Guilt-ridden supermums

Are you a stressed-out, guilt-riddled career-mum? Fed up with juggling your way round the clock? Yes?

Then you doubtless feel your struggle deserves trumpeting. Since you're far too busy to do the job yourself, hats off to Evening Standard columnist Allison Pearson for turning in such a polished effort on your behalf.

We first glimpse tireless Kate Reddy distressing shop-bought mince pies at 2am. Just hours later, she's making deals and breaking balls in the office, having wiped the baby sick from her suit and bawled out her flaky husband. Pearson's account of such triumphs is sharply observed and frequently funny.

Of course, if you're someone who considers Kate and her kind to be nutty, self-indulgent sulks, then this paen to martyrdom is unlikely to persuade you otherwise.

But as the world's Kates know to their cost, you can't please everyone, however hard you try.