Cleanup on Aisle Five by Ann Larson

CLEANUP ON AISLE FIVE by Ann Larson is an eye-opening tale of “Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register.” We have all stood in line at the supermarket check-out, often frustrated with the wait and the poor quality of packing. Larson encourages readers to take another perspective by relating her own COVID-era experiences as a worker and those of her colleagues. She certainly made me feel more compassionate towards the frontline supermarket employees, standing in place for hours on end and repetitively swiping products past a scanner. Yet, it is worth pointing out that Larson takes an activist perspective and writes, “it was as an outsider that I saw how the supermarket as an institution is a window into larger social divisions and injustices.” She notes, for example, that “many grocery workers are food insecure” and “being perpetually too tired to cook was one of the ironies of working at the supermarket.” And her statistics on dental care, tooth pain, and missing teeth (“One-quarter of adults in the United States over the age of 65 are missing all of their teeth and our country has one of the highest rates of toothlessness in the world”) are surprising and class related. CLEANUP ON AISLE FIVE received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. This book deserves attention and could join others (e.g., Evicted, Nickel and Dimed, Maid, or even How May I Help You?) which have been part of our curriculum as students learn to appreciate the struggles of their neighbors. Extensive source notes (approximately fifteen percent of the text) are included.

Open To Work by Ryan Roslansky and Aneesh Raman

OPEN TO WORK by Ryan Roslansky (LinkedIn CEO) and Aneesh Raman (Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedIn) is heartfelt advice about “How to Get Ahead in the Age of AI.” The authors point to how in the industrial age “standardization was the point. When AI handles the standard, though, things start to flip. Suddenly your differences aren't limitations. They're your competitive advantage.” They relate stories of Nilofer Merchant (consultant who coined the term “onlyness”); John Henry (founded a dry-cleaning service at 19 and sold it two years later for a million dollars); and Leena Nair (CEO of Chanel) to illustrate how important it can be to build on one’s unique strengths and experiences. They stress “distinctly human capabilities which AI cannot replicate” and the interaction amongst these 5Cs: curiosity, courage, creativity, compassion, and communication. They say, “As you get going, remember that it's OK to pause, restart, or change direction. The key is just to keep moving.” OPEN TO WORK will encourage readers to experiment with AI due to its conversational tone, thoughtful prompts, and helpful exercises (e.g., listing twelve top tasks sorting them into one of three buckets: (1) routine tasks that AI can do alone; (2) tasks to do together with AI tools and (3) uniquely human tasks, generally involving emotional intelligence). In fact, the final chapter includes a detailed, practical 30-60-90-day plan for getting started with AI, complete with examples and coaching. Over twenty percent of OPEN TO WORK is devoted to Notes and an Index.  Additional interviews with Ryan Roslansky are available on the podcast The Path.

Planet Money by Alex Mayyasi

PLANET MONEY by Alex Mayyasi and the Hosts of NPR's Planet Money calls itself “A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life.” This book takes an approach similar to the podcast and offers definition, description and discussion of economic concepts while using real life examples. Mayyasi starts out with an informative look at how food banks built a mechanism to better allocate donations. He later looks at topics like “How We All Get Richer, Forever,” “The Zoom Boom vs. Happy Hour,” or “The Labor of Finding Love.” His stories are memorable (e.g., the Mets and Bobby Bonilla Day to explain compound interest) and relatively easy to understand; as the authors say, “This book gathers the most useful and essential wisdom from our reporting and adds many freshly reported stories chosen to illuminate the most practical and powerful lessons in economics today.” PLANET MONEY received starred reviews from Booklist (“a welcome and in-demand addition to any library’s finance shelves”) and Library Journal. Sadly, graphics did not format well in the preview, but the book is well-researched, with Notes and an Index comprising at least fifteen percent of the text.

What Next? by Jane Moffett

WHAT NEXT? by Jane Moffett is subtitled “The savvy woman’s guide to redefining retirement.” I had expected to see more about financial preparation for retirement, particularly when that is often such a trial for women. Moffett barely touches on that aspect; instead she has chosen to focus more narrowly on advising her readers on the importance of assessing who and what are important in their lives. As the publisher’s summary points out, she asks: “How will you fill your time in a way that has purpose and meaning, and how will you keep the sense of being relevant and valued?” The first four chapters deal with making the decision to retire, the contrast with earlier generations, women’s careers, and the impact of ageism. Then there are six chapters which correspond to “post-retirement” topics like a change in time and structure or re-assessing relationships. Moffett structures each chapter so as to first discuss the topic, then provide insight and perspective from at least two women, and then to include activities and exercises for the readers. Even though her perspective is primarily about retirement in the UK (who knew that men (65) and women (60) had different pension ages until adjustments to equalize them began in 2010?), she shares some universal observations (e.g., the blending of work and home boundaries and the negative impact on mental health) that would be helpful to everyone in this phase of life. Notes and an index are included.

