Busier Than Ever!: Why American Families Can't Slow Down
"Busier Than Ever!is a highly readable book full of accessible anecdotes of families adjusting in a modern world... The reality of outsourcing or downsizing is handled by the authors in a sensitive, thoughtful way... [This book] is certainly a welcome addition to the sociology of work and family.—Canadian Journal of Sociology"...intriguing, insightful, and suggestive...raises important questions about people's social lives."—CHOICE"Overscheduled families with mission statements.  Parents on the run.  Kids too busy for childhood.  Work invades family life, and vice versa.  Blurred boundaries and compartmentalized behavior.  How do families create and manage the myriad obligations of middle-class life in 21st century America?  Based on extended and detailed ethnographic fieldwork, with intriguing and appealing case studies, the authors offer an unique analysis of contemporary life. No one seeking to understand the American middle class today can afford to miss this highly readable and revealing book."—Conrad Kottak, University of Michigan"We all know—and experience—that Americans are busier than ever, but what does that busyness actually entail, day to day, family to family? A fascinating examination of everyday life, this book offers a detailed picture of what constitutes busyness in American families as they cope with a risk society and manage the consequences of option overload. While showing that each family is unique, the authors also uncover patterns that help us understand family life in America today."—Deborah Tannen, author ofYou're Wearing THAT? Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation"The authors have discovered a remarkable paradox. In their devotion to family, parents often express a desire for efficiency, control, productivity – a 'new instrumentalism' many of us associate with work. This is a timely look in the mirror of dual-income middle class America."—Arlie Hochschild, author ofThe Time Bind: When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work