Cultural Books

I enjoyed many of the stories which had a range of describing love, moving out, and quirky tid-bits of information.

What happens when you get a lot of struggling writers to tell you of their life just after college? Drama, tears and lots of laughs.

The toughest challenge faced by most twentysomethings is that period just after college. The process of discovering you really are an adult even though you still feel like a teenager can be as awkward as puberty and even lonlier.

Add to this the fact that for some reason many college grads are absolutely convinced that they are the only ones going through this transition and that everyone else already has a great job, great prospects and a great spouse, or at least a solid relationship. Truth is, nearly everyone goes through at least some time in this purgatory - where this engaging book steps in.

Stories covering everything from first jobs from Hell to cubicle humor to apartment woes let you know that not only are you not alone but your problems may actually be a bit funnier than you thought.

The Editors of this book have done a wonderful job putting this project together and I look forward to more great work from them in the future.

I feel like I've been looking for this book ever since I graduated from college. Finally - short personal essays with true emotional heart and a real appreciation for how absurd life can be. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially recent college grads, though everyone will get get a kick out of it and be moved at the same time.

GREAT READ!
Finally, a book that tells me I'm not alone in the BTM world. The perfect gift for anyone venturing out into "The Real World" who doesn't watch a whole lot of MTV's "The Real World."

-A. Hoffman

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A fantastic grouping of anecdotes and essays, Before the Mortgage, not only entertains, but does so while articulating so many of the foibles we've all experienced to some degree in our 20's. I hope this is only the first of many compilations!

I have read it at least 6 times since it was originally published.

It speaks to the current world scene each time and probably will for the next 50 years.

Hall is one of the 20th century's great geniuses.

I read this book for the first time over 20 years ago after I graduated from college with an unrelated science major which I found loathesome and never used. I had already read "The Hidden Dimension" when working with an architect. I am not about to read this one again due to its complexity and the fact it "sunk in" then. Here are some of Hall's highlights:

Ch. 1 (The Paradox of Culture): "One wonders how many individuals who have been forced to adjust to eight-hour, nine-to-five schedules have sacrificed their creativity, and what the social and human cost of this sacrifice has been."

Ch. 3 (Consistency and Life): "He is forced into the position of thinking and feeling that anyone whose behavior is not predictable or is peculiar in any way is slightly out of his mind, improperly brought up, irresponsible, psychopathic, politically motivated to a point beyond all redemption, or just plain inferior."

Ch. 7 (Contexts, High and Low): "... in high context systems, people in places of authority are personally and truly (not just in theory) responsible for the actions of subordinates down to the lowest man. In low context systems, responsibility is diffused throughout the system and difficult to pin down ..."

Ch. 11 (Covert Culture and Action Chains): "The investigation of out-of-awareness culture can be accomplished only by actual observation of real events in normal settings and contexts. ... Culture is therefore very closely related to if not synonymous with what has been defined as "mind".

Ch. 12 (Imagery and Memory): "Our problems in education are exacerbated by eductional systems and philosophies that stress verbal facility at the expense of other important parts of man's mind ..."

Ch. 13 (Cultural and Primate Bases of Education): "One reason psychotherapy is so slow is that in order to change one thing it is necessary to alter the entire psyche, because the different parts of the psyche are functionally interrelated."

Ch. 13: Over bureaucratization: "The problem with bureaucracies is that they have to work hard and long to keep from substituting self-serving survival and growth for their original primary objective. ... Bureaucracies have no soul, no memory and no conscience."

Ch. 14 (Culture as an Irrational Force): "Since the men and women responsible for these [anthropological] studies for the most part are both well trained in Anglo-American social science methodology and well motivated, one can only assume that there is something basically wrong with the way in which social science research is often conducted."

Since other reviewers have summarized this book, my suggestion is to read it with present-day work environments in mind. There is an increasing emphasis of Diversity and Globalization in the workplace. This book can be difficult to wade through, but the concepts stick with you. It was very easy to take the concepts and compare them to the daily situations of working in a multi-cultural corporate environment. Sometimes the best information, is from an original source or work. I would suggest reading this, just because Hall's premises still bear the brunt of time and provide that "ah-ha" awareness to an experience.

This is not Hall's best known book but it incorporates many of the ideas that were originally presented in the Silent Language and applies them to culture. The idea of monochronic (M-Time) and polychronic time (P-Time) are briefly summarised as well. The underlying concept of Beyond Culture is that man is an evolutionary being and although we cannot evolve to adapt to our environment at the rate of insects we can continue to evolve through extensions. These extensions are the things we create such as fire and tools at the basic level and cars, computers, and mobile phones at the more complex level. In this way we have continued to evolve beyond the limits of our biology.