Lauryn Harper Falls Apart by Shauna Robinson

LAURYN HARPER FALLS APART by Shauna Robinson is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for September 2025. It is a cute story about a confused young woman who finds her way after being demoted due to a misunderstanding at her workplace. I read portions of the ebook and listened to the majority of the Spotify audiobook which is excellent. The narrator, Deanna Anthony, perfectly captures the bewilderment and self-delusion that Lauren Harper exhibits as she repeatedly is her own best enemy, reluctant to rely on the collegiality of other disgraced and misfit corporate employees. They have all been sent to a rural outpost which hosts the charity arm, Ryser Cares, of a big and often controversial conglomerate. Together the group bonds as they attempt to resurrect the former Fall Festival in order to raise funds to support Greenstead’s Community Center. I think Robinson’s fans will enjoy this feel-good tale, even if it seems very predictable. My own issues are similar to those I expressed about her earlier work, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks: the financials just don’t add up. If Lauren is set to retire in the next few years, what is keeping her from donating (or loaning) $10K to cover the festival costs? Surely, she has that amount readily available and doesn’t need to subject readers to repeated musings about where she can find sources of funds. And, to me, Ryser’s funding proposals and grants seem so inconsistent as shown by the wide disparity versus funds they eventually allocate. A heartfelt story evoking memories of local festivities.

The Happiness Files by Arthur C. Brooks

THE HAPPINESS FILES by Arthur C. Brooks offers “Insights on Work and Life” and is based on the popular essays he has written for a weekly column in The Atlantic. Amongst other full-length titles, Brooks wrote From Strength to Strength and he teaches classes on happiness from a scientific perspective (encompassing neuroscience, social psychology, and behavioral economics) at Harvard Business School. Brooks has divided his newest title into sections On Managing Yourself; On Jobs, Money, And Building Your Career; On Communicating and Connecting with Others; On Balancing Work Life and Relationships; and, finally, On How You Define Success. The thirty-three essays are generally five or six pages in length and deal with topics like exhibiting leadership, setting boundaries, promoting value, developing relationships, and establishing purpose and direction. THE HAPPINESS FILES is very well-written, action-oriented, and quite accessible. In completing book reviews, I have been exploring the ideas dealing with well-being and happiness from Brooks and others and writing about them for years. THE HAPPINESS FILES would be a great book to read and discuss as a group, perhaps choosing an essay a week as the focus.

Mailman by Stephen Starring Grant

MAILMAN by Stephen Starring Grant is a non-fiction work subtitled “My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home.” After twenty years as a consumer strategist, Grant became a rural letter carrier during the pandemic. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he lives in Blacksburg, Virginia. And he can tell a good story … whether it is delivering a small refrigerator (USPS has a 70 pound weight limit on packages), a Lord of the Rings sword, a special rifle, or finding the magic of Christmas lights in a hollow … He writes gratefully about the other letter carriers who supported him as a rookie and about the citizens/residents along his route. In a recent Wall Street Journal excerpt, he notes, “And yet, somewhere in those early months, change did come. Letter by letter I was learning. I got tougher. I became capable of delivering everything that I loaded into my truck in the morning. The economics of delivering the mail were unsentimental -- paying for my mortgage and groceries cost more than I was bringing in. But out there on Route 3 the job became more than just a financial delaying tactic. I was inhabiting something real, feeling what it was like to be there for people. I had become a mailman.” MAILMAN received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus who described MAILMAN as “A charming book that’s guaranteed to make you think differently about the USPS.” I am so happy that I could share this title with my mailman and tell him how I have a whole new respect for the work he does every day. 

