Mad Women

The Other Side of Life on Madison Avenue in the '60s and Beyond

By: Jane Maas

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Mad Women is a tell-all account of life in the New York advertising world of the 1960s and '70s from Jane Maas, a female copywriter who succeeded in the primarily male environment portrayed by the hit TV show Mad Men.

Fans of the show are dying to know how accurate it is: did people really have that much sex in the office? Were there really three-martini lunches? Were women really second-class citizens? Jane Maas says the answer to all three questions is unequivocally yes. And her book, based on her own experiences and countless interviews with her peers, gives the full stories, from the junior account man whose wife nearly left him when she found the copy of Screw magazine he’d used to find “entertainment” for a client, to the Ogilvy & Mather agency’s legendary annual sex-and-booze-filled Boat Ride, from which it was said no virgin ever returned intact. Wickedly funny and full of juicy inside information, Mad Women also tackles the tougher issues of the era, such as equal pay, rampant jaw-dropping sexism, and the difficult choice many women faced between motherhood and their careers.

©2012 Jane Maas (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Maas's humorous yet authoritative account of her life in advertising during the Mad Men era is a welcome look behind the curtain into a traditionally male world.... Maas mixes personal stories with advertising history, making this a compelling read." ( Publishers Weekly)

Interesting Listen

I was initially worried that this would simply be a dumb little book cashing in on the success of Mad Men, but I was wrong. Jane Maas brought us right into the advertising world and gave an wholly believable and otherwise excellent account of what life was like as a working mother in a male dominated industry in the 60's. She made sacrifices, she had victories, she experienced sexual harassment, she got through it with many stories to tell. Lucky for us, this book is here to tell those stories

Funny & Honest Memoir

I will start with a disclaimer: I don't watch Mad Men. But, I have read my fair share of memoirs, and I have to say, this one is a keeper. Maas is honest about what her life as a woman in the all-boys advertising business of the 1960s was like. Moreover, I think contemporary women can relate to her. She discusses the challenges of being a working mother--feeling like she's neglecting her husband, her children, and her job. But, she's also humorous and ironic, without being a cynic. This is a book that anyone can enjoy!

Fun Listen

What did you love best about Mad Women?

I enjoyed a look at the past. I remember the 60's and 70's very well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh.

Mad Women 🔥🔥🔥

Loved every minute and as an agency woman the stories are so relatable! I admire the energy and chutzpah of those women in the 60’s and 70’s SO MUCH

You Go Girl

Where does Mad Women rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I was interested in what this could be about and was pleasantly pleased to read a more real version of how it was for women during the 60's on Madison Ave. Well written and a good story line. A light easy read.

Did Coleen Marlo do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I thought she did a great job helping you to understand each character

Mad About Advertising

I loved this book and wished it didn't have to end. It was a delightful romp through the decades. I knew I liked advertising from my delight with commercials and the print artwork of ads. I wish I had read a book like this when I was in High School or even college. I believe it would have redirected my career. Entertaining books about advertising are not something you come across every day. It would be nice to have something like this as required reading for a change. It flows along flawlessly. I highly recommend it.

An alternative history of the Mad Men era

Would you listen to Mad Women again? Why?

Probably not, one time is fine

What other book might you compare Mad Women to and why?

Jane Maas' earlier memoir and advertising primer, written in the 1980s, any good advertising memoir

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Genuine and engaging

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but listened very consistently and consecutively

Any additional comments?

It hit home with my own experiences in advertising, and I think some of the Mad Men fans might well enjoy it, too.

The 60s from a woman's POV

If you could sum up Mad Women in three words, what would they be?

Funny, eye-opening, well-written

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Have we really come such a long way--baby?

Have you listened to any of Coleen Marlo’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but she's great.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was infuriated by the section on Leona Helmsley. I think the author felt that way, too, but kept it polite.

Any additional comments?

When Jane Maas was at her peak, I was getting my first secretarial job as a way to succeed in business. Her book made me remember a lot of struggles I'd forgotten, or hadn't understood. I liked her light-hearted take on it all, though. She doesn't make it sound easy, but she let a lot roll off her back. That's a good philosophy.

Jane Maas is wonderful

Jane Mass has a very easliy read and enjoyed style of writting. It was a fun listen, although the narrator sounded like she was rushing. I was fortunate enough to meet Jane Mass at a AdFed Event and I would have loved hearing her read it. She has a wonderful manner about her delivery. Regardless, this is a quick enjoyable read and well worth the few dollars or credit for the memorable stories and laughs. Thanks Jane!

One of the best books about Mad Ave in the 60s!

An honest tale about the daily life in the office, the social mores and the some-what fashionable lifestyle.