Making Time: Lillian Moller Gilbreth -- A Life Beyond "Cheaper by the Dozen"

by Jane Lancaster

Winner of the Northeast Popular Culture/American Culture (2005) Readers of Cheaper by the Dozen remember Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972) as the working mom who endures the antics of not only twelve children but also an engineer husband eager to experiment with the principles of efficiency -- especially on his own household. What readers today might not know is that Lillian Gilbreth was herself a high-profile engineer, and the only woman to win the coveted Hoover Medal for engineers. She traveled the world, served as an advisor on women's issues to five U.S. presidents, and mingled with the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart. Her husband, Frank Gilbreth, died after twenty years of marriage, leaving her to raise their eleven surviving children, all under the age of nineteen. She continued her career and put each child through college. Retiring at the age of ninety, Lillian Gilbreth was the working mother who “did it all.”Jane Lancaster's spirited and richly detailed biography tells Lillian Gilbreth's life story-one that resonates with issues faced today by many working women. Lancaster confronts the complexities of how one of the twentieth century's foremost career women could be pregnant, nursing, or caring for children for more than three decades.Yet we see how Gilbreth's engineering work dovetailed with her family life in the professional and domestic partnership that she forged with her husband and in her long solo career. The innovators behind many labor-saving devices and procedures used in factories, offices, and kitchens, the Gilbreths tackled the problem of efficiency through motion study. To this Lillian added a psychological dimension, with empathy toward the worker. The couple's expertise also yielded the “Gilbreth family system,” a model that allowed the mother to be professionally active if she chose, while the parents worked together to raise responsible citizens.Lancaster has woven into her narrative many insights gleaned from interviews with the surviving Gilbreth children and from historical research into such topics as technology, family, work, and feminism. Filled with anecdotes, this definitive biography of Lillian Gilbreth will engage readers intrigued by one of America's most famous families and by one of the nation's most successful women.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Womens, Biography Memoir, Memoir

450 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2004

Reviews

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is impeccably researched, and I wanted to love it. After all, I've been reading about the Gilbreths for most of my life.

But it's clear that Lancaster has an agenda here to tear down the image of jolly old Dad Frank Gilbreth,and turn him into selfish, self-centered Frank Gilbreth who forced his wife into 13 pregnancies, and Lillian as the noble downtrodden wife who only found herself after he died.

Truthfully, while it's obvious Gilbreth WAS self-centered and pretty thoughtless, it also becomes obvious that Lillian Gilbreth was more than capable of dealing with him. And in showing what a true partner Lillian was to Frank, Lancaster also shows that she was no fluttering "little wife," but a determined, disciplined woman.

What Lancaster may or may not have wanted to do is by emphasizing Lillian's work ethic and goals is to erase Lillian the woman, Lillian the mother. She insists that Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes made Lillian look weak and unimportant, but in each of those books the Gilbreths used every situation to show their mother's love, compassion and caring, and her ability to deal with her husband! In their books, Lillian's warmth and sense of humor comes clearly to the forefront. Here she seems humorless, and at times even cold.

Lancaster wants to show us how Lillian was able to be both a "career woman" and a "mother", but in her portrayal of Lillian she manages to make it seem that the pundits of her time (and ours) WERE right, and that "you can't have it all".

Yes, Lillian Gilbreth was a pioneer for women in the engineering field. Yes, her achievements effect us all to this day.
Yes, her fame as "Mother" has covered those facts more than they should.
But it is in becoming interested in Lillian from the Gilbreth's books that I came to Lancaster's and was made more aware of all of her work.

So I recommend that anyone with an interest in the Gilbreths get a hold of a copy of Time out for happiness, Frank's other book about his parents. You will learn a lot more detail about the Gilbreths that the "Cheaper" books did not include, and get a much better sense of who the Gilbreths were and what their work was about.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first introduced to Lillian Moller Gilbreth when I read the book "Belles on Their Toes" in my early teens. I remember instantly liking it. Even at that young age I could tell how much Lillian's children loved her. I loved the overall theme (I can't agree with what the author of this book claims. I don't see it as a book about girls trying to get rings on their fingers). The incredible hard work and dedication it took on Lillian's part to get 11 children safely and successfully through collage and into adulthood all while continuing her life work, stood out even from a "fictionalized" book to an early teen reader. The part of that book where Lillian and Anne are watching Jane graduate from collage makes me cry every time. With this kind of introduction I admired Lillian even more when my mother mentioned that she was a real person who was quite accomplished and made some amazing contributions to the way we live and work. Years later I am finally reading a biography of this amazing woman.