Four Days a Week by Juliet Schor

FOUR DAYS A WEEKby Juliet Schor describes “The Life-Changing Solution for Reducing Employee Stress, Improving Well-Being, and Working Smarter” Schor, a bestselling author, an economist, and a professor of sociology at Boston College, says the “secret sauce” is to cut out unproductive activities, especially meetings. She also notes that employees prefer a full day off “rather than snippets.” In terms of a four-day week, numerous benefits, including increased productivity, better employee attitudes, and greater talent retention are often cited.The American Psychological Association has published research pointing to the benefits of this policy. For interested readers, Schor succinctly explains her research findings in this May 2025 Wall Street Journal article and in her April 2022 TedTalk which has had over three million views:

This is a fascinating topic, meriting additional study and consideration. Some questions to consider, for example, would be whether the shorter work week could be applied across industries or will it contribute to greater inequality and resentment between classes of workers. Another thought: what is the long-term impact – specifically, are productivity gains sustainable? Schor has made a significant contribution to the debate with her many case studies and exploration of different implementation strategies companies could pursue. Schor includes an entire chapter on AI, for example, citing an “estimate that the productivity gains of this technology could enable 28% of the workforce, or 35 million workers, to transition to thirty-two hours by 2033” and quotes a source who asks, “why can't these technologies, if they're able to do 20% of what a human does - or did - why can't that 20% be given back to the employee?” Looking for even more discussion on the Future of Work? Be sure to explore the McKinsey featured insights on that topic.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Bostwick

THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN by Marie Bostwick (Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly) is one of my favorite books of the year so far. Bostwick has created another work of historical fiction, focusing on the early 1960s and the suburbs of Washington, DC. Four main characters form a book club and become close friends, calling themselves The Bettys in homage to the first book they read together, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Readers meet Margaret Ryan who aspires to be a writer and helpmate to her accountant husband, Walt. Charlotte Gustafson is wealthy, creative and unhappy, trapped in a loveless marriage to Howard. Viv Buschetti adores supportive husband Tony, but she yearns to put her nursing skills to work as she manages six (make that seven!) children. Bitsy Cobb is younger and less sure of herself (except for her love of horses) and is married to an older man, Kingsley, a veterinarian. Each woman faces questions about her purpose, a possible career, and the state of her marriage and family, especially relative to societal norms. As Bostwick writes, “They had been raised to believe that the road to a happy, successful adulthood was well defined but extremely narrow, and that deviating from the path was not only irresponsible but wrong, a quick route to certain disaster.” Yet, these four quickly grow to support each other and Bostwick delves into personal crises with historical details as background (e.g., remember “the underground currency of American housewives,” S&H Green Stamps? And who knew that a married women could not open a bank account at that time without her husband’s signature?). Facing adversity, these four women learn together to appreciate what Eleanor Roosevelt used to say, “A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.” This would be a marvelous book group selection as there is much to consider and discuss here. Katherine Graham and other Washington socialites make cameo appearances. In its starred review of THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN Library Journal says, "Bostwick's latest is ideal for fans of historical fiction and those who enjoyed Bonnie Garmus's Lessons in Chemistry, Kristin Hannah's The Women, or Kate Quinn's The Briar Club, which explore the historical roles of women and the challenges they faced within a society structured to define and limit their roles in and out of the home." Highly recommended.

Book groups may also enjoy some of the other selections that the Bettys considered: The Group by Mary McCarthy; Herland (1915) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman; A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute; short stories by Flannery O’Connor; Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis; Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates; Dearly Beloved or Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Seven Social Movements that Changed America

SEVEN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS THAT CHANGED AMERICA by Linda Gordon is a penetrating look at events and happenings during the twentieth century. Gordon, an author and historian who has won numerous prizes for her biography of Dorthea Lange, reflects on several movements that still reverberate today. For example, one is the early work on old age pensions, eventually included in the Social Security Act of 1935, and highlighting the elderly as an activist political force. Other chapters discuss the efforts to unionize farm workers, promote civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s, and the subsequent women’s liberation movement. A more distressing example is the influence of the Ku Klux Klan (developed even further in Gordon’s 2017 text The Second Coming of the KKK) – and echoed, sadly, in the “very fine people on both sides” comments about the white nationalists protesting in Charlottesville. Gordon writes, “I am telling these stories [the seven social movements] in a way designed to reveal their commonalities as well as their distinctiveness.” Her tone is rather academic, and she argues that “‘followers’ often exerted vital but less often-recognized leadership.” Whether she is exploring early settlement houses and the fight against poverty, or efforts to establish job programs in the 1930s, her text offers researchers and scholars a thoughtful analysis and many details of value. At least a fourth of the book lists references and footnotes.