In a similar sense, culture is an extension of our personal being and is used to prevent us from having to explain every little detail. Regardless of whether a culture is "high" or "low" it contains a body of knowledge that provides for ease of communication among members. He develops this idea in the concept of action chains which is a sequence in which several people participate. Culture is by its nature participatory and understanding action chains within a culture can help us to understand how to prevent ourselves from running aground in a culture different from our own.

He also looks at culture and education and lampoons the current state of higher education in the western context. I find this somewhat unwarranted. He concludes with chapters on the irrationality of culture and our identification with culture. However irrational a culture may be to those who identify with it it makes perfect sense.

I do not always agree with the interpretation of cultural examples that he cites but his ideas are interesting and can be helpful in understanding cross/intercultural experiences. I would recommend this book to those who are, at least in passing, with his overall concepts of culture.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE READ THE BOOK. THE LAST TIME WAS A 110 YEARS AGO IN COLLEGE. MR. HALL MAKES US THINK ABOUT OTHER CULTURES AND ESPECIALLY OUR OWN CULTURE. IN THESE AWFUL TIMES IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER. MR HALL'S BOOKS HELP WITH THIS. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND A CULTURE'S LANGUAGE AND DRESS. TIME, SPACE, AND OTHER CONTINGENTS ARE JUST OR MORE IMPORTANT.

This is a wonderful book. It ebbs and flows with a rhythm of its own. I read both of Velma's books and they are both wonderful.

The book was obviously well cared for, and it was very nicely packaged. There is not one single mark in the book or even one bent page. It's a wonderful book.

Velma Wallis, an Athabaskan Indian woman from Alaska, was set on codifying some of the legends that her mother had told her about their people. Her first endeavor, Two Old Women, became a bestseller. Her second project was the mingling of two legends she had heard. Each of the stories were similar because they focused on "loners" or people who do not fit into the norm of society. Bord Girl and Daagoo are from different bands of the Gwich'in and have one encounter when they are young. The story follows as each go separate ways, Daagoo to the "Land of the Sun", and Bird Girl as she is kidnapped and enslaved by an enemy tribe. Their stories mirror each others through their struggles for independence, and the great tragedies they endure.

A wonderful story from which I learned a great deal about the Native Alaskan people... Beautifully written.

We follow the life's of Bird Girl and Daagoo. Both try to break with tradition and do what they want, on their own, without being controlled by their family or tribes. They try to run away from the roles that their people try to force onto them. In the end they find out that individualism and being their own person is just wrong.
Women should marry who their parents want them to, have babies and work about the camp till they die from old age. And Men should become hunters, working day and night, to keep the people in food and furs, then die an early death. Unless they are tossed out because nobody needs them anymore.
In other words, everything has a price, even being your own person.

Velma Wallis, an Athabaskan Indian woman from Alaska, was set on codifying some of the legends that her mother had told her about their people. Her first endeavor, Two Old Women, became a bestseller. Her second project was the mingling of two legends she had heard throughout her childhood. Each of the stories were similar because they focused on "loners" or people who do not fit into the norm of society.

Bird Girl and Daagoo are from different bands of the Gwich'in tribe and have one chance meeting when they are young. The story follows as each go separate ways, Daagoo to the "Land of the Sun", and Bird Girl as she is kidnapped and enslaved by an enemy tribe. Their stories mirror each others through their struggles for independence, and the great tragedies they endure.

A wonderful story from which I learned a great deal about the Native Alaskan people... Beautifully written story.

I bought this as a gift for my niece...she was absolutely thrilled and delivery was so quick

This book continues to amaze me -- no matter how many times I read it. I also have shared the novel with many friends and family as gifts. The story of Bob Marley's childhood is revealed truthfully and vividly through beautiful illustrations by Mariah Fox and a wonderful collaboration by daughter Cedella Marley and seasoned author Gerald Hausman.

The message of this book rings as clear and soulful as Bob Marley's own songs. Adults and children alike can share in this experience and journey of a child - it's a fantastic learning tool especially for kids and the subject matter is sure to keep them interested. Highly Recommended.

