreneur and campaigner for equal rights Paola has dedicated her life to championing sexual equality in business and politics in the UK and Italy. In Italy, Paola is the founder of the organisation PariMerito (Equal Merit), which she used to lobby the Italian Government to pass new equality laws in the work place, including a new bill requiring every company board to have minimum 30% female representation.

Prior to starting PariMerito Paola ran a Think Tank in support of the former Prime Minister and President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi’s political campaign, which had a particular focus on issues including welfare, female employment and structural policies in favour of the family and equal opportunities.

Paola is also an entrepreneur starting her first business as a single mother of two, her hugely successful Diana Group, comprises three separate businesses and has established itself as a market leader in recruitment and lifestyle services, recognised as one of London’s most influential service providers for high net worth individuals, families and corporations around the world.

Twitter @paoladiana_

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