Mary catherine bateson born december 8 1939 is an american writer and cultural anthropologist a graduate of the brearley school bateson is the daughter of margaret mead and gregory bateson bateson is a noted author in her field with many published monographs. Composing a life is a critically reflecting book on the lives of five women and the challenges they are faced with during their life roles mary catherine bateson has woven together several cross functional areas of study including psychology anthropologymulti national studies and behavioral sciences to explain the societal ethnic and economical pressures that women feel in the varying . Mary catherine bateson has been called one of the most original and important thinkers of our time deborah tannen grove press is pleased to reissue batesons deeply satisfying treatise on the improvisational lives of five extraordinary women using their personal stories as her framework dr bateson delves into the creative potential of . Picking up where she left off in composing a life 1991 anthropologist bateson interviews six older individuals from a retired maine boatyard worker to jane fonda who have accomplished most of their life goals but actively seek new and satisfying ways to live robust lives