Stepping Out of Line: Lessons for Women Who Want It Their Way... in Life, in Love, and at Work

When activist Nell Merlino decides something needs to change, she throws everything she has into changing it. Whether it is raising the visibility of girls or helping women build their businesses, her many campaigns have helped women make dreams come true. Now she marshals her life lessonsand those of other gutsy womento help women have it their way.

Stepping Out of Line is Merlinos bold manifesto for women to stop waiting and get what they want, in the arenas of love or work or in the world at large. Offering practical nuggets like “Gain from complaining” and “The system is more malleable than you think,” she shows women how to imagine bigger lives, find support, and stay the course.

"The daughter of a lawyer and a community activist, Merlino describes herself as 'chubby from the age of nine and generally known as "outspoken" (if you liked that sort of thing) or "bossy" (if you didn't).' Her go-getting resume includes a Fulbright Scholarship, a non-profit she started to foster women's entrepreneurship, and work on three presidential campaigns (including Bill Clinton's). In this self-help memoir, Merlino recounts those and other adventures while tracing the path to her crowning achievement, the 1993 founding of Take Our Daughters to Work Day. Looking at the idea from conception to execution, Merlino illustrates ways in which any woman can actualize her desires. Imagination and dedication are key; Merlino insists that no matter what 'the system' you're up against may be-courtship, marriage, politics, law, workplace power structures-it's 'more malleable than you think.' Citing role models ranging from the women of Rwanda to Eddie Murphy's character in Coming to America, Merlino's extended pep-talk should inspire readers to envision and pursue their ideals: 'Whatever you can imagine for yourself, you can achieve.'" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

In a bold manifesto that encourages women to stop waiting and get what they want in the world, Merlino--the creator of Take Our Daughters to Work Day--shows women how to imagine bigger lives, find support, and stay the course.

NELL MERLINO created Take Our Daughters to Work Day for the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1993, and today, more than 71 million Americans have taken part. She is currently CEO of Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence, which helps women grow microbusinesses into million-dollar enterprises through its Make Mine a Million $ Business program. She lives in Manhattan.