NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “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.” — President Barack Obama “The Moment of Lift is an urgent call to courage. It changed how I think about myself, my family, … 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.”
— Brené Brown, Ph.D., author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Dare to Lead
“Melinda Gates has spent many years working with women around the world. This book is an urgent manifesto for an equal society where women are valued and recognized in all spheres of life. Most of all, it is a call for unity, inclusion and connection. We need this message more than ever.” — Malala Yousafzai
“Melinda Gates’s book is a lesson in listening. A powerful, poignant, and ultimately humble call to arms.” — Tara Westover, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Educated
A debut from Melinda Gates, a timely and necessary call to action for women’s empowerment.
“How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings – and especially for women? Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity.”
For the last twenty years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you need to stop keeping women down.
In this moving and compelling book, Melinda shares lessons she’s learned from the inspiring people she’s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, “That is why I had to write this book–to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live.”
Melinda’s unforgettable narrative is backed by startling data as she presents the issues that most need our attention–from child marriage to lack of access to contraceptives to gender inequity in the workplace. And, for the first time, she writes about her personal life and the road to equality in her own marriage. Throughout, she shows how there has never been more opportunity to change the world–and ourselves.
Writing with emotion, candor, and grace, she introduces us to remarkable women and shows the power of connecting with one another.
When we lift others up, they lift us up, too.
more
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.
Melinda Gates’s book is a lesson in listening. A powerful, poignant, and ultimately humble call to arms.
While I found The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates to be engaging and very inspiring, I was disappointed by the structure and flow of this book. It was rather disjointed at times and left me confused with the stories. That being said, I really found myself asking at the end, what more can I be doing with my life?
Melinda Gates has been vigorously involved in various types of global health and charity work around the world for the past two decades. Through this book we’re given snippets into her experiences and challenges she faced in her work. Each chapter is directed on a global health issue. From contraception to child brides, even domestic violence and work place equality — Gates shares poignant stories that show the uplifting and positive work women are doing around the world to tackle these issues.
I really wanted to love this book, especially as it was part of my ASC Book Club for June, but I had a hard time going back and forth between Gates’ stories. They didn’t flow within the chapters and I got so confused with when each story was taking place. It was really disjointed with the flow of the chapters. The structure, flow and timing of the stories in each chapter could have been done better!
Putting that all aside, this book is unbelievably inspiring! Gates’ passion for her work resonates within her writing. Her self-reflection within the Gates Foundation was very earnest and eye opening. The stories Gates’ weaves into the chapters were disjointed, but they were also profound. While most of this book is very heavy in terms of topics, it’s all written in a positive tone.
“Poverty is not being able to protect your family. Poverty is not being able to save your children when mothers with more money could. And because the strongest instinct of a mother is to protect her children, poverty is the most disempowering force on earth.”
I’m extremely grateful my ASC Book Club decided to read The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates this month. This book is very powerful and compelling! While I had difficulties with the flow and structure, the passion Melinda Gates has for her work is beyond profound. I highly recommend this book. It will leave you asking what more you can do with your life, and how you can help others!
Read my full review here: https://bit.ly/2WZOs17
This book is a beautiful and concise mission statement on what we need to do to move society forward – continue to empower women. At every level and in all places women are truly the bedrock supporting their communities.
Melinda Gates is an outstanding writer and philanthropist. Definite book to recommend
A grounded, yet uplifting, book about women who’ve come together to make changes in our world. It’s a wonderful display of gratitude to the women who influenced Melinda in her journey through The Gates Foundation work and shows how even the smallest adjustments in thinking and education can impact a community through trust and connection.
I learned so much about the world and how to help out
It’s way past time to lift women up all over the world!
Great read–very insightful and inspiring. Thought provoking
Melinda Gates, philanthropist, businesswoman, and global advocate for women and girls, shares her heart and beliefs in the The Moment of Lift. The title refers to the moment of liftoff of a rocket or airplane, or even an emotional moment of awe. This is a book about the moment of lift for women, that they may be a full partner in their own lives.
Bill and Melinda Gates met at a Microsoft dinner, married and have three children. They founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and as co-chair, Melinda sets the direction and priorities of the world’s largest philanthropy. It would be easy to say, “Well, sure, Melinda is married to one of the most well-known billionaires and philanthropists in the world, she can afford to do all that traveling.” But Melinda does more than just travel, she seeks ways to make changes for a better life in places of abject poverty and inequality. She visits villages, sits with women to exchange ideas, and strives to learn how their lives could be improved.
