Prof. Myra Strober’s book “Sharing the Work” (MIT Press, 2016) is an inspiring ‘must read’ for women and men interested in the power of gender in-equality in the workforce!

Prof. Strober is a labor economist and Professor at the School of Education and at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University (by courtesy). She is a pioneer in research on gender issues at the workplace, work and family and interdisciplinary studies. Among many leading positions, Prof. Strober was the founding director of The Clayman Institute for Gender Research.   She was also the first chair of the National Council for Research on Women, a consortium of about 65 U.S. centers for research on women.

“Sharing the Work”  is an insightful autobiography describing Mayr’s challenging journey as a woman with strong ambitions in a world controlled by men. This book is the touching and sometimes poignant story of Myra’s uphill battle to fulfill her career aspirations in a society which at the time had traditional views on women’s role. This powerful book intertwines events from both Prof. Strober’s personal life and her academic achievements on gender issues alike. Through very personal accounts about her Jewish birth family as well as her relationship with her husband of many years, Myra tells us the story of how they impacted her professional choices and paved the way forward.

Prof. Strober’s message is clear: Indeed, combining demanding careers of both life partners with parenthood is challenging as both of which require a significant time and energy investment. Nevertheless, a strong commitment to both areas by the partners may enable them to succeed in both, whereas mutual responsibilities for each other’s careers and a similar one to the family is the key.

I could very much identify with many aspects of Prof. Strober’s book. I really enjoyed it. The story is very personal; In memorable scenes and colorful stories, her writing is sharp, honest, and quick to make us laugh and cry . Myra extensively describes her own doubts and hardships in a very detailed and crisp way, and shows how they affected her research interests.  Prof. Myra Strober, who is almost one generation ahead of me, may have had a role in my own success in a world dominated by men. I am grateful for that.