Millions of women have held the position of secretary, alternately lauded as a breakthrough opportunity and excoriated as dead-end busy work. From the female pioneers who infiltrated Capitol Hill offices during the Civil War to today's tech-savvy administrative assistants, secretaries have withstood criticism for abandoning their rightful sphere (the home), weathered the dubious advice of secretarial guide-books, taken hits from feminists and antifeminists alike, and demanded the right to resist making coffee-all while making their bosses look good.
In Swimming in the Steno Pool, author-secretary Lynn Peril profiles the various incarnations of the secretary, from pliable, sexy mate of the ""office husband"" to postfeminist executive-in-training, drawing inspiration from a wide range of ""femorabilia"" and secretarial guidebooks of yesteryear. Featuring an array of fabulous illustrations promoting office equipment and office girls alike, Peril delivers a feisty, witty celebration of the women who've been running the show for decades.
By:
Lynn Peril Imprint: WW Norton & Co Country of Publication: United States Dimensions:
Height: 211mm,
Width: 157mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 402g ISBN:9780393338546 ISBN 10: 0393338541 Pages: 304 Publication Date:27 May 2011 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
Lynn Peril is a secretary and the author of Pink Think, College Girls, and Swimming in the Steno Pool. She lives in Oakland, California.
Reviews for Swimming in the Steno Pool: A Retro Guide to Making It in the Office
""A humorous guide to exploring the changing definition of a woman’s role in the workplace."" -- Kirkus Reviews