Breaking Point: Why Women Fall Apart and How They Can Re-create Their Lives

by Martha N. Beck

Much as Gail Sheehy did in Passages, Dr. Beck articulates a common signpost in women's lives, explaining the five stages which characterize how women arrive at their breaking point, how their age defines their experience, and how they can transcend crisis and move on to redefine their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

403 pages, Hardcover

First published August 5, 1997

About the author

Dr. Martha Beck, PhD, is a New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker. She holds three Harvard degrees in social science, and Oprah Winfrey has called her “one of the smartest women I know.” Martha is a passionate and engaging teacher, known for her unique combination of science, humor, and spirituality.

Her recent book, The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self, was an instant New York Times Best Seller and an Oprah’s Book Club selection. Her latest book, Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose is out now.

Reviews

[Joji Frey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is a must read for all women in all over the world that has been touched by the modernisation brought by the western people. Where their cultures and upbringing have been adjusted, twisted, and reformed to embrace the modern ideologies.

I realised the references she made was towards things happening 30 years ago, but I still can feel it is happening as vividly now. So, it's a definite insight for all women alike.

Go read it, it's an investment for you or your female family members.

[Hillary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Martha Beck. She is a woman of humor, courage and great wisdom. I attended a weekend workshop she had here in Austin at The Crossings. This was right before her book about the Mormon church was published. If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak, she is a delight. This particular book is based on her research for a PhD regarding the psychic challenges of being a woman in our culture. Very insightful and powerful. One of those books where you wonder if she has been living under your bed or tuning into your dream life.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still my favorite of Dr. Beck's books. I tend toward the academic, but I also love personal narrative, and this is a great combination of both. This book really opened my eyes to the impossible bind that women in modern America live with every day. Years of feminist/women's studies did not get me to see my own binds - this book did. Thank you, Dr. Beck.

Note: Dr. Beck was one of my favorite professors in the early 90s when I was an undergrad at BYU. I'm afraid she might always be Dr. Beck to me.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend to all women. Deals with the 'role of women' issue. Enlightening and encouraging.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when Martha Beck doesn't have anything to prove to anyone - we discover this long neglected piece of sociological research that set served its place with any book by Stephanie R Coontz, or alongside any volume on women's history.

All pundits, apologists and scholars would do well to read this volume which neatly lays out the cultural frameworks that have followed women around for the last hundred years. Neither conservative nor liberal, this unbiased tome is bursting with anecdotes and enough research to make Beck's advisors proud.

Some of the more interesting parts of the book lay out the expectations of women in multiple generations and then contrast that with landscape of today. How have these women faired while the ground shifted beneath their feet?

Self-help book in the last few chapters it counsels all on how a happy life can be built from contradictions.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sociologist and life coach Martha Beck shares her research interviews with hundreds of women, and discusses how they arrived at various life transformations. With her characteristic good humor and sound scientific method, Beck demonstrates how society demands conflicting behaviors of women (traditional vs. modern) and then criticizes those same women for failing on either side of the equation. This double-bind situation causes many women to reach a "breaking point" in which they decide that it is more important to be true to themselves than to continue the battle.

I found the personal stories interesting, and could relate to many of them. Interesting reading for those interested in cultural anthropology and/or sociology.

[Carla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it voraciously, which is a testament to a book's power and significance in the current lap of my journey. It opened my eyes to the many dynamics surrounding crisis moments in life. I recommend it to every woman, shoot anyone who KNOWS a woman. Martha Beck addresses the complexities of modern life with unflinching honesty, humor, and most of all hope.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martha Beck's research toward a PhD about the complexities of being a woman in our society.

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was due back, so I had to rush through it. I would have liked to have spent more time with it.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

tbh, love Martha Beck and she brings her usual light, friendly tone, but this is a textbook! read the highlights, lots of great content, but overall a slog with just so much info. a very heavy edit, or hearing Beck give a talk on her findings would be a much more digestible way to receive the information.

[Chanel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, engaging and thought provoking.

One of my favorite observations was stated on page 349.

"The people who suffered the most from a social problem are in the best possible position to design a useful way of dealing with that problem."

I truly enjoyed the book!