About the book
Melinda Gates makes the case that a society cannot be lifted up while women are kept down. The argument comes from some twenty years of searching for answers for the people in greatest need, and from the people she met through that work and her travels. Gates pairs their stories with data on the problems she thinks most need attention, among them child marriage, gender inequity at work, and the lack of access to contraceptives. For the first time, she also writes about her own life and about the road toward equality in her own marriage. It is her first book.
Barack Obama endorsed it, praising how Gates combines stories of people she met around the world with data on issues such as child marriage. Bill Gates called it a terrific read even setting aside that he is married to the author, and Warren Buffett called it one of the best books he has read.
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This book has 5 recommendations
Tara Westover (Author)
Melinda Gates's book is a lesson in listening. A powerful, poignant, and ultimately humble call to arms.
Bill Gates (Founder/Microsoft)
I would say this even if I weren’t married to the author: The Moment of Lift is a terrific read.
Melinda opens up about her personal journey from private citizen to public advocate. You see how she pushed our foundation to focus more on women’s empowerment. She shares insights about our marriage, the path we took to become equals in our work, and how she has helped me grow as a father and husband.
But to me, what is really impressive about the book is the way Melinda combines her mastery of data with her ability to tell powerful stories about individual women she has met. In an especially memorable passage about how she handles seeing people in desperate circumstances, she writes: “All of us have to let our hearts break; it’s the price of being present to someone who is suffering.” Your heart will break more than once when you read this book. But more often, you will be enlightened and inspired.
Barack Obama (Former USA President)
In her book, Melinda tells the stories of the inspiring people she’s met through her work all over the world, digs into the data, and powerfully illustrates issues that need our attention―from child marriage to gender inequity in the workplace.
Brene Brown (Author)
The Moment of Lift is an urgent call to courage. It changed how I think about myself, my family, my work, and what’s possible in the world. Melinda weaves together vulnerable, brave storytelling and compelling data to make this one of those rare books that you carry in your heart and mind long after the last page.
Warren Buffett (Investor, CEO/Berkshire Hathaway)
I think this is one of the best books I've ever read.
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