Parts of this book are absolutely first rate -I thoroughly enjoyed the introductory & concluding sets of chapters that "place" the interviews- and some of the biographical pieces are also intriguing and insightful. Unfortunately one gets the feeling that Wasserman has tried to both stretch too far & at the same time go too deep in some areas. In the cases of scientists where we actually get enough material to sense a "conversation" the book cannot be faulted (the interview/section on Ruth Patrick was marvellous for instance), but in some cases we have little more than an expanded extract from some sort of "Great Women & Men in Science" dictionary. Fewer and longer entries would perhaps have served better. This breadth/depth problem is in a sense highlighted by a striking shortage of ecologists (there is the Patrick interview mentioned already & a disappointingly short blurb on Jane Lubchenco) & an absence of behavioral ecologists (what of the likes of Sarah Hrdy etc.?)while at the same time it seems we get lots of biochemist/genetics/& physical science types. A number of authors have noted the greater success that women have had in penetrating the Life Sciences, and perhaps Wasserman feels that this area needs less attention, but a more detailed analysis of WHY things have been better in Biology would be of interest. Other than these complaints I enjoyed the book and will have no problem encouraging my students (female and male alike) to read it.

I definitely like the idea behind this book which I thought was to help understand the lives/struggles that the women elected into the National Academy went through. I also liked the way the book was grouped into women born within specific time periods since they seemed to have more in common with each other. But along with all survey books, this one lacked a focus or goal. The author who conducted the interviews seemed very passive and not willing to explore problems the scientists were going through. Wasserman hints at problems/solutions, but I was looking for more.

This book succeeds on so many different levels. Above all, it is a fascinating introduction to the lives of thirty seven remarkably successful women. It is a "good read" for anyone interested in a personal glimpse into many different worlds of scientific discovery. It offers varied templates to young scientists seeking alternative approaches to scientific careers today. It suggests some unconventional wisdom about possibilities for career progress for women and men in any organization. And finally, it provides compelling evidence for employer policies and programs to support employee efforts to balance professional productivity with personal and family commitments.

Wasserman offers a unique perspective on all careers based on the life experiences of women scientists elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences. She draws on personal interviews, correspondence and biographic materials of thirty seven women(of a total of eighty six elected women scientists) to portray their experiences, often in their own words. Wasserman undertook this project based on personal questions about her own career, which led from research scientist (PhD chemist)to academic administration to the practice of law. She describes her career path in the context of family interests and commitments as well. For this study she sought to understand what differentiated the lives and paths of these remarkably successful scientists from the paths of others with similar interests and potential. In presenting a consistent set of questions to each of her subjects, she looked for similar patterns and notable differences within this group of women and between this group and others. Her interview material is organized into age clusters and is thus informed by societal characteristics of each cohort's era.

Wasserman's work yields lessons about career success far byond the world of scientific research she depicts. For these women initial career decisions were most often based on interest, talent and encouragement from family plus special teachers at critical juncture points. Yet these initial decisions were then modified and shaped by circumstance and opportunity, for better or for worse. As with each of us, each of these women faced numerous barriers and hurdles as she moved along a path. As with each of us, the path was often unclear. Yet each of these women found her way to make unique contributions to scientific knowledge. Despite barriers and hurdles each was remarkably successful in her scientific career.

Among the barriers and hurdles faced by many of these women, one persists, and that is the dificulty in balancing between professional and personal commitments. Here the lives of these scientists shared challenges similar to the ones faced by men and women at all phases of their professional development. How to balance a strong commitment to work with a strong commitment to family and/or personal life remains a daily struggle for so many of us. It is a struggle we hear about from men and women in corporations, government and academic life as well. It is a struggle anticipated by young people as they embark on their careers and by men and women in mid-career as they live their daily lives and consider their future directions. Each struggle is characterized by much that is personal and unique and much that is universal as well.

In her summary chapters Wasserman highlights the balance between professional interests and personal lives as a key opportunity for organizations to affect lives and careers. She suggests that organizational policy could enhance productivity by becoming more flexible in demands on people and more generous in the resources provided to help support the balance between professional and personal commitments. Her exploration of policy and program implications is especially cogent for today's workforce and in today's workplace.