The Unruly PhD: Doubts, Detours, Departures, and Other Success Stories [Paperback]

This collection features former graduate students who speak frankly about the challenges and decisions they faced along the way to their doctorates. Peabody leaves no doubt that there are as many right ways to get through a PhD, and as many right career tracks on the other side, as there are students willing to forge their own paths.PART I: PHDS IN ACADEMIA Essay 1: Derek Essay 2: Josephine Essay 3: Jennifer Interview: Kara Cooney Sidebar 1: What it Took to Get it Done PART II: PHDS OUTSIDE OF ACADEMIA Essay 1: Anika Essay 2: Gabriel Essay 3: Kerry Interview: Peter Weller Interview: Karen Kelsky Sidebar 2: What I Know Now that I Wish I'd Known Then PART III: PHDS REDIRECTED Essay 1: Rodrigo Essay 2: Jason Essay 3: Tony Interview: Lauren Willig

I can only hope that when a PhD candidate is in the midst of panic, paralyzing fear, boredom, apathy, or even revulsion, the stories in Peabody's book will come to their mind in snippets, in remnants, as something they can store away and use. If graduate students could read real-world accounts of not only how to face these trials, but how to face them creatively, this would be a real and empowering thing. Indeed, I would recommend this book to all my graduate students. This is the kind of book one could read at the beginning of the PhD journey as well as at the end. - Kara Cooney, Associate Professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

The Unruly PhD fills a hole in the post-academic career literature with its in-depth first-person essays about surviving the ups and downs of graduate school and the life afterwards. Although many students instinctively turn to the web and blogosphere for guidance and community, navigating the sheer number of narratives can be overwhelming. The book will also be tremendously helpful for friends and family of PhDs to get an inkling about the PhD experience. - Melissa Epstein, Founder, NYC VersatilePhD