Gerald Hausman is a not only a distinguished writer, but has lived in Jamaica and knows the culture with eyes wide open. His daughter, Mariah Fox, was almost raised on the island and her drawings, more magical than real, speak of places beyond places. Cedella Marley was always there, heard all the stories, knows all the songs, and tells the story of Bob Marley's childhood from a daughter's view point. All my children have this book, as do my grandchildren, and one day so will my great grandchildren. Read it, look at the pictures, and smile. It is that good.

What a lovely book. With so much to choose from among Marley publications, this one truly distinguishes itself in that it capture the real spirit of Marley's origins. Since you could call Bob the ultimate Roots musician, Boy From Nine Miles is a kind of Roots for the Marley story. It is certainly geared towards the young ones, but it could easily win a place in the heart of older readers too. The illustrations are very simpatico with the earthiness of Marley's story and helps deliver the Marley tale with earnestness without becoming sappy. Marley was an earnest man after all and it is no surprise to me that the open hearted and earnest style of a children's book may be one of the surest ways to convey, aside from his music, Marley's roots in Jamaica, his spirit and his passion for justice and truth. There is no doubt if you have always loved Bob's music and have kids, this really does belong in your home library. I can totally understand why this would be a hit in the schools too as another reviewer testified. Very nicely done book.

My son is doing a bio bash at school and chose Bob Marley. He's only in the fifth grade so we didn't want him reading too much about him.

I myself didn't read the book - but he enjoyed it and is looking forward to doing a presentation and report on it.

It's cool and it gives a lot of information about it

It was a wonderful book to read I could not even put it down.I think that you should go out and buy it.

I LOVED the book,Brandy:Sittin'On Top Of The World. It was really informative, and since I AM Brandy's #1 fan, it was fun to read. It was great reading about all what Brandy had to do and her determination to reach were she is right now, which IS on top of the world!

I loved this book! It is great!I wont really say i am her #1 fan because i know there are alot of other people who really like her like me so i guess we are all her #1 FANS.Brandy is a really cool person and i hope to follow in her footsteps. Well thats all for now. I LOVE YOU! Love, Yomary

5 stars brandy I enjoy your musi

An excellent collection of primary sources from Brazilian history. It strangely skips entire decades and periods which is its only shortcoming.

From exerpts of historical claims to letters from diplomats, from essays on slavery to descriptions of food, this book gives insights on the spirit and history of Brazil in easy to read snippets. A picture of a people emerges from original sources and non-academic evaluations that adds debth to what you will see when you go there.

I brought this book in Los Angeles on the way back from a trip to Disney with my children. I finished it almost when I arrived home. The book has great insight and should be read by Brazilians, because it presents things as they are, not as they are supposed to be. Maybe the book will be públished in Brazil some day. I hope so.

This book is a collection of short essays on Brazil. I found at least half to be quite interesting, though I probably skimmed about a quarter of them. Many of the essays frequently give a first hand account of life as a small farmer, favela resident or fisherman in Brazil. These essays capture and explain to the English reader the hopes, values and experiences of actual Brazilians. Most English readers gain their understanding of Brazil only second hand through academics or journalists. This book offers a fresh, reality based perspective on Brazil for English readers who haven't learned about Brazil outside of academia, the New York Times, or the beaches of Rio.

I'm a capoeira instructor living in the United States. I wish all of my students would read this collection. It's a great introduction to the history, culture, and politics of Brazil. So much of life in Brazil is so different from life in the United States. So much of that difference is because of the history of each country.

This book starts at the beginning with discovery and the start of the slave trade. It continues through to modern history and politics of the country.

This book is money and time well spent.

Learn more at http://www.capsprings.com.

Simply the best book i have read about football. This gives massive insight into the culture of the dutch people and of their football. The connections are simple and intriguing. This book does not warrant a long review. In simple terms... Buy it, if you don't you are missing out.

A great book on so many levels. More than just a book about soccer, but the whole philosophy behind the culture around it in the Netherlands. Could be interesting to those not so passionate about soccer, but without my interest in the game I would never have looked into it. A super book for any fan. I read Hornby's Fever Pitch immediately after Brilliant Orange. Talk about different philosophies! Highly recommended.

Bought this book expecting a simple linear explanation of how Dutch soccer went from "there" to "here" and was blown away by how much more the book contains. First, it is anything but linear with even the chapter designations bearing no resemblance to chronology. Further, it often times reminds you of a James Burke "Connections" episode as the author ties in aspects of the social upheaval, changes in the artistic and architectural expression going on in mid-century Holland to how their approach to soccer developed.

It is a fascinating book even for those who may not be that interested in soccer.

