"Womenomics," a new book by Claire Shipman and Katty Kay, is a paradigm-shifting manifesto of Essence over Form for the 21st century work life. Not just for women, but for men as well. The "womenomics" formula is a psychologically savvy, existentially enlightened "humanomics" formula that is relevant for anyone trying to balance work, love and play. As such, the book is a skillfully written vocational self-help guide that allows the reader to not get lost in the labyrinth of modern work life and serves as a cautionary tale against the Sirens of Ego that lure and entrap female and male egos alike.

Acutely historically relevant, the book is an invitation to the ground floor of an emerging worklife movement, an invaluable back-stage peek into a social trend-in-progress, and, as such, an invaluable professional short-cut from the two pros that'd know. There is a saying: sometimes you have to make it to the top of the mountain before you can see a better way up. "Womenomics" is a view from the top that offers a realistic way up the professional ladder designed to minimize existential collateral damage to other non-work priorities while at the same time leveraging maximum wellbeing.

"Womenomics" is no rags-to-riches memoir. Nor is it a self-serving sentimental reminiscence of a successful work life. "Womenomics" is a clear and accessible sociological treatise (in its legacy on par with Alvin Toffler's "Future Shock" or "Third Wave") that depicts a pivotal trend that is happening in the corporate arena of the West: women, one career at a time, are renegotiating the rules of work-life engagement. Replete with empirical data, hands-down argumentation, the book makes a convincing case that the time to join the trend is now. Shipman and Kay make an excellent point: the recession economy has awakened the corporate zombie to the importance of the reboot. The authors invite women to capitalize on this window of opportunity: the corporate world (that has come to value female talent) is at the bargaining table. Shipman and Kay offer a no-nonsense process for a) assessing one's career goals, b) recognizing one's professional worth and c) renegotiating a work life-style that is existentially sustainable over a life-span.

Unlike other books of this genre, "Womenomics" is unburdened with vignettes. There is no fluff. Just trend summaries, impeccable argumentation, and actionable blueprints for change. The reading experience is that of watching a directory's commentary of a movie that you've already seen - every paragraph, ever page, every bullet point crystallizes what you might have already intuitively understood. From bullet lists to original exercises, the book is a sober, realistic, and, most importantly, balanced path to professional self-realization.

In its passionate emphasis on essence of wellbeing rather than on its ego-forms (of salary or status), the book is an important life-raft for the Western psyche that is drowning in ego-intoxicating image-management cultural propaganda.

Pavel Somov, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, author of EATING THE MOMENT: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time (New Harbinger, 2008) www.eatingthemoment.com