Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids, and Life in a Half-Changed World (Paperback)

~ (Author) "ERIN WILSON KICKS OFF her sensible low-heeled pumps and stretches her legs..." (more)
Key Phrases: corporate women, mother management, New York, San Francisco, African American (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

After the release of her bestselling title, Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap, Peggy Orenstein toured the country talking to groups of parents, teachers, and girls. It was after one of these teen town hall meetings that she decided to write about the crucible of postfeminist socialization at which today's women--not girls--find themselves: the reconciliation of motherhood and personal aspirations. It's a subject she's intimately familiar with. Orenstein began researching Flux when she was in her mid-30s and agonizing over whether to have a child: "I wanted the richness of motherhood in my life but worried over its costs. I could almost hear the traditionalist in me clucking, 'You can't have it all,' and it infuriated me. Why couldn't I? Why couldn't any of us?"

To help her answer these questions, she interviewed about 250 women between 1996 and 1999, and their varied responses serve as a kind of public consciousness-raising tool. She also interviewed their friends, lovers, and partners to get to the root of the expectations, joys, and frustrations of these women living in a "half-changed world." Though most of the women she interviewed come from similar backgrounds (college educated, white, middle class, and heterosexual), their combined experiences provide readers with plenty of different viewpoints to consider. A portrait of a generational Everywoman emerges from these snapshots in a way that furthers the stated purpose of the book: to inspire readers in "the search for a more satisfied life." -- J.R. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Drawing on interviews she conducted with more than 200 women, Orenstein (SchoolGirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap) presents an intimate and politically astute vision of how women in their 20s, 30s and 40s negotiate life in a world only half-changed by feminism. Divided into three partsD"The Promise," about women in their 20s exploring relationships and beginning working life; "The Crunch," about women in their 30s confronting issues of children and family; and "The Reconsideration," about women in their 40s reassessing what they want for themselvesDthe book is peppered with absorbing in-depth portraits that show how individual women manage their relationships and careers, singledom and marriage. Many of the older women Orenstein interviewed hold jobs that were unthinkable 30 years agoD(e.g., corporate vice-presidents and financial officers). What hasn't changed enough, however, are their working environments and the men in their lives. Though the women want successful careers, they still pressure themselves to be perfectly attentive wives and mothers who shoulder the bulk of the housekeeping and child rearing. Yet these women's focus on trying to Have It All paradoxically reinforces the dichotomy between family and career; for true equality, men need to balance home and work just as much as women do. Unlike many self-help books, Orenstein's balances coping strategies with sharp political points: for true equality in relationships and fairness to women, "more men have to take full responsibility at home," and "women also have to let them"; more important, the workplace must adjust to the needs of all employees who are parents. Orenstein believes women will profit by sharing their experiences across generations; this rigorous and appealing book should jumpstart the conversation. (June) FYI: Orenstein has a two-year jump on Susan Faludi, who will cover the same territory in a book recently sold to Metropolitan Books for publication in 2002 (Hot Deals, April 24).
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Anchor; First Paperback Printing edition (August 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038549887X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385498876
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #194,402 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put This Book Down, June 6, 2000

By	christine (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids and Life in a Half-Changed World (Hardcover)

Wow. FLUX is a great read--engaging stories, interesting voices, and salted with scintillating analysis by Orenstein. I recognized bits of myself, my life and thoughts, in nearly every woman she interviews, but I also felt enough distance from the women to fully appreciate some of the book's larger themes about women's choices. Particularly great is the fact that this book is not a standard feminist rant, but rather a thoughtful, upbeat yet realistic look at where we are in this "half-changed world." As a woman in her thirties, I found myself identifying with not only the younger women and those my age, but I also appreciated hearing older women's voices as well. If you liked SchoolGirls, you'll love this one.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what I needed..., May 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids and Life in a Half-Changed World (Hardcover)

Last weekend, I wandered into a bookstore musing about the current Big Decisions in my life -- Where is my career going? Should my husband and I start a family? What are my goals in life -- and I thought, "Too bad there isn't a book with all the answers."

Orenstein's book doesn't answer all the questions, but it provides a wonderful -- and comforting -- framework for grappling with the questions women face in contemporary American life. And it's not a man-bashing manifesto. My husband actually started reading it over my shoulder, and he's been badgering me to finish it so he could have a turn. This is good stuff!

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book, July 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids and Life in a Half-Changed World (Hardcover)

Incredibly provocative book. It will challenge you to really ponder and revel in your choices as a woman. Orenstein manages to cover a wide and representative range of lifestyles (young/single/career focused, married w/o kids, married w/kids/career, single mothers by choice, the stay at home mom after career). While covering every imaginable life choice, she also delves deeply enough into each of these woman's lives to give us a significant picture of the trade-offs, the joys, and the ongoing challenge of making choices between family, work and self fulfillment.

I can't imagine any woman not finding this to be an uplifting read. One of the best books I've ever read. I cried at some extremely powerful passages in the book and laughed at others as I heard my life echoed back to me. There is a strong sense of control over one's destiny that resonates in your mind and heart after reading this book. I applaud Orenstein for her timely topic and enlightened presentation. It's truly a gift to all women.