Mothers on the Fast Track: How a Generation Can Balance Family and Careers
Product Description
In the past few decades the number of women entering graduate and professional schools has been going up and up, while the number of women reaching the top rung of the corporate and academic worlds has remained relatively stagnant. Why are so many women falling off the fast track? In this timely book, Mary Ann Mason traces the career paths of the first generation of ambitious women who started careers in academia, law, medicine, business, and the media in large numb… More >>
Mothers on the Fast Track: How a Generation Can Balance Family and Careers
I don’t normally write reviews, but I do recommend this book to any mother (or father, I suppose) who knows they are committed to their career for the long haul. It is written somewhat like a textbook, but I actually liked that style for this particular book. I wanted concrete examples of women who have been through the child rearing years while also effectively climbing the corporate ladder, and their thoughts on how they made it all work. If anything, it was just nice to read about other women who faced some of the same struggles I am going through right now and that they came out of it all for the better and achieved the successes they wanted both in the office and at home.
Rating: 5 / 5
I was recommended this book by a fellow female colleague. Despite (or maybe because of?) having a 2 week old and 2 year old at the time, I read this book in one day. The book is well written and I enjoyed the bi-generational aspect from the two authors (the two forewards and afterwards were really interesting).
I’m glad I have the book (having access to the statistics is going to be useful for future conversations), but honestly, my one overriding thought associated with this book is how depressing it all is. How little progress has been made by women, how much harder we have to work to succeed at all.
The general advice they give to help you succeed is good, but too general.
I would say that the biggest thing you could do is get a mentor, someone who can give you advice that is more specific to your situation.
Rating: 4 / 5
I found this book quite interesting and easy to read. There is a good deal of research behind the facts and claims made and it is brought together thoughtfully to formulate a way of moving forward for women contemplating life outside of the home after children.
This is not really a criticism, just a comment, but the book may not relate to some women as well as others. This is because there is a leaning towards women in the academic field (studying, lecturing) or women in high ranking, high paying jobs (hence “fast track” in the title”). I still found it interesting, and certainly insightful in the identification of the created “second tier” for women with families.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is a book every man should read.
Even for those of us who have lived through and heartily supported the equality revolution, the book is full of stunning facts, both statistical and personal, that are a wake up call to a job not yet done. A male culture still dominates practices in business, the professions and the academy and does not fully address the implications of biology for the role of women in society and their struggle for a level playing field
The book is also a great read. Mary Ann Mason writes clearly, forcefully and personally. The stories of many women collected by Eve Mason Ekman are compelling and very well told. The book combines the best of social science and personal narrative, to make a convincing argument that our sisters, daughters and wives still have great challenges as women and mothers in the working world.
While we are living in times when more women are achieving high status position, this book reminds us of the costs to these women and tells us of the many powerful and talented women who choose, because of circumstance, to not go there. I have no doubt that this would be a better world if there were more women who running it. This book calls for a change that will benefit us all.
Rating: 5 / 5
This succinct, impeccably researched and engagingly written book is a wake-up call to young women considering meaningful careers. It presents practical guidelines and pitfalls for forging a life-long profession in academics, medicine, law or business and also having a marriage and children. I wish this book had existed when I was making those hard choices. I’m glad it’s here for my daughter.
Lynne Kaufman, author and educator
Rating: 5 / 5