This Is How We Do It: The Working Mothers' Manifesto

Among PTA meetings at 9:30 a.m. on weekdays, managers who glare when a woman ducks out for her kid's pediatrician's appointment, and daycare that costs more than tuition at a state college, how do working mothers even get through the day? Working Mother magazine CEO Evans addresses this question by describing her experiences as a high-powered executive and mother, along with the experiences of the magazine's readership. A ""baby boomer feminist,"" Evans compares companies to ""middle-aged men who won't throw away that ratty, too-tight pair of college sweatpants. Sometimes it's hard to realize that comfortable old styles just don't fit anymore."" She arms women with ""ammunition,"" statistics and stories gathered by Working Mother, so that mothers can approach their employers to argue the benefits of family-friendly job shares, flextime, work-from-home options and lactation rooms. The book's tone is chatty, if not chummy (the author includes her e-mail address in the introduction), but may seem outdated to some readers (Is it relevant to call a dad with an interest in his children an ""honorary mom?""). The book offers much information from the magazine's 100 Best Companies list, and Evans does not shy away from criticizing corporate practice as she sees fit. This book will appeal to the magazine's faithful readers, but with its traditional assumptions and cheeky feel, the manifesto may seem too narrow to some young mothers.