How She Really Does It: Secrets of Successful Stay-at-Work Moms

By Wendy Sachs and Sachs Wendy

Book Overview

Yes, some women are opting out of their careers, taking an "off-ramp," and heading home to raise their babies. But millions of us cannot afford to make that choice. And millions more choose to work because we love our careers. So how are women holding on to financially necessary or stimulating and rewarding careers and still being engaged mothers? Wendy Sachs, journalist and mother of two, set out to find what's really happening at the intersection of motherhood and work today. Based on her in-depth interviews with mothers from diverse backgrounds, How She Really Does It explores the creative and courageous ways in which stay-at- work moms are making it happen. Here are the moms next door-as well as lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, fashion designers, journalists, and television personalities-who are navigating the everyday work/home conflicts, and, yes, dealing with the guilt. Through it all, they are empowered career women and caring, present mothers. A modern working woman's survival guide, How She Really Does It will give you hope that even if you can't have it all, you can have at least some of it all of the time.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738210625
• ISBN13: 9780738210629
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A Great Read....

As a fulltime working mother with two small children under five years old, I am constantly facing the typical working mother conflicts of time, stress, guilt, angst... you name it. My girlfriends and I hash over these issues incessantly. I buy all of the "mom" books and usually feel somewhat disappointed somewhere between the introduction and chapter 2. They are either boring or simply don't apply to my life. Wendy Sachs's book is different. It truly spoke to me. It was smart, funny, inspiring, poignant and helpful. I saw myself in many of the women Wendy interviewed. Yes, no one has an identical life and all of us have our own unique circumstances which is why as Wendy explains there is no 5-step easy solution to becoming the perfect mother, spouse or employee. But in reading other women's stories and sharing in their experiences it made me like I wasn't alone. This is a great, interesting, fun read for any mom wondering how do you do it all and still stay sane.

mostly celebrity moms but still dishes some dirt

Most of the moms profiled are truly high profile (Vera Wang, Liz Lange, Ann Curry, Soledad O'Brien) celebrities who make millions of dollars (though they work their butts off for their success) *and* are married to men who make money. Thus it was hard for me to relate to such women, who presumably have their pick of live-in legally documented nannies. Still, it is fun to read (schadenfreud) that even such women find it hard to work and raise small children at the same time. So much harder for the rest of us... True to their class, the celebrity moms complain in oblique, muted ways, not in a gut wrenching way. At first the writing struck me as fluff and PRish, but after finishing the book, I found it was innovative in getting these glamorous moms to bitch a little. Although some of the women Sachs profiles are non-celebrity upper yuppies, I would have liked the book more if she had profiled more middle class professional women from a greater mix of careers. Few perhaps no single moms or divorced moms or lesbian moms. The male income is a unspoken subtext. One irritating feature of the book was the physical descriptions ("pin straight black hair," "almond eyes," "stylish brunette," "attractive," "looks ten years younger") that (I thought) detracted from the stories and degraded the women by emphasizing their good looks. Isn't that what everyone else does.

Great Book

As a new mom who sleeps very little these days, constantly worrying about the future, I found this book to be an immensely satisfying read. I loved the stories and found hope, comfort and joy as I learned how these other women were doing it. Wendy did a fantastice job interweaving the tales of so many women seekeing to find a perfect balance and forgiving themselves if they did not.

A MUST READ!

Wendy Sachs has written the book that every working mom needs to read! Funny, witty, incredibly readable! The interviews are intriguing and her wisdom is captivating...and so right on! I am either laughing or crying. It's so nice to know that someone else understands the tightrope we working mom's walk. This book should stay in your tote or briefcase or diaper bag at all times, even once you read it through, it's a great 'pick-me-up' on a tough day. I'm looking forward to the next book!

Fabulous Insights!

I highly recommend this book for working mothers everywhere who want examples of extraordinary women who are finding a balance in the professional/motherhood tug-of-war. This book landed in my lap at a critical juncture in my personal journey, and alleviated a lot of self-imposed working mother's guilt. Ms. Sach's collection of insights from the women she interviewed, along with her own personal experiences, helped me realize I was not alone in my ongoing struggle for balance, and there are options out there to be explored. Thanks to Ms. Sachs for telling these stories in her wonderfully read-able style.