With a perpetually tight job market, the road to an academic career for aspiring scholars is often a rocky and frustrating one. Where can you turn for good, frank answers to your questions? Here, three distinguished scholars -- with more than 75 years of combined experience -- talk openly about what's good and not so good about academic life.

Written as an informal conversation among colleagues, the book is packed with inside information -- about finding a mentor, avoiding pitfalls when writing a dissertation, negotiating job listings, and much more. The authors' distinctive opinions and strategies give the reader multiple perspectives on typical problems. With rare candor and insight, they address tough issues such as departmental politics, dual-career marriages, and sexual harassment. Rounding out the discussion are short essays that offer the "inside track" on financing graduate education, publishing your first book, and leaving academia for the corporate world.

This helpful guide is for anyone who has ever wondered what the fascinating and challenging world of academia might hold in store.