Womentality

"Provides provocative perspective on gender and work." —Entertainment Weekly's Literary Gift Guide: The 30 best holiday books of the Year

"Wildermuth, a freelance writer and travel enthusiast, offers up a stellar collection of stories from women around the globe who bucked nine-to-five jobs to go into business for themselves. . . . This inspiring collection makes a strong case for how women can design their work lives to meet both personal and professional needs.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“In the future, people will be able to work from any location, at any time, and live life completely on their own terms. What if the future is now? [Erin] Wildermuth lets thirteen women who found success as freelancers tell their encouraging stories here. . . . Striking out on your own can seem imposing, but women seeking a professional change may find a biography that resonates in this book.” —Booklist

“With only two of the stories based in the United States, these essays hold a universal message that self-employment generally leads to a more enriching work life. . . . Womentality helps to make self-employment seem more attainable and can serve as a useful reference for anyone considering making a career change to work for themselves.” —Rain Taxi

"Lit Hit: Indie Books That’ll Blow You Away!" “Get out your pen and paper and prepare to take notes on Erin Wildermuth’s short volume Womentality, a collection of stories from thirteen women who abandoned the traditional workplace and reclaimed the reins to their lives.” —Foreword Reviews

"As informatively thoughtful as it is inspiring and inspirational, Womentality is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Women's Issues collections.” —Midwest Book Review

“Women are often expected to sacrifice for and adapt to a world that seems designed around the needs of someone else. In Womentality, Erin Wildermuth has collected essays that show how the sometimes-maligned "gig economy" has empowered women, giving them choice and control through self-employment. The essays demonstrate that this is not an option only for women in rich Western countries, but a universal opportunity. Breaking away from the traditional role of an employee is instrumental even—maybe especially—in countries where women fight discrimination and poverty.” —Janet Bufton, Co-founder and Program Coordinator, Institute for Liberal Studies, Ottawa, Canada

“Womentality's topic is so important.It is eye-opening and empowering to read about these women harnessing technology to take charge of their careers and their lives. They show us possibilities for women around the world and for ourselves.” —Jessica Bacal, M.F.A., Ed.D., Director, Smith College Narratives Project; Editor, Mistakes I Made at Work

"In Womentality, editor Erin Wildermuth calls attention to a burgeoning trend for workplace independence with essays from 13 women who’ve all said, 'Enough is enough!' to their jobs. These are not professional writers—they are nurses, accountants, teachers and IT specialists, who speak plain and write with passion, whether they’ve given up a long commute or are fleeing from a failing economy. The book progresses from accounts of the initial “aha” moment to step-by-step advice on how to forge self-employment without much more than pluck and a strong internet connection. Their courage is inspiring." —Karen Hildebrand, former HR director; author, Crossing Pleasure Avenue

"I very much enjoyed reading this collection of essays about women who took a risk and left their 9-5 workplace for independent work. These essays are particularly relevant in the #MeToo Era, where women are more empowered than ever to stand up for themselves. Even though each essay recounts a unique story from women across the globe, I found myself strongly identifying with the frustrations and setbacks they faced in the workplace. This collection left me inspired by their courage and full of ideas on how to reclaim power in my own professional life." —Lisa Gailloud, Community Organizer