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Life's Work: Confessions of an Unbalanced Mom
by
Lisa Belkin
The woman Mediaweek says "could very well be the next generation's Anna Quindlen" steps out from behind her celebrated New York Times column in a book about the intersection -- or more accurately collision -- of life and work. A few years ago, award-winning reporter Lisa Belkin left the office to work from home, amid the chaos of two young children, writing deadlines, and...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
April 8th 2003
by Simon & Schuster
(first published 2002)
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We are told, “You can have it all!” Then when we have difficulties trying to have it all, we are then told, “yes, but you must have balance”. Ms. Belkin tells us that you really can’t have it all – at least not all at the same time. Life is made up of choices. If you choose one thing, you generally must give up or postpone another. Also, we definitely CAN’T be perfect, so let’s stop trying to be and ease up on ourselves a bit. Maybe, just maybe, it is better to enjoy life, our children and our m...more
I have been looking for a book to help me adjust to being a working mother. I haven't gone back to work yet, but likely will soon and I want to be reassured that I am doing the right thing (even though there probably is no right/wrong answer to this). This book is not that book. The author works from home, which is not an option for me. That's not to say she didn't have some good things to say about work/life balance. It's always important to maintain perspective and not get too swept away in wo...more
I picked this up in the feminist-mothering section of the library at Columbia. I gave it a good shot of about fifty pages, but there just isn't anything great here. I feel like maybe I should read more, but I'm bored and I don't feel like I'm going to read anything that will speak to me or enhance my understanding of the challenges and moments of grace in mothering.
I'm annoyed that there doesn't seem to be any depth here. It's like I'm reading small blog posts, and the themes are loose at best....more
I'm annoyed that there doesn't seem to be any depth here. It's like I'm reading small blog posts, and the themes are loose at best....more
Disappointing. This was a few old columns and a few e-mails rehashed into a book.
I expect a book by a columnist to be better written and it wasn't.
I expected a book by an author to be interesting, and it wasn't.
I expected a book about balancing work and kids to be funny, and it wasn't.
It's okay if you have a different life than me, but does yours have to be so boring?
I expect a book by a columnist to be better written and it wasn't.
I expected a book by an author to be interesting, and it wasn't.
I expected a book about balancing work and kids to be funny, and it wasn't.
It's okay if you have a different life than me, but does yours have to be so boring?
I found this book very readable and enjoyable. It was split up into short essays, easily read by busy moms, but there was still some forward thrust of the story. As a huge fan of Belkin's NYT column/blog, I was excited to read this book and was not disappointed.
Part of Literary Mama's Essential Reading on Beginnings: http://www.literarymama.com/litreflec...
Another of the "journalist" books I selected this library trip. Pretty good actually. More like a blog than a novel though. Some VERY good sentences. I especially like "Over time, doors close and options dwindle. One day you realize that you are whatever it is you were going to be." And I am happy with that. :) Are you???
Worth the reading time, I think.
Worth the reading time, I think.
Although this doesn't apply to my life at the moment, the stories are insightful and informative.
The collection of short essays was entertaining, but in the end the book left me quite unsatisfied.
(Non-Fiction Parenting) I skimmed the first half of this book back in March. At that point, I had read a whole slew of mommy memoirs, parenting books, and baby care books. In this book, Belkin captures her working-mom life in small snippets of anecdotes and wisdom. This book didn't offer anything special, but those interested in working mom memoirs may find this book valuable.
Nice book. I am always attracted to women writing about their mothering experience and I liked that she thinks finding balance is impossible.
The writing was a bit disappointing for a NY times columnist but she states it's because moms can't readfor long stretches of time...duh!!
The writing was a bit disappointing for a NY times columnist but she states it's because moms can't readfor long stretches of time...duh!!
This book normalizes how divided women feel, trying to have a family, marriage, and career. It says outloud, "I feel like I'm not doing a great job at any of them!" It dispels the myth of super-wife, super-mom, and super-employee. It made me laugh and feel hopeful.
Easy read, relatively interesting. I could relate more to the beginning than the end. At a certain point I got tired of her excusing her foibles, and thinking, gosh I hope I don't become that way. Which wasn't really the point of me reading it in the first place.
Very finny short episodic chapters that allow you to grab a chapter and get back to your unbalanced life.
A cute quirky book and a very fast read... I read it in just a few days!
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