Work Pause Thrive: How to Pause for Parenthood Without Killing Your Career

As Stromberg relates in her thoughtful debut, she never thought she’d interrupt her high-flying career as an ad exec. But after a pre-term labor scare during the second of her three pregnancies, her priorities changed, and she quit to be with her children. When ready to reenter the workforce, she rebranded herself as a journalist and consultant, deciding she’d paused her career rather than halting it. This book presents Stromberg’s personal view of how to navigate a work-over-family culture, sharing what she learned from her experience and from a survey of 186 mothers and several fathers with similar experiences. Using a sensitive yet no-nonsense approach, she discusses the trajectories of non-linear careers, the “mommy wars,” the politics of childcare, and the increasingly engaged role of men in their children’s lives. She also addresses ideal worker bias (a preference for the worker who is available at all hours) and motherhood bias (assuming that non-mothers are more committed to their jobs) in the workplace. Stuffed with realistic but inspiring stories and concrete advice, this is a healthy reminder that those who pause to place the personal before the professional are not failures. Agent: Brandi Bowles, Foundry Literary + Media. (Jan.)