Why Are We Here? by Jennifer Moss

WHY ARE WE HERE? by Jennifer Moss (The Burnout Epidemic) is subtitled “Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants” and I recently viewed an hour presentation on this new book supplied by Harvard Business Review Press. Clearly Moss’s work has wide appeal as attendees hailed from around the world.  Moss writes about the increasing disengagement, detachment, and disillusionment amongst members of the workforce, often citing both private (e.g., Gallup’s reports like one on State of the Global Workplace) and government (e.g., the CDC on health risks associated with lack of social connections) sources. Moss advocates for improving culture by devoting twenty minutes per week, noting that people want hope from their leaders and they need to see a future. Specifically, she suggests numerous activities such as celebrating milestones more frequently or telling more stories. Other ideas include “make the mundane meaningful,” save space for exploration, and initiate “stay” interviews. All of that seems to reflect offering respect for and listening to one’s workforce, which she approaches in the last two chapters on Belonging and Recognition. Notes and index represent about ten percent of this well-researched text. Moss admits “this was the hardest book I’ve written yet.” I think it may be hard for readers, especially leaders, to accept and internalize her many suggestions without guidance and some kind of checkpoints. I look forward to her future work and additional case studies. Listed in the Next Big Idea Club's January 2025 Must-Read Books.

The Mind's Mirror by Daniela Rus and Gregory Mone

THE MIND'S MIRROR by Daniela Rus and Gregory Mone (The Chip and the Heart) is another collaboration between a pioneering roboticist who is director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and a professional science writer. Their newest book focuses on “Risk and Reward in the Age of AI.” As ever, these two authors are extremely optimistic about the new technology and divide their text into three main sections: Powers, Fundamentals, and Stewardship. Taking a “hands-on” approach, they offer advice like: “as you evaluate how AI can help your business, I'd suggest breaking down the various roles within your organization by task, then looking at whether AI can assist, augment, or automate those tasks.”  The authors also point to the value of “business bilinguals, [those] who understand both tasks and technology” like understanding the complex issues involved with medical coding and AI application. About halfway through the text they offer a section which reads a bit like a business school case with “a detailed set of guidelines and questions to consider as you think about putting AI into action.” Later, they do turn to potential concerns and link to an effort to provide policy briefs on the governance of AI. They also devote considerable space to less commonly cited challenges in three spheres: technical (such as training data, complexity, security, reliability, bias), societal (like privacy, intellectual property, controls, overreliance, misinformation), and economic (impact on jobs, the rate of adoption, and so forth). THE MIND'S MIRROR is a relatively accessible text which could prompt numerous discussions, whether for student researchers or business applications. The two-part appendix provides a brief history of artificial intelligence plus an overview of the infrastructure of AI, followed by suggestions for further reading and a bibliography of sources.  

The Skill Code by Beane & Code Dependent by Murgia

I am looking forward to virtually attending The Washington Post Futurist Summit on AI later this week. Here are another couple of new books related to that subject:

THE SKILL CODE by Matt Beane is subtitled “How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines” and it looks at the importance of what Beane calls the expert-novice bond, meaning that that we each achieved mastery by working with someone who knew more than we did. Beane conducts extensive observational field research as an ethnographer and in his role as an Assistant Professor in the Technology Management Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The first key insight he notes is “that the working relationship between experts and novices is a bundle of three C's that humans need to develop mastery: challenge, complexity, and connection.” He explains those and points to threats to each, arguing “if we don't put this knowledge [3C’s] to use right now, our species is in deep trouble.” Overall, this is really a text about training, teaching and educational psychology. He points to how we need to consciously make these new technologies part of the solution but not by inserting them between novices and experts. A captivating section is where he discusses “shadow learners” – people who take risks and step outside norms to embrace the 3 C’s. Beane writes about finding challenge (not unlike Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD)) and provides a checklist to know when you are facing healthy challenge. Beane then repeats those steps with respect to complexity and connection, stressing the importance of “building mutual respect and trust so that employees view a boss as an expert but also someone who cares.”  Like much of the rest of the book, this is solid advice on social emotional skills and applies to any industry, whether AI is involved or not. Added (9/8/24): The Wall Street Journal review:  "Digital transformation has made the workplace more efficient. It has also reduced opportunities for skill development and mentorship."