"Making Time" is a well researched comprehensive biography. It discusses Lillian's early years all the way through the end of her life quite thoroughly. It is obvious that there were many people who knew Dr. Gilbreth and recognized the importance of documenting her life and work. The author does an excellent job detailing how she got involved with her life's work and the many contributions she made. Some of the motion study, workplace efficiency details went over my head a bit. I was much more interested in hearing Lillian's own words. Just reading about her professional and personal accomplishments makes Dr. Gilbreth seem very intimidating. Reading her own words made Lillian almost a friend. This book has plenty of her own words.

There were a few times the author made some jarring comments about Frank. One point in particular she seemed to put words in Lillian's mouth that I doubt the woman would have ever said or thought. I didn't appreciate the "poor Lillian was always taken advantage of by her husband" theme that could't help but seep through. It was odd especially when it was compared to the accounts of the love, devotion, and admiration she felt for her husband. The author obviously wouldn't appreciate being married to Frank, but Lillian did, and she thrived.

The thing I appreciated most about this book was Lillian's character. Much has been and can be said about her contributions to our modern way of living and working. I loved coming to understand this woman and what she did for the world. She truly deserved all of the awards and recognition she received. The most refreshing part, however, was the fact that there are no "shocking" details from her life that need to be exposed "in the interest of the truth." So many people who have made wonderful contributions to the world had private lives that makes me loose a lot of the respect I had for them. Lillian Gillbreth was an amazing engineer, and psychologist, and she remained an honorable woman throughout. It is refreshing to read about a woman who was truly a lady. The few things she wanted to edit out of her papers before making them public were very mild compared to the whole sections of life that many so called great men and women have desired to edit out of their stories. I will never make amazing marks on the world like Lillian did, and I will never raise 11 children, but I can hope that I can have integrity, honor, and character like she did. A truly amazing woman.

[Nancy Loe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and impeccably researched, this is an informative biography of the accomplished woman most people know only as the mother in "Cheaper by the Dozen." One of the most interesting parts to me was that Moller Gilbreth grew up in Oakland in the late nineteenth century, where a number of young women were raised and went on to have ground-breaking careers.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

After watching Cheaper By the Dozen (1950 version) many years ago, I then read both Cheaper By the Dozen and Belles On Their Toes, both written by Lillian’s children Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, and have reread them both several times of the years. When I saw this book, I was instantly intrigued.

If you enjoyed the books and are interested in the woman, engineer, industrial psychologist and so much more, behind “Mother”, I would absolutely suggest this book.

The author has clearly spent endless hours researching Lillian Moller Gilbreth, her family and friends to truly give the reader a view of this incredible woman. I was absolutely astounded to learn how involved both she and her husband were behind systems that involve aspects of our daily lives now. She was an amazing, brilliant woman and mother, and somehow seems to have managed to balance it while at the same time not placing herself on a pedestal or looking down on those who did not do as much or wish to juggle what she did.

I especially enjoyed reading about her integration into a male industry (engineering), when few, if any, woman were allowed into their world. It was very interesting to watch her approach vs. that of many feminists at the same time. Some may fault her “woman behind the man” approach in the years during her husbands’ life, but I think given the time period, they had an extremely communicative relationship. Yes, he sounds as though he could be pushy and self-centered, but opposites attract and they seem to have confronted everything in life with a great deal of teamwork.

‘The Library Lady’ sums up another aspect of the book, which I second. The author does seem to be a bit harsh in her depiction of Frank Gilbreth Sr. At no point in reading through the book did I feel that Lillian was pushed around, diminished or controlled by her husband. They certainly did not always agree, but it seems to have been acceptable for them to talk it out. As the author writes, Lillian herself told her son “That I should have married the one who was, for me, the most interesting, is one of those miracles one hopes for – and is eternally grateful for”. We each have traits that some can tolerate and others cannot. She seemed completely capable and content in dealing with his less attractive traits, in light of the traits she deemed invaluable in her relationship.

Other than the slightly prejudiced view on Frank, I thought this book was absolutely incredible. It is most certainly content heavy, but considering the incredible wealth of factual information, I thought the author did a wonderful job including the story, the facts, and Lillian’s own words.

[Amygk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit that one I figured out this wasn't going to be Cheaper by the Dozen, I skimmed through most of the book. Lillian Moller Gilbreth had amazing accomplishments in the engineering field and this book primarily deals with those. Her children are presented as a footnote here (and there are many many footnotes). While the book was rather dull, it did get me thinking about motherhood and work and how culture and history very much influence how those intersect.

[Mrsculpepper · Rating 3 out of 5]

technically i didn't finish but i think i read enough to qualify as finished. Tells the rest of the story besides "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Belles on their Toes". The author apparently does not not like Frank Gilbreth very much. Really interesting to know the influence Lillian had on the women's movement, engineering, etc.

[Denni · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just too much at this time of my life. The printing was small and I kept falling asleep.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

You have to be totally obsessed with the Gilbreths to even care a little bit about this book. If you are, you'll like it a lot. Very interesting behind-the-scenes.

