Noah D. (noah-d) reviewed on 5/4/2010 + 8 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 4

Leslie Bennetts is a realist and a Baby Boomer: she reminds the (woman) reader that the world is tough and that women with children can be discriminated against in the workplace, particularly after going on hiatus to take care of young ones in lieu of career aspirations. While I appreciate her candor, she speaks from her own experience, often assuming her bias (and background achievements) are the collective desired norm. She gives little time to alternative family model arrangements, and makes the assumption that all women find power and money appealing as a primary factor in the formation of their self-identities. Through combining some gruesome facts (including the "what ifs" in marriage) with scare tactics to shame women into being more self-reliant, she proves her points well. I can't help but wonder, however, if the many professional women she talked to (lawyers, doctors, and journalists in their 40s, 50s, and 60s) were more than just her group of friends. I also found her way of dealing with many middle and underclass jobs as somewhat degrading (she talked to her cleaner as representation of the poor!); clearly she is trying to speak to the educated, financially well-off woman with the OPTION of deciding between staying at home or not. While it was worth the read, I wouldn't take everything she says at face value, considering much of her unrecognized biases specific to her own decision-making processes and upbringing: not everyone wants kids, not everyone wants marriage, and certainly, not everyone has the privilege or opportunity to define self-identity based on a high-paying career (nor does every woman want to). A bit judgey, she be, but hey--don't take my word for it, give the book a shot.

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