CODE DEPENDENT by Madhumita Murgia is subtitled “Living in the Shadow of AI” and in a rather angry manner Murgia stresses the need for individuals around the world to unite in the face of AI. She writes about the concept of data colonialism and points to how gig workers (e.g., those affiliated with Uber) are oppressed and manipulated by algorithms. That made me wonder about how did business management transform from a cooperative, albeit paternalistic, view to an all-knowing heartless controller? Is that accurate? Is it part of a continual cycle of exploitation and reform? Some of these points were raised several years ago in The End of Loyalty by Rick Wartzman. Murgia, an award-winning Indian-British journalist who is currently AI Editor at the Financial Times, argues that “by reflecting on the march of AI, we can start to address the imbalances in power, and move towards redress.” Her work draws on examples from around the world, having spoken to people living in Kenya, Britain, Argentina, Italy, and to refugees from Iraq and China. In sections labeled Your Livelihood, Your Body and Your Identity, she shares concerns about wage differentials, deepfakes, and facial recognition. A subsequent section on Your Health features a doctor in rural India who is able to use an app to help to quickly diagnosis TB and later to contribute to recalibrate it to distinguish between TB and COVID. After several other chapters, Murgia describes OpenAI and Chat GPT and the tendency to hallucinate based on training. A favorite part is the Epilogue where Murgia describes the work of the world’s major religions in contributing to developing some ethical standards for deploying AI. Endnotes and an Index comprise between ten and fifteen percent of the text. The Guardian called CODE DEPENDENT “highly readable and deeply important,” saying “the power of this book lies in the rich stories it tells of individuals ... Drawing on interviews from around the globe.” Those stories veer between deep pessimism and glimmers of optimism and offer unique perspective. Much to consider.  

Added from NPR: Pope to discuss AI at G7 meeting.

The AI-Savvy Leader by David De Cremer

THE AI-SAVVY LEADER by David De Cremer is an excellent book on a complicated subject – so well-organized and not afraid to name the elephant in the room: too many leaders do not understand AI and are abdicating their responsibility for managing its adoption. De Cremer is dean of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University and the founder and director of the Centre on AI Technology for Humankind (AiTH) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. He subtitles his text “Nine Ways to Take Back Control and Make AI Work” and after explaining what AI is (computational systems with a self-learning ability), proceeds to devote chapters to topics like inclusion and balance. For example, he recommends that leaders “build a flat communication culture” thereby ensuring quicker communication flow and promoting feedback and information exchange. He uses bold typeface and boxed material to stress key points as in chapter 5 (Vision) where he says that holistic communication and showing empathy “gives employees confidence that AI adoption is not an end in itself but a means to an end with full recognition of the interests of the workforce.” He describes the importance of getting buy-in from all stakeholders (employees, customers and society). In addition, he devotes an entire chapter to emotional intelligence’s soft skills (“curiosity, empathy, communication, and critical and proactive thinking”). Yes, learning about AI is important, but De Cremer notes again and again that emphasizing employees’ value and “portraying AI as a useful and supportive coworker” is essential to “turn AI into the tool that creates the value that you as a leader want to create.” Notes and an Index represent between five and ten percent of this text published by Harvard Business Review Press.

How the World Ran Out of Everything by Goodman

Do you remember the hunt for baby formula in 2022? I know that our family, spread over several states, were actively searching every time any of us went to a pharmacy, grocery store or even online outlet so as to provide our newest family member with sustenance. HOW THE WORLD RAN OUT OF EVERYTHING by Peter S. Goodman reflects on the pandemic’s impact by burrowing deep “Inside the Global Supply Chain.” Goodman, the Global Economics Correspondent for The New York Times, uses a case study involving a container filled with children’s toys to trace the breakdown in a system and “consequences of relying on faraway factories and container ships to keep humanity supplied with goods.” The text has three main sections: a review of China-centric globalization; price manipulation and engineered scarcities; and opportunities to reinvent the supply chain. Throughout, Goodman comments repeatedly on labor exploitation and deregulation; he stresses that, “ordinary people were paying the mounting costs” with weak unions, indifferent politicians, and over reliance on “Just in Time,” or lean, manufacturing. Extensive notes and an index comprise at least twenty percent of the book. HOW THE WORLD RAN OUT OF EVERYTHING received a starred review from Kirkus (“This book should be in the hands of policymakers and economists before the next crisis emerges.”) I would encourage readers looking for related perspective to also check out Arriving Today by Wall Street Journal columnist Christopher Mims. And, Goodman’s work even made me think of The Travels Of A T-Shirt In The Global Economy by Rivoli, published almost twenty years ago in a far more optimistic time.

