Fair Play

Eve Rodsky first wrote out every unpaid task she handled at home, from errands and scheduling to the constant upkeep no one tends to notice. She then gave the list to her husband and asked him to change things, and his response fell well short of what she had hoped for. Realizing that naming the imbalance was only the first step, she set out to create a real remedy that would protect her well-being, her career and her marriage.

The book is a practical framework for couples who want to divide household responsibilities more evenly. Rodsky talked with more than five hundred men and women from many different walks of life to understand what running a family actually demands and how that work can be managed efficiently. The approach rests on four simple rules and a list of 100 household tasks, which partners sort through together in a card game. Couples decide which tasks matter most and who will take the lead on each one, whether that is laundry, homework or dinner.

Rodsky describes winning as a home with a fairer balance of labor, a renewed partnership and time to pursue personal skills and interests. Aimed at couples who feel stretched thin by domestic responsibilities, the book invites readers to sit down and start dealing.