The Chicago Guide to Your Academic Career: A Portable Mentor for Scholars from Graduate School Through Tenure

Rating:
Summary: Friendly and chatty advice
Review: I personally love this book and find it to be much more interesting, and in some ways informative, than a similar book I have which is a bit more clinical in its approach. It's full of personal anecdotes and lots of advice that I enjoyed. And why should anyone get mad just because the two white, male professors said they have not noticed any discrimination against women in their fields? They don't say there isn't any, and indeed, give some statistics and information to say there probably *is* discrimination, but of a more covert manner than in the past. This book has a chapter that my other book doesn't on counteroffers and moving around in academia, how to negotiate family and the 'two-body' problem, and other more intimate advice than some other books give. The authors seem to recognize that academics is not all about publishing, teaching, and service. It involves many other aspects of your life, and they touch on them. That said, a 3-hour chat with 3 of your own professors may be just as informative as this book, but the problem is getting your professors to sit down and have that chat with you! Here you get those 3 hours for a low price and can consult them later. I like the fact that these 3 don't hold themselves up as ultimate authorities, but simply as 3 different viewpoints of an academic life.

Rating:
Summary: Friendly and chatty advice
Review: I personally love this book and find it to be much more interesting, and in some ways informative, than a similar book I have which is a bit more clinical in its approach. It's full of personal anecdotes and lots of advice that I enjoyed. And why should anyone get mad just because the two white, male professors said they have not noticed any discrimination against women in their fields? They don't say there isn't any, and indeed, give some statistics and information to say there probably *is* discrimination, but of a more covert manner than in the past. This book has a chapter that my other book doesn't on counteroffers and moving around in academia, how to negotiate family and the 'two-body' problem, and other more intimate advice than some other books give. The authors seem to recognize that academics is not all about publishing, teaching, and service. It involves many other aspects of your life, and they touch on them. That said, a 3-hour chat with 3 of your own professors may be just as informative as this book, but the problem is getting your professors to sit down and have that chat with you! Here you get those 3 hours for a low price and can consult them later. I like the fact that these 3 don't hold themselves up as ultimate authorities, but simply as 3 different viewpoints of an academic life.

Rating:
Summary: A three ring circus
Review: The format of this book is that the 3 authors - each who have had associations with the University of Chicago - take turns answering questions. Each one gives personal opinions about choosing to pursue graduate studies, the dissertation, the job hunt, aspects of tenure and the academy. Their viewpoints are somewhat narrow and I found the two male academics to be somewhat offensive at times. For example, when asked about the extent of discrimination in academia, both white males say that they have never seen any overt or covert discrimination!
I think that there are more comprehensive and less biased sources of the general information the authors provide.
To begin with, you would do better to sit down with three members of your department and ask the same questions.

Rating:
Summary: A three ring circus
Review: The format of this book is that the 3 authors - each who have had associations with the University of Chicago - take turns answering questions. Each one gives personal opinions about choosing to pursue graduate studies, the dissertation, the job hunt, aspects of tenure and the academy. Their viewpoints are somewhat narrow and I found the two male academics to be somewhat offensive at times. For example, when asked about the extent of discrimination in academia, both white males say that they have never seen any overt or covert discrimination!
I think that there are more comprehensive and less biased sources of the general information the authors provide.
To begin with, you would do better to sit down with three members of your department and ask the same questions.