Fair Shake and Poverty for Profit

Here are two new books that deal with inequality in the marketplace and that make impassioned pleas for change:

FAIR SHAKE by Naomi Cahn, June Carbone and Nancy Levit (Red Families v. Blue Families) is a look at “Women and the Fight to Build a Just Economy” from three law professors and mothers. They divide their book into four main sections, looking at the triple bind that women face and finally suggesting ways to tame the “winner take all” (WTA) economy. First, they utilize case studies involving Wal-Mart, General Electric, and Bank of America to show that “when women don't compete on the same terms as men, they lose.” Next, these scholars provide an excellent overview of “when women play by the same rules as the men, they lose” through the lens of case studies like Kleiner Perkins (see also Reset by Ellen Pao) and Wells Fargo. The third bind they describe as “when women see what the new rules are, they refuse to play the game” and illustrate how tech and other industries have pushed women out. While the authors readily acknowledge that issues like family responsibilities, occupational choices, risk aversion, and misogyny factor int the inequalities, they also note concerns about “the critical shift in the new economy … [and] the ability of those at the top to take a much larger share of institutional resources for themselves.” Most impressive are thoughts on fighting back and working to convert a WTA economy to one which benefits more people, especially women, children, and families. FAIR SHAKE is a well-organized, accessible text which covers numerous topics of interest to many of our students. More than a third of the text is devoted to notes or sources and Kirkus specifically comments on its “robust evidence for the need for systemic change.”  

POVERTY FOR PROFIT by Anne Kim seeks to show “How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor” and Kim, who is an award-winning author, lawyer and public policy expert, is strident in her condemnation: “self-serving private interests have hijacked the war on poverty.” For example, did you know that “the vast majority of dialysis services in America are provided by just two companies, whose centers are disproportionately located in low income neighborhoods”? OR that low-income taxpayers in Maryland claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit lost at least $50 million to tax preparation fees in 2020? Klein focuses on “the often pivotal role of private industry as intermediaries between government and people in poverty …. with interests often at odds with both the government and the people they purport to serve.” In addition to dialysis and tax preparation, Kim profiles industries like welfare management for the states, education or job training, and dentistry. Painful reading at times, POVERTY FOR PROFIT offers an enlightening perspective on the obstacles faced by and the exploitation of America’s poor. Notes are well-documented and encompass roughly a third of the text.

Egyptian Made by Leslie T. Chang

EGYPTIAN MADE by Leslie T. Chang is an intriguing look at “Women, Work, and the Promise of Liberation.” Chang, an award-winning author, contrasts the stories of female factory workers in Egypt with those of the women she interviewed in China for her previous text, Factory Girls. The patterns that appeared as a result of cultural differences (e.g., roughly one-third of women are illiterate and it is estimated that less than one fourth of women in Egypt work outside the home) were eye-opening. Chang argues that globalization has actually had a negative impact on women working in Egypt where pressures from families and husbands in an increasingly conservative society are limiting opportunities for women. She profiles three women in depth (Rania, a new factory supervisor working to escape an unhappy marriage; Doaa, who wants to become a social worker after her divorce; and Riham who wants to run her own clothing factory). Chang is living in Colorado now and I sincerely hope she is working on her next study. Library Journal compared this book to Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed which was a part of the high school curriculum for years. Readers may want to pair the very informative EGYPTIAN MADE with Getting Me Cheap or other recent texts on workers’ rights or with any of several books about global forces and the Middle East specifically. 

Private Equity by Carrie Sun

PRIVATE EQUITY by Carrie Sun is a memoir from a young MIT alumna about her career in high finance. If you know anyone in this business, you have heard the stories and the media regularly publishes tales of burnout and the difficult culture, especially for young women in tech and finance There's a strange feeling - both happy and sad and mixed with disbelief - when you finish this book-length memoir. Carrie Sun begins this story when she is in her late 20s and interviewing for a job with an investment firm as a personal assistant to one of the principals. That in itself is an amazing process, conducted over multiple days and requiring nearly a dozen reference calls. Even her recruiter calls it “by far the most intense search he had ever worked on.” Honestly, I would have stopped well before she did, but she persists, ultimately struggling with the workload and burns out.  This is a tough, tough business and that is the reaction I had when I mentioned this text to people: “oh, it's going to be a hard read.” Yes, but it was also looking at a culture or a world that seems glamorous (all those catered lunches!) from the outside and then being better able to appreciate the expectations, the very long hours, and the striving. Kirkus describes PRIVATE EQUITY as “a measured account of how soul-devouring the corporate world is …. a useful cautionary tale...” Vogue named it one of the best books of 2024 so far.  Sun dedicates the text to “my mother, my father, and all those who have the courage to quit.”