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I Don't Know How She Does It
I Don't Know How She Does It
Author: Allison Pearson
Delightfully smart and heartbreakingly poignant, Allison Pearson’s smash debut novel has exploded onto bestseller lists as “The national anthem for working mothers.” Hedge-fund manager, wife, and mother of two, Kate Reddy manages to juggle nine currencies in five time zones and keep in step with the Teletubbies. But when she finds...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780375713750
ISBN-10: 0375713751
Publication Date: 8/26/2003
Pages: 352
Rating:
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 260

3.3 stars, based on 260 ratings
Publisher: Anchor
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 10
I'm on the fence about this book. It was funny and well written, but somehow- to me anyway- the ultimate message seemed to be that women in fact can't have it all. They are designed to be nurturers to both their husbands and their children.
MarciNYC avatar reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on
Helpful Score: 6
I first heard about this book on NPR during an interview with the author. Since then, I've been wanting to read it and was delighted to receive it as a gift from a dear friend.

Better than average chicklit (women's fiction) novel. In spite of juggling two young children, a (sometimes) surly nanny, a lay-about husband, and a demanding career (not to mention a cyber-romance with a client), Kate Reddy is a survivor. Not a epic literature, but enjoyable nonetheless. Career-women striving to find that balance between work and family will relate to Kate and her battles.
reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Amusing look at a highly successful career woman who is also a working mother.
reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on + 44 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
This was a fun book about a mother who needs to do it all. Something that i think many woman can relate to. I was once told that the idea of multi-tasking is simply that. an idea. It\'s actually impossible for your brain to focus on more than one thing at a time, yet multi-tasking is increasingly becoming one of the most needed characteristics for any job. This book goes into that in a fun, enjoyable way.
reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on
Helpful Score: 3
Sort of a Bridget Jones except she's a married working mum of 2. She's torn between work and home. Her love life threatened by her work life. Moments of very familiar chaotic hilarity nicely balanced with moments of bittersweet introspection and self realization. Nice tale.
Read All 40 Book Reviews of "I Dont Know How She Does It"

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reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is very light reading and sometimes funny. A great diversion for the summer from all the heavy reading material we seem to enjoy in the winter. It makes every woman see that she is not alone when trying to juggle life, work, family, etc.
MargoGamero avatar reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on + 41 more book reviews
Very funny and easy read.
nantuckerin avatar reviewed I Don't Know How She Does It on + 158 more book reviews
When I went back to work after the birth of my first child, I read a lot of these working-mom-makes-good books. You know, the ones that set out to show you that you're not the only one to show up at a client meeting with a spit-up stain on her suit jacket, or to have bags under the bags under her eyes from trying to juggle home and a career. In my opinion, though, this is the best of the bunch.

I Don't Know How She Does It hit home for me because the heroine shares my industry (public relations/advertising). The novel is set in England so some of the language and pop culture references are a little off, but its a great story of a mom finding herself without losing herself.

Plus, it's hysterical. Highly recommended for any mom who gnashes her teeth when some well meaning person asks her just how she does it...


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