Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

It took me a while to get through this one (hence the tardy review), partly because I don't usually read non-fiction (although Howard's style is extremely readable) but mostly because I found myself getting so annoyed! So much of it rang true with my own situation and that of my (female) friends and really forced my to examine what was happening in my own life. A really important book that I will be recommending widely.

Sadly this didn't download to my Kindle - and despite me chasing this up with the publishers and NetGalley I haven't been able to review it - which is a shame!

In the interests of fairness I have rated it the same as the other reviewers! I have never not reviewed a NetGalley book - and so didn't want the IT failure to mess up my percentages!!

I decided that in 2020 I need to read more non-fiction, and feminist non-fiction is definitely where it's at. I actually had a conversation with my boyfriend a few weeks ago about the mental load, and the way that chores and domestic shitwork are distributed in society, so when I saw that Sally Howard's book on this very thing was available on NetGalley, it was a no-brainer to request it. Delightfully, I was approved, and consumed this one voraciously over a few evenings sitting at home.
Howard's book is comprehensive in its ambit, covering a wide variety of domestic arrangements and the societal expectations which come pre-loaded with gender presumptions. With a mixture of pop culture, social science research, and statistical analysis, Howard sets out the position clearly. We may be fighting for equality in the boardroom, and the bedroom, but unless we also have equality in the kitchen, women will never succeed to the greatest of their potential. Howard's journey through the book then takes her from a ride-along with her cleaner to a non-binary houseshare, as she investigates alternative modes of chore distribution (or outsourcing of chores) bringing along her partner Tim and their toddler Leo, in a variety of interviews and embedded situational analysis. This is backed up by an international survey, from which qualitative comments are excerpted throughout the book. I found this one particularly interesting, and will probably do some investigating to see if there are any write-ups of this survey specifically, because I'd like to read more about it.
Howard writes frankly and accessibly, about the development of feminism and attendant difficulties of the Double Day or Second Shift, where working mums still pick up the domestic slack in a way that doesn't seem to happen to working dads. She investigates ways to counteract this, from Swedish latte papas to household cleaners, and remains accessible and enjoyable throughout.
There's no quick fix in this book - reading it won't suddenly redress the housework imbalance inherent around the globe. But it is a comprehensive look at why domestic work falls so disproportionately on the shoulders of women, and an insightful, self-deprecating inspection of how even the most egalitarian households can accidentally fall into gender norms, and the conscious unpicking required to redress that imbalance.
I'll definitely be recommending this, and will likely buy a hard copy when it publishes, just so I can impress it upon people, and demand that they read it.

This is a fascinating book about the age old argument about how domestic chores are divided between the sexes.
The topics range from historical anecdotes to how women around the world are challenging stereotypes.
This book should be buried in a time capsule and reread in 20 years to see how the view of ‘ women’s work’ has changed, or not!