"Putting Work in Its Place is an easy read. Indeed, the work at times resembles pop sociology more than an academic treatise. But the authors cite scholarly works as well, being published authorities on technological employment issues. . . . The authors make some important points. . . . The authors are advocates of part-time work and offer suggestions for those who would like to follow suit."—Stephen Cass, IEEE Spectrum, June 2002
"Meiksins and Whalley interview technical professionals. . . who have customized their work arrangements in order to live more enriching lives. Exploring the motivations, strategies, and practices of these professionals, the authors deliberately aim to provide successful examples to others."—SciTech Book News, June 2002
"This engaging and provocative contribution to the sociology of work describes how a sample of professional technical workers. . . . attempt to restructure work to accommodate family and other nonwork obligations as well as reduce the pressures of work itself. . . . This volume is a well-conceived analysis and call to action. Recommended for general readers and lower-division undergraduates through professionals."—Choice, September 2002
"This is an optimistic book, full of hope that by customizing hours at work without traditionalizing gender roles at home, many can experience a fuller measure of life."—E. Jeffrey Hill, Brigham Young University, Journal of Marriage and Family
"The book's best features are the richness of its qualitative data and the insightfulness of its sociologically framed analyses, which are often gently iconoclastic in approach and substance. Meiksins and Whalley take on cultural myths that serve to marginalize those whose careers differ from the norm. Notably, they effectively rebut the unspoken assumptions that anyone who chooses not to follow a normative career is eccentric, non-committed, or wishy-washy."—Janet H. Marler, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 56:2, January 2003.
"Putting Work in Its Place paints a vivid portrait of the choices and challenges of workers seeking to work less in a world where long hours on the job signal commitment, productivity, and the pathway to career advancement. Peter Meiksins and Peter Whalley reimagine and reframe possible work-hour options and make a convincing case for turning worker's private troubles into a public issue."—Phyllis Moen, Professor of Sociology and of Human Development at Cornell University and Director of the Cornell Career Institute, a Sloan Center for the Study of Working Families, at Cornell University
"Meiksins and Whalley contribute valuable data to a growing literature on reduced-time arrangements and flexibility in work conditions in the contemporary workplace. Putting Work in Its Place is an important and useful book."—Lotte Bailyn, Sloan School of Management, MIT
"Putting Work in Its Place makes a substantial contribution to understanding those women and men who are pioneering innovations in working time in their organizations, often under very unlikely circumstances. It offers reasoned hope for others who seek greater options and who, as employees or managers, would actively work to transform corporate cultures."—Carmen Sirianni, Professor of Sociology and Public Policy, Brandeis University, author, Civic Innovation in America
Meiksins (sociology, Cleveland State U.) and Whalley (sociology and anthropology, Loyola U.) interview technical professional including engineers, computer professionals, and technical writers who refuse to choose between work and family, and who have customized their work arrangements in order to live more enriching lives. Exploring the motivations, strategies, and practices of these professionals, the authors deliberately aim to provide successful examples to others. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
