Womentality: Thirteen Empowering Stories by Everyday Women Who Said Goodbye to the Workplace and Hello to Their Lives

Wildermuth, a freelance writer and travel enthusiast, offers up a stellar collection of stories from women around the globe who bucked nine-to-five jobs to go into business for themselves. South African Lauren Gerber tells of vowing “never to work in an office again” after working as a copywriter for a “sleazy,” poorly run company. While self-employed, she had to budget more carefully than before, and discovered herself becoming less attached to material possessions. American Emily Schwartz, finding her workplace was killing her creativity and enthusiasm for graphic design, quit her job and became an entrepreneur, with the vital support of her partner. Ugandan Christine Muleme, despite her education and successful career, felt diminished in her male-dominated workplace, and decided a pay reduction was worth being able to decide whom she worked with. Samar Owais, a Pakistani living in the U.A.E., battled a culture of public humiliation in her startup workplace, before leaving to become a freelance copywriter. Stories from other countries—including Australia, Jamaica, Kenya, Poland, and Venezuela—round out the work. This inspiring collection makes a strong case for how women can design their work lives to meet both personal and professional needs. (Oct.)