As a young woman, Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney asked her grandmother for career advice. She was shocked by the reply: "Get married."     Though much has changed for women since then, more has remained the same. On a January night in 2008, Maloney and her daughter attended a Hillary Clinton rally in New Hampshire. Some men in the audience held "Iron My Shirt" posters aloft. This small incident provoked outrage, but it provided an important peephole onto larger problems that women face today.      In her groundbreaking book, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, Congresswoman Maloney shatters the myths about how far we've come, highlighting how women’s issues permeate every realm of society, and how political change has provided only a fraction of a solution.        The former cochair of the Women’s Caucus, Maloney has access to a wealth of cutting-edge research that helps her illuminate how far behind we still fall on gender equality in issues from health care to educational opportunities, from poverty to reproductive freedom. It’s a fact that women are working harder than ever, but they're still only paid three-quarters the salary of their male counterparts. She weaves this vital information with gripping stories of real women, making clear that she’s not taking some abstract political position. She’s talking about real people, real lives.      Maloney also points the way forward, sharing inspiring tales of female activists who have managed to make a difference and presenting readers with "take action" guides that show all women practical ways they can help bring about change in their lives and the lives of others.

"Rep. Maloney, a U.S. congresswoman from New York since 1992, has spent her career fighting for women's rights. Though women are now an accepted and unremarkable part of the workforce, Maloney documents some surprisingly grim realities, among them: the gap between men and women's wages is still widening, working mothers are still penalized for dealing with family obligations, and affordable quality child care is in short supply nationwide. Health care issues, life-work balance issues and equality issues, Maloney reports, are only getting more difficult for women, with real quality-of-life results: studies show a 'growing "happiness gap,"' as 'women have become less satisfied with their lives over the past 30 years.' 'Take Action Guides' punctuate the (largely) bad news, offering concrete steps to create 'A Workplace that Works for Families' ('Demand what you're worth,' 'Urge your congresspeople to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act'), and help push back against community and domestic violence ('Educate yourself and others about how to prevent rape,' support activist and treatment organizations like RAINN and H-E-A-R-T). Though she admits that 'documenting the stark reality... is much easier than abolishing it,' this comprehensive look at the contemporary American woman is an important and impassioned report, especially eye-opening for those who insist the fight for women's equality is already won." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Mixing wit with withering criticism, Congresswoman Maloney exposes where progress for women is being stalled, even reversed. Ultimately, she offers actionable steps--large and small--for women to make real progress and support real family values.