Not only does this book take you in to the mind of Dutch soccer geniuses like Cruyff, Michels, etc. it gets into the mindset of the Dutch themselves. I also loved the stuff on the 1978 World Cup Dutch team which is probably my fave, even more than 1974., for making it to the Final without Cruyff, Krol and other top stars who boycotted the tourny.

For anyone who wants to understand what makes the Dutch tick on and off the soccer field.

this was the best book i have read about soccer. the only books i can usually find about soccer have to do with coaching and drills. if you are interested in soccer beyond this level, this is the book for you. i have always compared playing soccer to "playing" life. and this book connects the too. but in a brilliant dutch way.
as a young soccer coach, this book gave me ideas about how to teach my players and make them understand the beauty of soccer.
i have travelled to the netherlands and even have a dutch girlfriend. this book explains there behavior just the way they explain it to the rest of the world. and when i am there i can see how they value space and take advantage of all that they have in an organized and effecient manner. this is then translated to the soccer field in a totalfootball explosion.

As someone that lived through the events depicted, and someone who was enamored with JFK, I found the book quite good. Its a mixture of fact and opinion and is quite successful in bringing the two together.Its focus is on how the legacy of JFK differs from the facts, and how opinion about him was shaped beginningthe day of his death. I found it to be persuasive.

Lee Harvey Oswald was Kennedy's would-be lone assassin. I said "would be lone assassin" because the circumstances surrounding Kennedy's death were a little more outré than those suggested by the Warren Commission. Interested readers should refer to the suppressed out-of-print gem "Mortal Error" by Bonar Menninger.

That having been said, Oswald was as guilty of Kennedy's murder as if he'd fired the shot to the head that killed him and he was the only individual morally responsible for Kennedy's death. He acted as a committed Marxist-Leninist in order to fulfill Marxist-Leninist ends. Those who would argue otherwise are either stupid, ill-informed, or evil (or a combination of the three), and their arguments are a product of their deficiencies.

James Piereson bypasses the conspiracy theorists, musing how fanciful conspiracy theory changed identities after the fifties, becoming a tool of the far left, instead of the far right. This shift was indeed a result of JFK's death, and the change in the appearance of left-liberalism in the aftermath is what Piereson primarily focuses on.

Notwithstanding the Left's control of the news media, the academic theocracy, and the entertainment industry, I'd long wondered how Kennedy's death (largely) at the hands of a committed Communist had somehow merged into a bloody shirt around which the LEFT (not the Right) was able to rally.

Piereson provides as coherent explanation for this development as any. It could have been more concise though. There was no need to fill out his 2006 Commentary article into the size of a small book. By doing so, Piereson allowed his argument to become somewhat repetitious.

Still, his explanation "works" and a lot of it has to do with the loony widow herself, Jacqueline Kennedy. Piereson tries to contrast the cool detachment that the former Mrs. Onassis displayed after the homicide with the mental unraveling displayed by Mrs. Lincoln. But I'd say that both widows were mentally unhinged in their own way -- Mrs. Kennedy maybe a little more so before the fact.

For the pink-pillboxed ditz to decry that her husband didn't even die for "civil rights" but instead died at the hands of "some silly little Communist" shows incredible ignorance of Cold War realities - especially given that her stupid observation was made only a little over a year after that Cold War came close to exploding into a Mega-Hot One. Jackie was a silly little First Lady.

And "Camelot" was entirely a myth created post-mortem by the loony widow, and Piereson shows how that myth helped change the face of liberalism from forward-looking and optimistic to that of dark, brooding, and vengeful after Kennedy's death. After all, the ORIGINAL myth of Camelot, which Piereson goes into an interesting description of here, does suggest that the good times are over with the passing of the kingdom.

But I think that Piereson is exaggerating the change that he describes - liberalism and leftism have always had their dark sides. Maybe Kennedy's death just brought them closer to the surface. But again, his description of the synthesis is well worth reading.

What's needed now are a second and maybe third part to Piereson's narrative. If the Left misappropriated JFK, so did the Right, in general, and the neo-cons, in particular. Piereson doesn't really discuss that misappropriation. But if JFK wasn't really a closeted Cumbaya-singing Sixties peace activist, neither was he a die-hard Reaganaut. He was a consummate Democratic pol who used what means were at his disposal to try to destroy the Right when he was alive.

So why did Reagan and others successfully assume the mantle of JFK and why did they want to, in the first place? More to the point, what can knowledgeable individuals of all stripes who recognize the fraud inherent in the myth of Camelot do to educate the yokels of its dangers and thereby help create a world without Kennedys?