[Miranda Connelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting life. recommended for people who enjoy biographies!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really phenomenal book, if you have interest in women's history in the early to mid 20th century and/or the life of an early female engineer (technically, she had no engineering degrees, but she was an industrial engineer through the kind of work that she did).

Initially the book was very frustrating for me, as Lillian spent many years ghost-writing her husband's papers, contracts, proposals, books, articles. Her name wouldn't appear anywhere. Quite frankly, I'm glad that her husband Frank died young in his early 50's, because it forced her to discover her own professional identity and to gain independence. She accomplished so much more on her own without him than she did as his secretarial shadow. She was involved in a lot of groundbreaking work, including how to help improve the quality of life for wounded veterans, housewives, and people with disabilities.

I was also surprised at how little she was physically at home, as she was constantly travelling for work, whether to attend meetings and conferences, or teaching at colleges in another part of the country. Fortunately they had live-in relatives and paid help to help raise the children and run the household, but this shows that the issue of work/life balance has been an issue for employed women as far back as they've had jobs outside of the home. And you know what? There still isn't an optimal solution for women and men to balance their professional careers and still have satisfying personal lives, with or without children. It always has been and always will be a constant struggle to find balance.

Lillian Gilbreth is an amazing woman, and I am inspired to be a better person after reading this biography.

[ddjiii · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written and compelling biography of an interesting person, one of the founders of time and motion study and a pioneer in applying science and engineering to industrial and retail work, as well as housework and life for the disabled. Since she also had twelve children, it's also an interesting book for anyone who struggles with the life/work balance.

The author does skim over a few areas I would have liked to have heard more about: the Gilbreths' belief in eugenics, for example (one of the reasons why they had so many children, apparently - although this was not shown conclusively that I recall.) Or Lillian's service in President Hoover's Emergency Committee on Employment during the Great Depression: The book says that she was one of many who resigned in protest when it became clear that Hoover would not support major public works spending, yet she had been and apparently continued to be a close family friend of the Hoovers, so more on this conflict would have been interesting.

For a book dedicated to bringing LMG out of the shadow of "Cheaper by the Dozen," "Making Time" refers to it fairly often, and understandably since from a writer's point of view it includes most of the great stories about the Gilbreths and their unorthodox family. But the author brings in a good amount of new material as well, and most importantly tells the story from Lillian's perspective instead of the childrens'. Overall, it's a solid and very readable account, especially since Lillian was a very interesting person but also very retiring and not at all flashy.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I had read many, many times both Cheaper By The Dozen and Belles On Their Toes (the two books authored by Lillian Gilbreth's children about their family). I was very curious to read more about both Lillian Gilbreth and Frank Gilbreth, her husband, and their careers. (Lillian and Frank Gilbreth were industrial engineers, thought by many to have pioneered the field of motion study - highly controversial and fascinating in itself.)

This was a very carefully researched biography that I believe was Jane Lancaster's doctoral thesis. It provided a great overview of Lillian Gilbreth's life - from her fascinating family of origin to her marriage to Frank Gilbreth to her career after Frank died. The author does a nice job of gently pointing out some of the tensions in Lillian's life history, mirroring other women of her class and race who were born and raised during the Victorian era yet lived long enough to see sweeping social changes.

In many ways, this book is an interesting window into American history during the first half of the 20th century. It also deserves a better review than this - highly recommended, at any rate.

[Diane Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally read this book to pieces, studying, researching and commenting in the margins. 'The Library Lady' hit the nail on the head in her review, so I can't add much here, but I will say that I found the book fascinating despite its faults.

I had always pictured FBG to be a jolly sort of fellow and Oliver Hardy was my mental model as what he looked like. He turned out to be a control freak, humorous yet dour. I admired Lillian and all that she accomplished except for one thing: birth control, or lack thereof. The idea of having 13 pregnancies belongs in the dark ages.

The book filled in a lot of blanks, such as the stillbirth and Mary's death, and fleshed out more of what Frank and Lillian and the children were really like. Also, I asked Jane Lancaster if she thought Gilbrethian methods were used in the attack on Pearl Harbor; she didn't know (I hate to think they were!).

Despite all this, I like the book very much and would recommend it to anyone interested in ergonomics, the Gilbreths in general, and how NOT to raise a family.

[Shana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Cheaper by the Dozen when I was a kid and have memories (although less vivid) of reading Belles on Their Toes as well. I knew Lillian Gilbreth was a professional woman later in her life but had no idea how broad and impactful her work was. To sum it up, she was a really cool woman; someone who was unabashedly feminine and motherly but still commanded respect in a very male dominated feild. The only complaint I have about the book was the author's feminist agenda which kind of hit you over the head repeatedly. She also really clearly disliked Frank which is her business and all but got very irritating after a while. But the book was well written and smooth reading so other than those minor details, I really enjoyed it.

