Get to What?

I purposely photographed this book on my pillow because the pillow is one of  the things I leave every morning, sometimes unwillingly, to hie myself off to work. (You can’t tell it’s my pillow, though because I have big pillow and this is a small book and I had to zoom in on the title a bit.)

And though it’s not hundreds of pages long, the book is pretty intense, with some good and interesting points.  Hirshman is taking up where the venerable Betty Friedan left off. That’s not entirely fair, making her an extension, but it sharpens the point and she does mention Friedan often enough.

Part of Hirshman’s plan: “Don’t study art. Use your education to prepare for a lifetime of work.” “Never quit a job until you have another one. Take work seriously.” “Never know when you’re out of milk. Bargain relentlessly for a just household.”

I mentioned the book to HM several years ago when I read  a sharp review on it.  He surprised me with a copy of it. I had forgotten about it. I am still reading it. I read it in bits. And I reread some bits along the way because I forget her adamance, the reason for it.

I believe she might be correct,  that smart, educated women take themselves or are “taken” out of the job market in order to raise families and we all lack, that is, suffer for not having their acumen, judgment, knowledge, energy in the work world. 

Another of her points: we started a “movement” but didn’t finish it.

t’s often interesting to sit on a different side and take a look at the thing, the object, the item under scrutiny, see how it appears from “over there.”  Sometimes I’m looking for verification of the fact that I do go out there to work but then, I’m a near-empty nester so it’s not the same push-me pull-you that it is for younger mothers.

I haven’t said an awful lot about the book but I haven’t really ever finished it. Sometimes you have a book that you read as you need it or as its topic strikes you on a certain day. 

You might give it a whirl, as you’re standing in the library or bookstore. It will make you feel good about whatever it is that you choose to do.

The thing is, we’re needed everywhere, we moms and wives and girls and individuals and students and smarty-pants.