The Confident Woman

November 29, 1999
Unlike self-esteem, confidence can be cultivated by carefully defining one's identity, likes and dislikes; learning to focus and manage time; eliminating stress; learning to be assertive; and developing trust in one's instincts, according to Shaevitz. A therapist in Los Angeles associated with Stanford's Institute for Research on Women and Gender, she points to her own development as a case study. Her advice on developing confidence is thorough if unoriginal; in an effort to be entertaining, she also includes "Tea Breaks" at the end of each chapter, which contain a recipe, jokes or music suggestions. The appendixes on depression and abuse and her bibliography are quite solid. However well-researched and well-meaning the book may be, its somewhat staid view of women's concerns and its programmatic approach make it a cousin to an earlier generation of self-help books. Shaevitz studied--and draws from--psychological research and self-help literature from such highly respected sources as Martin Seligman, Herbert Benson, Harriet Lerner, Ken Pelletier and David Burns. The sections on improving time management and assertiveness and the variety of quizzes, how-to exercises and self-assessments aimed at clarifying identity are particularly well done. In its entirety, however, the book is behind the times and too long. Agent, Sandra Dijkstra.