[Laura McNeal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't have read this book if I hadn't loved Cheaper by the Dozen as a child, and to know that Lillian Moller Gilbreth, for all her many achievements, will always be known chiefly because of that book, in which she is a cheerful, loving, acquiescent shadow, is both an irony and a tribute. Yes, it would be nice if people knew her for her astonishing achievements in the field of engineering, but how many engineers do I know by name? How many people are known outside their own fields of endeavor, unless that field is entertainment? It's a tribute to Lillian Gilbreth that her children enjoyed a childhood happy enough to inspire a flattering memoir, and it's a tribute to her that this lengthy, exhaustive biography found no darkness or cruelty or selfishness behind her public face.

[M. H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject matter is worth 5 stars but the writing is not quite up to that level, being somewhat sporadic and biased.

This book has affected my way of thinking about the manner in which we live our lives - Lillian's was very on-purpose. Also it presents some interesting ideas on "separation of genders" work; Lillian's viewpoint was that there is very little that is "man's work" or "woman's work" rather there is simply "work". One of her more pointed examples of this is her philosophy that both men and women ought to have a "24-hour" day; as opposed to a man's 8-hour, a woman's 15-hour or any other combination.

I highly recommend the book.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skimmed this very detailed and very fascinating biography of one of my favorite women ever. Lillian Gilbreth was a mother of 12 with a PhD who wrote books, spoke around the world, and supported her family (put them all through college) after her husband died. She was a widow for nearly 50 years and accomplished so much, into her 80's! This was very helpful to read before our book club discussion about Cheaper by the Dozen (one of my favorite books).

If you want to learn more about Lillian Gilbreth, here's an informative podcast all about her life:
http://thehistorychicks.com/episode-5...

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a biography of Lillian Moller Gilbreth, the mother of the “Cheaper by the Dozen” Gilbreth family. Although her many children are what most people remember her for, this book doesn’t feature the well-known story, but focuses on Lillian’s accomplishments in the field of engineering and motion study. A career, especially a scientific one, was not common for women of her generation, and Lillian not only contributed a great deal to her field, but also raised a large family as well. I enjoyed peeking into the life of Lillian Gilbreth from the other side!

[Karla]

I may not finish this. Really want to, I've enjoyed learning more about the Gilbreths and what they did with scientific management, but I can't take much more of Frank. It's not just all the pregnancies Lillian had to go through, it's that Frank kept deserting her for the flimiest of reasons, leaving her at home to raise the kids, run the business, work on her doctoral thesis---while pregnant yet again. What a selfish, egotistical man.

[Su · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm afraid I fall into the group who know of Lillian Gilbreth as "the mother in Cheaper By the Dozen," but I fell in love with that book as a tween and have never stopped wanting to know more about Dr. Gilbreth. I was not disappointed by this book. In addition to being eye-opening (to me) as to how many things the Gilbreths' systems influenced (including the space shuttles-- wow), I'm also inspired by Dr. Gilbreth's drive and hard work. I'm glad I picked up this book!

[Jane Lebak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author does little to disguise her disgust with Frank Gilbreth, but overall I found this to be an amazing dive into a woman who isn't very two-dimensional in Cheaper By The Dozen. Reading this, you can see Lillian Moller Gilbreth as both a product of her time and a trailblazer for women in the sciences, the hard work she had to do to be taken seriously, and the lengths she went through to get her education.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well-researched and contains a lot of background information that fans of Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes will enjoy. I felt that the author didn't quite capture the true personality of Lillian Gilbreth that shines so brilliantly in Lillian's excellent autobiography "As I Remember." But for fans of the Gilbreth family, there's a lot of factual information in this book that is interesting; it's just not portrayed in the genuine character of Mrs. Gilbreth, IMO.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable biography, but a bit lengthy - the author did a wonderful job of creating empathy and and awe of Lillian. The book was a little harsh on Frank, but really a wonderful book about a lady I did t know much about.

[Larissacherpeski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a woman who lived a remarkable life ahead of her time. I really enjoyed it!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deserves 5 stars, but it was so dense/thick that it was very hard to get through. Fascinating, though. Lillian was an amazing woman (and to think she had to put up with Frank).

[Marcela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book for HCI people--the "Cheaper by the Dozen" mom was really well known for her work in pioneering human factors studies in the workplace and home.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting information. The writing is a little bit overly detailed so not a quick read but very enjoyable and inspirational.

[Mylinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. A bit academic in spots, a lot of discussion of the disagreements between the Gilbreths and Taylor. Lots of interesting information about a very accomplished woman.

[Elizabeth Scott Tervo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really wonderful.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I just read the other stories about this family, it was great to read about what Lillian did the rest of her time. So impressive.