Helpful Score: 10
I'm on the fence about this book. It was funny and well written, but somehow- to me anyway- the ultimate message seemed to be that women in fact can't have it all. They are designed to be nurturers to both their husbands and their children.
I first heard about this book on NPR during an interview with the author. Since then, I've been wanting to read it and was delighted to receive it as a gift from a dear friend.
Better than average chicklit (women's fiction) novel. In spite of juggling two young children, a (sometimes) surly nanny, a lay-about husband, and a demanding career (not to mention a cyber-romance with a client), Kate Reddy is a survivor. Not a epic literature, but enjoyable nonetheless. Career-women striving to find that balance between work and family will relate to Kate and her battles.
Better than average chicklit (women's fiction) novel. In spite of juggling two young children, a (sometimes) surly nanny, a lay-about husband, and a demanding career (not to mention a cyber-romance with a client), Kate Reddy is a survivor. Not a epic literature, but enjoyable nonetheless. Career-women striving to find that balance between work and family will relate to Kate and her battles.
Helpful Score: 4
Amusing look at a highly successful career woman who is also a working mother.
Helpful Score: 4
This was a fun book about a mother who needs to do it all. Something that i think many woman can relate to. I was once told that the idea of multi-tasking is simply that. an idea. It\'s actually impossible for your brain to focus on more than one thing at a time, yet multi-tasking is increasingly becoming one of the most needed characteristics for any job. This book goes into that in a fun, enjoyable way.
Helpful Score: 3
Very British. Kate is a full time executive in a male dominated industry with two small kids. She struggles to balance her home life and her work life all while trying to keep a cast of extended family characters happy. Cute, Bridget Jones all grown up.
Helpful Score: 3
Very funny book, easy to read, a great beach book.
Sort of a Bridget Jones except she's a married working mum of 2. She's torn between work and home. Her love life threatened by her work life. Moments of very familiar chaotic hilarity nicely balanced with moments of bittersweet introspection and self realization. Nice tale.
Helpful Score: 3
Not as pithy or humorous as I would have liked, but still good. Especially enjoyable was the characters ability to find herself in over her head (think Bridget Jones, but not as funny). Overall though, she had some interesting things to say about working moms vs. working dads, and I for one agreed.
Helpful Score: 2
Pearson perfectly captures the dilemma of the working mother with flair and humor.
Helpful Score: 2
Very good read! As a woman whose own life circumstances mirror closely the main character's, I related to the story and Kate's challenges very well. It's an easy, fast read and is good current popular fiction.
Helpful Score: 2
Such a good book! Very funny, touching moments as well.
Helpful Score: 1
Good easy Read, every working mother and wife will relate to this book. Witty and fun.
Helpful Score: 1
My first and favorite "chick lit" type book is full of stress and laughs. I love how delightful my life looks after peeking into the super-mom world of this book. Choose your battles!
Helpful Score: 1
This book was hilarious! I could really relate! I tried "having it all" just like the main character in the book, and came to the same realization that she did.
This is a must read for working moms with small children!
This is a must read for working moms with small children!
Helpful Score: 1
I'm an avid reader and I did have a tough time making it through this one. I never felt Kate's love for her children or husband but definitely felt her love for her job. I felt sorry for those in her way. It was well written, though I didn't particularly care for the style. I'm glad I read it, but I don't know if I'd recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
I read this book in the bleary first months of working motherhood at night after putting my little one to sleep. No matter how exhausted I was or how often I seesawed on the decision between keeping my career going or quitting to stay home with my son, the daily life of Kate Reddy always seemed so much more harried, guilt- and sacrifice-ridden, painful, and heartbreaking.
The author, Allison Pearson, really takes the issues, both at the workplace and on the homefront, that confront working mothers to the extreme, putting into shocking relief the sacrifices required of us at the office and in the home that often don't apply to working fathers. This book is really a must read for all working mothers and for those who hope to understand us.
The author, Allison Pearson, really takes the issues, both at the workplace and on the homefront, that confront working mothers to the extreme, putting into shocking relief the sacrifices required of us at the office and in the home that often don't apply to working fathers. This book is really a must read for all working mothers and for those who hope to understand us.
Helpful Score: 1
Cute book that any working mother can relate to.
Easy to relate, though certainly not my life!
Helpful Score: 1
This book was so frustrating...I couldn't put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
I thought it dragged a bit in spots..but it was good book!
Helpful Score: 1
Funny and fun to read. It's great to know that I am not the only working mother struggling to keep things afloat!
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed reading this book. It has gotten mixed reviews, but I thought it was honest and funny.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was quirky, funny and just a nice change of pace from the mystery novels I usually read. I highly recommend it!
Helpful Score: 1
If you're a Mom, you'll appreciate this book. I love British writers so this is a favorite.
Helpful Score: 1
Funny look at motherhood while working outside the home
Helpful Score: 1
Fun, sometimes poignant book. Especially hits home for the working mom.
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't enjoy this book. Very slow read to me.
I picked this up when someone left it in the break room at my office. It's truly the worst book I've ever (tried to) read. I rarely don't finish a book, but this one was so absurd and cliched I couldn't force myself through it. The dialogue was dreadful, the main character was annoying, and the plot was ridiculous (I ended up skimming through to see how it ended out of morbid curiosity). Like the main character, I'm a working mother -- I was hoping this book would be amusing and relatable. Instead I think it just reinforces tired, old negative stereotypes about life for women in the workplace. I have an old book from the early thirties called Weekend Marriage that tells the story a young wife and the disasterous consequences that befell her when she dared to keep her career after wedding. For me, I Don't Know How She Did It was basically like Weekend Marriage set in the mordern world. So in a word: awful.
A solid novel with excellent turns of phrase.
Very funny and easy read.
LOVE THIS BOOK!! I really identified with Kate. I easily saw myself and others in her. I laughed and cried and laughed again. What a rollercoaster!
I don't know how I was able to finish it. If you are a chick-lit fan, then you will enjoy this book. Although it was a very quick read, I did not find it the storyline enjoyable.
Light and entertaining novel about juggling work and motherhood.
If you're a mom who works full-time, read this book! It's nice to read about someone else's problems with a job, small children, a husband and just trying to find at least a small amount of time for yourself.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is very light reading and sometimes funny. A great diversion for the summer from all the heavy reading material we seem to enjoy in the winter. It makes every woman see that she is not alone when trying to juggle life, work, family, etc.
When I went back to work after the birth of my first child, I read a lot of these working-mom-makes-good books. You know, the ones that set out to show you that you're not the only one to show up at a client meeting with a spit-up stain on her suit jacket, or to have bags under the bags under her eyes from trying to juggle home and a career. In my opinion, though, this is the best of the bunch.
I Don't Know How She Does It hit home for me because the heroine shares my industry (public relations/advertising). The novel is set in England so some of the language and pop culture references are a little off, but its a great story of a mom finding herself without losing herself.
Plus, it's hysterical. Highly recommended for any mom who gnashes her teeth when some well meaning person asks her just how she does it...
I Don't Know How She Does It hit home for me because the heroine shares my industry (public relations/advertising). The novel is set in England so some of the language and pop culture references are a little off, but its a great story of a mom finding herself without losing herself.
Plus, it's hysterical. Highly recommended for any mom who gnashes her teeth when some well meaning person asks her just how she does it...
Very funny story!
I have never quite read a book list this. It was partly written in diary entry form but mostly the reader got an endless brain dump from the main character. The climax was anti-climatic.
The book was fun and funny at times. It was a bit dramatic and somewhat whiny.
The book was fun and funny at times. It was a bit dramatic and somewhat whiny.
a good read
Great read!