The premise of this work is that while assasinating President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald put American liberalism in its grave. The contortions that liberals had to go through to avoid the idea that their hero had been killed by a communist transformed them, in the end, from the optimistic, future oriented people they were in 1963 to the hateful and hating maniacs that they are today. The irony is that if JFK were to be brought back to life today, he would shortly be drummed out of the modern, Democrat Party.

There are no guarantees when buying books. We often eagerly anticipate a release hoping it will be a classic but soon discover that it belongs on the ash heap of history alongside the collected works of Marx, recordings of the Back Street Boys, and every single movie featuring Madonna. Occasionally however, we unfurl a package and find that its contents widely exceed our expectations. One such work is James Piereson's Camelot and the Cultural Revolution: How the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Shattered American Liberalism.

Whatever the angle or line of rumor, the one thing for certain is that a sizable plurality of Americans agree that Oswald was who he said he was...just a pawn in the game. Piereson's text dispassionately, but skillfully, refutes this thesis. In one of his strongest chapters, "Assassin," he reexamines the facts of Oswald's life. To say that his case history lacks nuance is an understatement. The man who liquidated our 35th President was a diehard Marxist and anything but a shill for the military. Oswald's acceptance of Marxism came in 1953 after he was handed a bill advocating clemency for the Rosenbergs. His allegiance to communism meant, as it does for so many angry radicals, that this alienated and troubled young man would no longer be alone.

The infamous gunman had nothing but contempt for American history and its institutions. He hated the radical right and attempted to kill segregationist, General Edwin A. Walker, six months before he trained his sights on Kennedy. Oswald went to the Soviet Union to savor the worker's paradise but found a bureaucratic nightmare instead. He returned, albeit begrudgingly, to his homeland. The FBI's refusal to take him seriously was a disgrace and a testament to their incompetence; while the media's refusal to consider the possible significance of his visits to the Cuban and Soviet embassies [in Mexico] is a testament to their bias. That he conferred with KGB agent Valeriy Kostikov a few months before taking aim should be of interest to anyone in pursuit of the truth.

Why did Oswald do it? Mr. Piereson's explanation resonates far more than the conspiracies contaminating our public square. His purpose was to get the attention of Fidel Castro and also to preserve the life of the dictator. The Cuban Marxist was the last leader for whom Mr. Oswald had any faith. After he threatened the president in a 1963 interview, the deluded and alienated communist may have interpreted his words in the same manner as King Henry II's deputies. Oswald happily answered the question, "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" by stepping forth to the window of the book depository in Dallas.

By itself, reminding the world of who Oswald actually was is an important achievement, but it is just one of the many rejuvenating and provocative arguments elucidated in Camelot and the Cultural Revolution. His discussion of "punitive liberalism" is potent and completely transferable to the present day. The practitioners of this school deem America--in lieu of its historical crimes--as a land and country in need of punishment. The founding of the new world coincided with slavery, the death of hordes of Indians, and, eventually, the internment of Japanese citizens during the Second World War. The punitive liberal believes that we deserve a comeuppance for what we have done.

Piereson destroys this emotive reasoning with aplomb. Blaming America for the slaughter of the Kennedy brothers is entirely irrational. The punitive liberal hates everything about his homeland, but becomes outraged whenever this is pointed out to him. For some reason, conservatives allow the left to frame the debate on this issue. Many timidly retreat from coming out and saying that left is unpatriotic. This is puzzling because their anti-Americanism is blatantly obvious. When they gaze at Old Glory "jingoism and vengeance and war" come to mind.

Mr. Piereson's concise account is a tour de force and not merely a historical study. It is a theoretical work which increases our understanding of both the past and present. Of a book we can ask for nothing more.

Over the years, I have heard many Left-wing people explain that it was the Kennedy assassination of 1963 that destroyed their faith in the system, and radicalized their politics. In this fascinating book, author and political thinker James Piereson examines the mythology that surrounds the Kennedy administration, how it was created, and the strange, unhinging effect it had on the American Left.

This book came highly recommend to me, and I can see why. The author does an excellent job of showing how we got from the intelligent Left of the immediate post-War era to the loony Left of today. In the 50s, the loonies were on the Right, finding Communists under their beds, and fighting such devious plots as fluoride in the water. And now we have Fahrenheit 911 and Leftists seeing a "vast Republican-wing conspiracy." Want to know how we got here? Then read this book and find out!

