Publishers Weekly
12/07/2020
Journalist Lublin (Earning It) wonders whether Gen-X women “tackle the daunting challenges of parenthood” differently than baby boomers in this frank exploration of the struggles and triumphs of C-suite mothers. The author interviewed 86 “experienced female business executives with successful careers and children” and concluded that the differences between them lie in the support they had: for the Baby Boomer “First-Wave Power Mom,” benefits such as telecommuting weren’t an option and she had to conceal “the chaos of motherhood,” whereas Gen X’s “Second-Wave Power Mom” is better supported in using parental leave, expects a partner to share household duties, and “brings her authentic self to work.” Lublin provides a brief history of working mothers in the U.S., then shares her subjects’ stories; a “first-wave” CEO of a software company had to cut her maternity leave short to get a promotion, while the “second-wave” founder of Rent the Runway was met with enthusiasm after announcing to her board that she was trying to get pregnant. Though Lublin’s survey covers relatively familiar ground— navigating the guilt of time spent at work or with kids, the importance of a company culture that celebrates rather than punishes family commitments—the generational comparison makes for an informative glimpse into the lives of a rarified group. Readers curious about what’s changed and what hasn’t for high-ranking working mothers will find much to consider. Agent: Karen Gantz, Karen Gantz Literary Management. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
”Power Moms releases us working mothers from the guilt of outdated roles and unrealistic expectations. Most important, Lublin empowers us with the stories of incredible female leaders.” — Sarah Alter, CEO and president of Network of Executive Women
”Joann Lublin helps unravel the myth of having it all and reminds working moms to embrace the messy realities of work/life balance. It’s a fantastic case study of working women.” — Meg Whitman, former CEO of Quibi, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Hewlett-Packard
”Powerful women aren’t yet powerful enough because they still face obstacles their male counterparts don’t, such as the motherhood pay gap and unequal division of labor in the home. That’s both unfair and costly, not only to the individual women who suffer unjustly but also to families, communities, businesses, and society. Thanks to Joann Lublin for her gripping account of the real lives of today’s executive mothers and her practical recommendations for our movement to an egalitarian world.” — Stewart D. Friedman, Professor Emeritus of Management Practice, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and author of the bestsellers Total Leadership and Leading the Life You Want and co-author of Parents Who Lead
“Power Moms is a must read for the next generation of business leaders and working moms and moms-to-be. Yes, the world has changed for young women balancing motherhood and business. But Power Moms illustrates how much further we have to go so that women and men can raise their children well while carving out successful careers.” — Abbe Raven, former CEO and acting chairman, A+E Networks
“There is no person better qualified to opine on this subject than Joann Lublin. Through her career at the Wall Street Journal, she has developed an unparalleled understanding of the world of work as seen through the eyes of highly successful women. As a devoted journalist, wife, and mother, she has a deep and visceral understanding of the dance required to raise a family and navigate one’s career journey through that world of work. As a society, we can do better, and Joann helps us see how.” — Doug Conant, founder, ConantLeadership; former CEO, Campbell Soup Company; New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author
Stewart D. Friedman
”Powerful women aren’t yet powerful enough because they still face obstacles their male counterparts don’t, such as the motherhood pay gap and unequal division of labor in the home. That’s both unfair and costly, not only to the individual women who suffer unjustly but also to families, communities, businesses, and society. Thanks to Joann Lublin for her gripping account of the real lives of today’s executive mothers and her practical recommendations for our movement to an egalitarian world.
Abbe Raven
Power Moms is a must read for the next generation of business leaders and working moms and moms-to-be. Yes, the world has changed for young women balancing motherhood and business. But Power Moms illustrates how much further we have to go so that women and men can raise their children well while carving out successful careers.
Doug Conant
There is no person better qualified to opine on this subject than Joann Lublin. Through her career at the Wall Street Journal, she has developed an unparalleled understanding of the world of work as seen through the eyes of highly successful women. As a devoted journalist, wife, and mother, she has a deep and visceral understanding of the dance required to raise a family and navigate one’s career journey through that world of work. As a society, we can do better, and Joann helps us see how.
Meg Whitman
”Joann Lublin helps unravel the myth of having it all and reminds working moms to embrace the messy realities of work/life balance. It’s a fantastic case study of working women.
Sarah Alter
”Power Moms releases us working mothers from the guilt of outdated roles and unrealistic expectations. Most important, Lublin empowers us with the stories of incredible female leaders.