At age fifty-two, James found herself adjusting to her new reality as a divorcee and single mother. Adjusting to a single-income household and facing exorbitant healthcare expenses, she decided to take a job after two-plus decades of self-employment. Drawn to the promise of health benefits and a steady paycheck, James convinced herself that a nine-to-five would be less anxiety-inducing than the feast-or-famine world of freelance writing. However, several harsh realities quickly became glaringly apparent. With good wine, great friends, and much-needed therapy, James endured the boredom and loss of freedom that came with reporting to an entry-level office job each day. She suffered through the indignities of being underpaid and stifled by an easily offended supervisor twenty years her junior. Sociable and craving a sense of community, she also had to adapt to a workplace where conversations were rare, and emails were the preferred method of social interaction.

With a touch of humor and admirable self-awareness, the author delivers a vivid account of her venture into corporate America. She balances exhaustive, highly technical descriptions of freelance writing and content strategy with a very relatable look into her personal life. The book provides readers with a true-to-life portrayal of living with anxiety—persistent worrying and triggers that can spawn bouts of uncontrollable emotional upheaval. A self-proclaimed intellectual snob with a type A personality, James explores her dissatisfaction with a long-term romantic relationship with a partner whose interests differ drastically from her own. She also shares her struggle as a parent to be more present in her children’s lives while lamenting the physical changes wrought by aging and menopause. Ending each chapter with a corporate newbie’s cheat sheet, James offers up a quirky, sardonic guide for navigating the workforce and life as an independent, outspoken, middle-aged woman.

Return to USR Home