The Ladder Down
By (Author) Dolly Jones
HarperCollins Publishers
Fourth Estate Ltd
2nd July 2025
10th April 2025
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Parenting: advice and issues
Child care and upbringing: advice for parents
Memoirs
Self-help, personal development and practical advice
Advice on careers and achieving success
Gift books
Hardback
304
Width 159mm, Height 240mm, Spine 22mm
270g
A funny, practical and crucial guide for women facing the life-changing prospect of returning to work after having children. Told by journalist, creative consultant and mother of two, Dolly Jones, The Ladder Down aims to be the definitive companion for parents navigating this complicated juggle (and for those thinking of doing so).
When Dolly had her children, the idea of returning to work felt daunting. The thought of having to combine the challenges of career and family was unfamiliar yet, despite it being the experience of so many millions of women, she struggled to find material to help galvanise and reassure her; and to make her feel that anything was possible.
In this book, Dolly aims to change all of that and provide women with practical advice, as well interweaving her own personal experiences. Told in an empowering and engaging way, The Ladder Down is a gift for the next generation of women taking on the trials, absurdities, challenges and general amusement involved in combining work and motherhood; one that will inspire and celebrate the women taking it on.
Dolly will also combine anecdotal stories, life-hacks and guilt-avoidance strategies from a diverse range of women in a wide variety of industries from fashion designers to taxi drivers, journalists to actors, lawyers to doctors, bankers, entrepreneurs and restaurateurs to normalise the potential daily catastrophes in the life of a working mother.
It will also feature serious advice from employers, employment lawyers and health specialists to boost knowledge and confidence; to act as a ladder down to the next generation of working womenfrom a generation who have experimented their way to making it work.