Get to Work

Read Linda Hirshman's posts on the Penguin Blog. Does changing a toddler 's diapers count as a fulfilling job? Is the glass ceiling that keeps women from advancing in their careers actually located in the home? In Get to Work, a book that instantly ignited a firestorm of debate, Hirshman cogently argues that "opting out" of the workplace is a form of self-betrayal. Combining a hard-hitting critique of traditional feminism with practical advice to help stay-at-home moms find satisfying, well-paying work, this book will be as era-defining as The Feminine Mystique.

Linda R. Hirshman is retired from her position as the Allen/Berenson Distinguished Visiting Professor of Philosophy and Women's Studies at Brandeis University, where she taught courses on Western political philosophy and the regulation of sex and violence. She is the author of Hard Bargains: The Politics of Sex and A Woman's Guide to Law School. Hirshman also taught and practiced law in Chicago for many years, including three cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. Hirshman's article "Homeward Bound," on why women are trapped in the domestic world and how to get out, appeared in the December 2005 American Prospect. She has appeared on 60 Minutes, and Good Morning America , speaking on the subject of women quitting their jobs to stay home. She is, proudly, number 77 in Bernard Goldberg's 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America.