Water Cooler Diaries: Women Across America Share Their Day at Work

On March 27, 2007, hundreds of women across the country created an on-the-job “day diary,” chronicling the joys, triumphs, frustrations and hilarities of their chosen or given professions for this entertaining collection that shows women in every career under the sun. The 35 full-length stories, and many more highlights and excerpts, afford readers a glimpse into worlds as diverse as the women who work in them: orthopedic surgeon, stripper/magician, school custodian, Avon lady, prison intake counselor, voice-over actor, life coach, boxing promoter, among others. Most of the women are unknown—blogger Heather Cocks and chef Sara Moulton are among the few familiar names—and this glimpse into their lives is both fascinating and eye-opening. Unsurprisingly, women in every field and income bracket struggle in their own ways between career and family, but the grace and humor with which they do it is fresh and compelling. The wide scope should satisfy women readers casting a wide career net or anyone curious about the lives of women at work. (Mar.)