The Moment of Lift delves into some of the reasons that poverty exists, and explains how it could be eradicated, or at least reduced. She cites that if a plane crashes and 300 people die, it makes headlines around the world. Yet on the same day 30,000 children die from malnutrition, or lack of proper medical care, just because they are poor. Those facts never seem to make the headlines.
One of the reasons for poverty is that many women in developing countries have babies too early, too late, or too often for their bodies to handle. If contraceptives were readily available to them, they could space births, each baby would be more likely to survive his first year, and live to see his fifth birthday. Family planning is a smart, sensible, and vital component of global health and development. It paves the way for empowerment, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights, and to be recognized as equal, not subservient.
Gates explains that poverty means not being able to protect your family. She suggests ways in which life standards could be raised by offering tools and information to make life-changing decisions. Educating girls leads to empowerment by giving them an awareness of choices available to them, putting them on the path to equality.
Every page in this amazing book offers information, ideas and possible solutions to eliminate extreme world poverty through equality and awareness. I could give many worthwhile quotes from this inspirational book, but I’ll settle for one: “…equality can empower women, empowered women will change the world.”
I heartily recommend The Moment of Lift for its enlightenment on fighting world poverty, and the power women have to achieve this goal.
On a personal note: Having served for two years in West Africa with the Peace Corps (The Gambia, 1979-1981) I saw first-hand the many truths Melinda Gates refers to regarding the treatment of women. I also witnessed how powerful a group of women can be when sharing information to make changes. In my memoir, Tubob: Two Years in West Africa with the Peace Corps, I’ve written about this experience.
Nonfiction. Reading this book is a life-attitude changing experience. Melinda is NOT your typical rich man’s wife. It made me respect Bill Gates more than I ever did before simply because he married this incredible woman. She, like her husband has a solid middle class background. Her empathy for fellow human beings, regardless of race, creed or culture is amazing. Instead of being overwhelmed with the problems facing our planet today, she embraces this motto: “If you want to lift a society up, you need to stop keeping women down.” I highly recommend this book.
I honestly did not want to read this book. I live in the South; I’m a feminist who has lost her voice. Thank you Melinda Gates for giving my back my thoughts, hopes, dreams, for a greater—equal—society. Thank you for sharing stories about what happens in societies where women have no voice and no power. You’ve given me hope again. Your voice will help me find my voice again.
Wow. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. It is eye-opening, sometimes difficult to read. But I believe it’s also hopeful. If you are a woman, if you have daughters, this is a book you need to read to understand how far we’ve come but more importantly, how far we still need to go…for instance, we are only one of only 8 countries that doesn’t have paid family leave. You will be motivated to do more.
Melinda did a wonderful job explaining different goals for women (all supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) from family planning to keeping girls in school to acknowledging unpaid work. She told not only of her involvement, but more importantly, she allowed the women she met from various countries do the educating, by sharing their stories. She explained how the Gates Foundation and her own views have changed over the years from trying to help the world to supporting women. The underlying message in the book is if you raise up woman, you will improve societies for everyone.
Unlike many nonfiction books with strong viewpoints, she was not pushy and didn’t ask the reader to go do this or go do that which I sometimes find off-putting. Instead, the focus was on education. But thanks to what I’ve learned, I’m sure it will shape actions I take in the future on women’s issues, whether it be how to vote, where to donate my money, or what other books to read.
Honest…informative…vulnerable…realistic…inspirational.
Melinda Gates has created opportunity ,healing and hope for countless poor people globally She writes Love is the most powerful and understood force for change Mother Theresa ,Albert Schweitzer,Gandhi,Martin Luther King ,Dorothy Day ,Desmond Tutu all tough minded worked for social justice and put their emphasis on love Melinda writes Love for me is the effort to help others flourish ,it begins with lifting up a persons self image She is correct let’s include others into our lives at work at school by volunteer work Why not make this life better for others as well as for our families the world is waiting for us to make it better
Highly enlightening on the plight of women in other parts of the world, and the work being done to improve their lives. It is a stark reminder to women in developed nations not to take our hard fought for rights for granted. We must always be vigilant on moving forward in our quest for full unbiased equality.
Very readable and informative, authentic voice.
I think this book is thoughtful, concise and shows effective philanthropy can be.
Melinda Gates has spent many years working with women around the world. This book is an urgent manifesto for an equal society where women are valued and recognized in all spheres of life. Most of all, it is a call for unity, inclusion and connection. We need this message more than ever.