The Second Shift
Author: Arlie Russell Hochschild, Anne Machung
List Price: $15.00
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ISBN: 0142002925
Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper) (29 April, 2003)
Sales Rank: 21,249
Average Customer Rating: 4.11 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Everyone should read this
As a college-age male, one might think that I would have little reason to read a study about the struggles of working women. That is wrong.
This insightful, modest study of family life (witnessed by the capable Arlie Hochschild as a fly-on-the-wall) gives perspective on a dillemma everyone should think about before marriage: how to reconcile economic and personal needs with having children. This problem affects women and men, mothers and fathers.
Unfortunately, it is rarely talked about in our society. People are forced to muddle through using their parents as examples, or to try to construct new strategies from scratch. Hochschild provides a useful structure for discussing the problem and avoiding the emotional and marital cost of relying on "myths." Any serious couple should be able to talk about these subjects to avoid misunderstanding and conflict.
One problem with this book is the writing - the points do not always flow together, and sometimes the sentences are simply awkward. This study is also weighted toward middle class families, though it explores others as well. Despite being over a decade old, this book is still relevant.
Well worth reading, whether you are deciding on a career, getting married, or already trying to balance both.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review of "The Second Shift"
Excellent examination of the Dual-Earner family and the changes this is causing to America's traditional familial structure. Hochschild brings attention to many of the tensions within the working family and discusses causes and solutions. Her idea of a stalled cultural revolution is riveting.
Rating: 2 out of 5
If you want something well written, this isn't it.
Probably a first of its kind study about families with two-working parents. However, the writing is poor, redundant and cliched. The cases she presents don't suggest much variability except income and ethnicity. Additionally, she skimps on a serious evaluation of what would make a successful household with two working parents and instead leaves us with the overwhelming feeling that success is almost impossible. Similar Products
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
The Time Bind : When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work
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