Hello Book Clubbers! Our upcoming book is Strangers in Their Own Land, by Arlie Russell Hochschild. We will be meeting in person at Arden Dimick Library at 10:30AM on August 25 to discuss this book in person.
Arlie is the daughter of a U.S. Ambassador. She lived in several different countries and was often required to be present a diplomatic events. By observing these events and listening to her parents analyze the guests’ demeanor afterwards, she learned to analyze the difference between what people are thinking and what people are expressing.
Arlie coined the phrase “emotional labor.” She discusses this concept in detail in her book, The Managed Heart. The concept refers to the type of work in which a person is expected to regulate one’s emotions and present emotions that will be attractive to the consumer. Examples of people whose jobs include emotional labor are wait staff, daycare providers, and flight attendants. The term is also increasingly used to discuss labor divisions within the home.
She also coined the phrase “The Second Shift.” In The Second Shift, Arlie discussed the “leisure gap” between men and women. Her book showed that in general women still take on more of the housework and childcare despite working the same out-of-home hours as their spouses – essentially, leaving their workplace to come home to a “second shift.”
Today, Arlie lives in Berkeley with her husband, Adam. Adam Hochschild is a historian. The couple has two children (now grown).
