Young women of the 21st century have choices: They can marry, or they can elect not to. They can attend college to work in the industry of their choice, or do neither of the above. Women in the workforce have made strides in this century, but in order to continue on that momentum, it's important to understand where they came from.
In the 1960s, the stock exchange was no place for a woman. And Wall Street wasn't ready for Norma Yaeger.
Norma, a woman who stepped into the male-dominated stockbroker world of Wall Street in 1962 and never looked back, puts 50 years of women's rights into perspective in her courageous new biography, "Breaking Down the Walls: 50 Courageous and Successful Years at the Forefront of the Women's Movement." The ebook is available wherever books are sold.
In the 1950s, women were expected to marry young, have children, and be dependent on their husbands for a comfortable life and financial security. Norma Yaeger did just that.
But sometimes things go awry and husbands fail to provide. And that's where Norma separates from the pack.
Wall Street wasn't ready for her. Women weren't allowed to step foot on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
"Glass Ceiling" was on a distant shore, and equal pay was a thing of fairy tales. Norma fought for equal pay for equal work, and got it.
But Norma's book is more than just a story of one woman who dared to "lean in". Throughout "Breaking Down the Walls," she clearly explains the often-opaque world of the stock market in understandable terms, discusses its recent turmoil, and decries the unethical behavior she sees in some of the market's current practioners. Her book is a must read for investors as well as for those interested in women's issues.
"Breaking Down the Walls" is the fascinating account of Norma's wits, commandeering will power, and fight for equal pay and the rights that paved the way for women's rightful place in the workforce. It's a celebration of one and of many, honoring women everywhere.
Praise for "Breaking Down the Walls"
"Norma showed me how to be brave ... We were in a business that required us to have gumption without arrogance, and she had that."
- Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez
"The word adversity does not exist in Norma Yaeger's vocabulary. Hard work and tenacity in an environment that would defeat anyone, her triumph in the financial industry stands as a lesson for all of us. Gender and ethnic inequality can be overcome and she has proved it in this compelling, true story of how a woman broke through barriers of prejudice."
- Norman Bogner, bestselling NY Times author
About the Author
Norma Yaeger made fortunes and folded companies, all while raising five children. She acquired her New York Stock Exchange license in 1962 when very few women were in the industry. During her long career, she founded a mutual fund and two security brokerage firms that transacted millions of dollars and trades every day. She spent more than 50 years working in the financial industry and is a true 20th century women's rights pioneer. Now retired, she lives in Southern California and travels the world.
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