Summary

Abstract

Whether interest is in the decisions of individual young women or in expanding knowledge on the life experience and well-being of women in general, it must be kept in mind that the authors are not ordinary women and had careers when women having careers was far from the norm. Each author is considered by peers in her field to have a successful career. All completed a chapter for this book, a task not every recruit would undertake. A few who were invited to contribute chapters declined because of previous commitments, but the most common reason for refusal ran along the lines of, “I made a mess of my career! I would not hold up my life as an example for anyone!” Some who undertook the task found it impossible to complete. In the words of one: “I have learned a lot about myself, but it is too painful to continue.”