Work Matters: 9women Talk about Their Jobs and Their Lives

One of the themes that recur in this engrossing collection of interviews with women about their careers is how much they have overextended themselves to both compete in the workplace and satisfy the demands of family life. Journalist Friedman (No Experience Necessary) spoke with 65 women of various ethnic and economic backgrounds over five years, and here, with accompanying explanatory comments, she lets them relate their experiences as workers, wives and mothers. Although the number of wage-earning women has grown to more than 50% of the work force and females are obtaining jobs once held exclusively by males, they still face entrenched discrimination in the workplace that affects their salaries and promotions, according to Friedman. Despite the gains of the women's movement, the majority of married and single women quoted here still arrange child care and maintain the home, although some have supportive partners and employers. Friedman has captured societal change in progress. (Mar.)