If you are looking for some advanced info on a variety of marajuana strain's, then this is the book for you. From growing conditions to flowering time, this book has it all. Although the tasting notes are thorough, keep in mind that they are only an opinion and that there is a variety of goodies out there, especially here in the Humboldt Nation!

I have read many cannabis books and "The Cannabible 3" is by far the best.

Too many cannabis books are written by botanists who enjoy marijuana. Jason King is a cannabist (cannabis enthusiast) that also happens to like botany. The pictures are great, including many dried bud shots that other books lack. Jason really knows his stuff and I truly believe that he has smoked every one of the strains in this book.

This book is amazing, best of the three(i own them all). Better layout and pictures. Some more easy to find strains then the other versions. I'll say on thing, if you like cannabis at all you will love this book. HOWEVER, there is something in this book that really upset me. There is a large tone of vegan elitism in this book. The intro is a 12 page essay on the evils of modern society in every way including bashing many things used to create and sell his book. I felt it was insulting and over the top in every way.

But dont let that stop you from a other wise great book.

You would be a fool not to own this book...that is, if you like trees that is!

"plus I light up trees like everydays christmas!!!"

If you smoke it you'll like it!! It'a a good photo album.. it's like taking a picture before you went on vacation...but didn't need to pack the camera or go to the photo lab afterwards. yeaaaaaaaaaa!

For people unfamiliar with the myth of the middle-class being able to manage a one house, 2 car, 2.5 kid, 2 income life, this 2004 book is a great choice. However, this is old news. Written by a sociologist and a phycologist, this reads like a great 30 page research paper that has been stretched into a 200 page book (and 100 pages of footnotes and index). The writers give a great overview, but focus almost entirely on the middle-class problems and the rude awakening that many are having since the middle-class women of the 1950s have begun entering the work force. Slim discussion on single parent households and even slimmer discussion on low-income families (especially women), who have been facing a crisis for at least 100 years longer.

(Spoiler) The idea is basically that middle-class women of the 1950s provided a vital support for their bread winner husbands and nurtured the children (discussion about single women is lacking). With the 1970s allowing women to enter the workforce, the cracks have been appearing due to the stresses on family/work life with many middle-class women now being forced to do 2 jobs without adequte pay for either and with men not barring their fair share. Combine it less assurance of life-time employment, benefits, and pensions, and you get the cracks in the American Dream. Well, that's just great. Any original solutions? What about low-income women who have been out in the workforce for much longer? What about single women? The authors muse on how great universal flex time, paid maternity leaves without risk of layoffs or geopardizing promotions, and government support would be. However, they don't really come up with any original or unique solutions to the problem. They just say that something has got to change or we'll be in trouble. They label many corporate initiatives such as low cost day care as being really pro-work (since parents are able to stay at work longer) but don't provide any better solutions. Leaving it up to others. An economic perspective would have helped. Overall, a good summary, but severely lacking.

Researchers, students, and "just plain folk" alike have much to gain from this exploration of a topic that has relevance to virtually everyone. This approchable yet thorough discussion will help crystallize the impediments to leading a balanced life, and also point the way to possible solutions. Buy this book!

As a college student, I was writing a paper for Social Psych on gender roles and how their impact upon society. While researching, I stumbled upon this book, which proved to be both the most valuable statistically and an actually interesting read. Roehling and Moen well document not just gender role differences, but also the myth that hard work, long hours, and continuous employment pay off in the 21st century. The Career Mystique has made me realize that traditional beliefs are standing in the way of creating a new, alternative workplace and career flexibilities.

A marvelous job by Roehling and Moen, and I bestow my highest regards upon them for tackling such a complex, yet pertinent societal issue.

This book well documents the realities of an out-of-date, false myth about working hard and achieving the american dream. Moen and Roehling provide detailed accounts of men and women struggling to stay afloat in their jobs, in their relationships, and in their daily lives. This book provides great insight into the mismatch between what we all believe we can achieve and the lockstep life course that we complacently follow.

I'm a sociology undergrad and was asked to read this book. While many sociology books that I've read are dry and difficult to get through, The Career Mystique is straightforward, with clear and easy-to-understand examples. More than that, this book forced me to look beyond the relative ease of the predicted, calculated, college life to what lerks beyond, namly trying to balance a career and a family. I think The Career Mystique clearly explains a problem that has been lurking within American society for the past few decades but until now remained unnamed. This is a must-read for anyone who will try to balance family life and a dual-earner relationship.