The above is the title of a book by Allison Pearson.
I came across it some years back while browsing through some books in a bookstore.
I remember picking the book off the shelf just for the sake of the title.
What kind of book is this?
Who names their book with such long sentences?
These were the thoughts that ran through my mind as I pulled the book out of its hideaway where it stood nestled between two big books.
It turned out it was a pink medium-sized book.
I flipped through it to find out what it was about and decided afterwards that I had to read it.
The book is about a woman who tries to balance her work as a very busy professional with her family life.
It talks about the main character (Kate Reddy) who struggles with meeting schedules at the office and at the same time worry/prepare meals for her family, attend school events and still be a loving partner to her husband.
I found the book interesting, funny, as well as poignant.
It kind of struck a chord with me as it will any woman who has to juggle with a career and family.
It suggests moments of guilt when unable to make a school play or spend time with the children.
It reminds one of the occasional sinking feeling that one gets over a spouse. Feelings that he or she deserves better attention than they are getting.
And not forgetting the paralysing tiredness that takes over the mind and body and that can only be alleviated by sleep.
And yet, it is the family movie night, or the baby’s birthday the next morning, or even the couple’s anniversary and more effort than usual is expected and therefore demanded.
‘I Don’t Know How She Does It’ is an interesting read.
It shows the daily struggles in the life of a woman, the juggling, the victory, the loses.
Though the author used a high-flying and successful woman as her main character, I want to think that even women who do not have such careers or who do not work at all still face the kind of challenges portrayed in the book.I hear the book was made into a movie.
I am yet to see it.
Ayibu Makolo 