Striking a Balance: Work, Family, Life

In this provocative book, economist and work/life expert Robert Drago constructs a unique vision of the meaning of balance, unmasking the real reasons most Americans lead unbalanced lives. Sifting through the vast body of relevant research from a range of academic disciplines, including new findings from the author's own studies, Striking a Balance: Work, Family, Life examines the deeply held but unexamined beliefs about work, womanhood, and society that are responsible for our out-of-balance lives. In his optimistic final chapter, Drago calls on us to challenge those beliefs, and provides a road map for change. If we take this path, he argues, we will not only improve our life balance, but also address the nearly one-fifth of our population who require but do not receive adequate care, the "new gender gap" between women who care for others and women who succeed in high-powered careers, and even the rise in income inequality. With a forward by Juliet B. Schor, author of The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure.

Robert W. Drago is a Professor of Labor Studies and Women's Studies at Penn State University, and a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne. The author of over 70 articles and 4 books, he helped to found takecarenet.org and the workfam newsgroup. He lives in State College, PA, has two wonderful daughters, and writes music in his spare time.