Rosie the riveter look out there are new breeds of women taking charge on stages not tied to the home fire burning. A incredible insight into where we as women have sought to Steve outside the home. An unpolitical look at smart women of all ilks. I loved the contrast this book offered. I loved the grit and grace of these women. It should be mandatory in Woman’s Study classes .

Unique book showcasing women in non-traditional job fields and highlighting how they came to be in their jobs including hurdles and roadblocks they faced along the way. The pictures of each woman interviewed are by far the best part of the book. The portraits are exquisite and portray the strength each woman perfectly. The interviews that went along with the portraits were well-intended but a bit drawn out and repetitive. After a few, I felt they were all the same commentary. I wish that the interviews would have been a bit more personal and detailed. This is not a read-through book, but instead a pick-up and enjoy at leisure type book and would make a lovely coffee table book.

This book was…underwhelming. The photographs are beautiful, and the book definitely covers a lot of ground career-path wise, but nevertheless I have a few bones to pick.

First of all, it seems inaccurate to call what accompanies these photographs interviews. If anything, they read like personal essays. I don’t know if that is meant to mean that Crisman sent each woman a list of questions and asked them to interpret them how they like and send their responses back in a memoir-esque format or not, but that’s kind of how it feels. Like, everyone covers most of the same basic information, but they don’t feel very consistently formed. Which isn’t a problem for me so much as it is a source of minor confusion.

My second, and final “issue” (if you can call it that) is that while I won’t argue that each of these women is a part of a career field that is typically not overly female-friendly (unfortunately, surprisingly few things that don’t involve caregiving are, even today) which is REALLY cool, I will argue that it is kind of boring to only hear from women who received consistent support and encouragement from those around them, since that is not a reality that many of us are ever confronted with. It would have been nice to see even one or two women in there whose stories didn’t include extremely supportive families or coworkers, mentors, or financial means. It seems to me that every single woman had at least one of those things – which is wonderful for them, but again, not a reality for a lot of us.

I just wanted there to be one woman in there who said something to the effect of, “Nobody thought I could do it, but I did,” or “Nobody took me seriously, but here I am.” You know? Something empowering! It was great to see a bunch of women talking about their interesting experiences (and they were all interesting, I don’t want to diminish that), I just wish that one or two of those profiles would have been a little more rags-to-riches. I mean, we have to hear about that all the time in stories of “self-made” men, so it would be nice to see it about a woman now and again too. Unless the reality is that as women, we still have enough working against us professionally that this isn’t a valid scenario for us yet…

This is a book I would love to see in every library in the country. It is filled with the stories of women across the country and the jobs they are doing. Many of them are non-traditional, some not so much, but they all tell the story of how the woman got into the field, what she enjoys, and some of the challenges she has faced.
As we move more toward a workplace that is one that seeks the best employee for the job, regardless of race, religion, or sex, this can become a valuable tool for the young women of today. Whether the individual reader wants to read the entire book, or research a particular job or jobs, that opportunity is here. The stories are short, and highlight some of the highs and lows of the job, as well as some of the hurdles the women have had to overcome. Regardless of the different roadblocks most of the women encountered, they all speak of having a passion for their chosen work, a determination to make it a success, and the supporting factors that helped them achieve their goals.
There are several recurring themes that unite the women, including a willingness to work hard, a recognition that often they have had to work harder to “prove” their capability, and a development of a thick outer skin to ward off the criticism they have encountered. While these issues are not exclusive to women, nor to women in these particular jobs, the women’s responses here offer some ideas in terms of how a woman, or a man for that matter, can go about achieving their goals in the face of sometimes daunting criticism.
In addition to the information and the inspiration offered here, the stories are accompanied by some stellar portraiture photography. These photographs are crisp and offer a high contrast that seems to bring the individual, who is typically involved in a task related to their job, into sharp focus. The photos show a wide range of women in terms of age, size, ethnicity, and physical attributes, and manages to turn the focus of the viewer to the woman as a worker and an achiever.
It isn’t necessary to read the book cover to cover, although I found it fascinating to do so. This book would also serve well as a “coffee table book” or as a book you might find in a pediatrician or youth counselor’s office, anywhere a young person might pick it up and be inspired to follow her dreams. While it does exclusively highlight women, there is information here that could also be useful to young men and boys. Not only does it talk about determination and goal setting, but it talks about some of the descrimination these women have encountered as they have pursued their place in the working world. It could be helpful to those who are on the outside looking at these and other women and girls as they pursue their goals within the world of work. After all, you can’t change your perspective and your prejudices if you don’t know you have them.
My thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Half or so of the roles in this book are in fields traditionally dominated by male workers: blacksmith, firefighter, fisherman, funeral director. But others like writer? A stretch. While I enjoyed reading about different women and their careers, I didn't feel like they all lined up with the book's premise. The photographs were high-quality and mostly well-done, though I was taken aback at turning the page to be confronted with a bisected animal with its entrails spilling out onto the floor behind the woman in question. Those with a sensitivity to gore be cautioned.

This book is underwhelming. Based on the description, i expected the photography to be more artistic. Instead it feels like the kind of personal-branding portraiture used on websites and to accompany news articles/profile features. So, not a coffee-table/art book.

The interviews are interesting enough, but as a whole, this feels like a series of pieces for a website, newsletter, or periodical, not a book. I appreciate reading about these women's careers, but at the same time, it feels like this is a book from the 20th century. I don't consider most of these jobs to be "male" jobs--sure, the lobster fisherwoman maybe, or the miner are unusual careers for women, but owning your own business?

Disappointed overall, but perhaps this would be a helpful book for a high school guidance counselor to have in a particularly backwards community.