THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MOMMY WARS

Just when you think there couldn't be more to say in the "mommy wars" debate, along comes an original book, with an interesting, well-substantiated argument on every page. Peskowitz, an academic scholar of Judaism, gave up a tenured faculty post after she had a child. Though this book is laced with first-person anecdotes, it is not primarily memoir. Rather, it's an analysis of the social structures that limit women's choices: do many women choose to quit work after they have a baby? Well, yes and no. Many more would choose decent-paying, stimulating part-time work, if it exists. Peskowitz insists that, contra the media, there really are no "mommy wars"?stay-at-home moms and working moms don't, in fact, revile each other. Kudos to her for refusing to limit her explorations to white-collar, well-healed mothers; she also looks at mothers on welfare. Readers will especially appreciate her attention to websites and mothers' organizations that have gotten too little attention, like TheNewHomemaker.com, a website run by and devoted to stay-at-home moms who are not necessarily politically or religiously conservative; or nurseatstarbucks.org, a site devoted to making public spaces like coffee shops breastfeeding-friendly. A strong contribution to an important, ongoing debate.