I loved We Live for the We by Dani McClain about the power of Black parenting specifically and parenting as a political act, it really got me thinking. On my TBR: The Bluejay's Dance by Louise Erdrich, A Life's Work and Linea Nigra but also all the new-to me titles mentioned here thank you for this series!
Thank you for these great recs, Ariana! The Dani McClain one sounds awesome. So much wisdom about radical love originates with Black women and I haven’t known which motherhood books to start with other than like really scholarly books, so I really appreciate this rec.
I haven’t even heard of the Louise Erdrich book you mention, but I will totally read it. I love her. For fiction week last week I thought a lot about including one of her novels about Fleur Pillager. It’s been so long since I read them that I didn’t trust my memory well enough, although I definitely know that Fleur is one of my favorite characters that I’ve ever read in fiction. I think this is the nudge for me to go on an Erdrich rereading kick.
I have read 3 of her novels but wasn't sure any fit! The Round House is somewhat about motherhood and The Sentence is very much an auntie book. I really want to do a year of Erdrich so I fully support you rereading!
The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood by Sharon Hays is a book I think about all the time. It's an academic book about the changing culture of parenthood that happened in the US during the 1980s to 1990s, but it's fairly assessible. This is where the term intensive motherhood came from which, online, has turned into another term to shame parents but that's not what the book is. Hays talks about the history of parenthood and the different ways cultures sees kids and how our current ideas reflect contradictory norms that expect moms to work while also shaming them for it.
Hi y’all! Two books that have stood out to me over the past few years are I AM NOT YOUR BABY MOTHER by Candice Brathwaite, a reflection partially on her own experience with childbirth and parenting as a Black mother in the UK (you will be horrified and angry at what she experienced during childbirth). I also really appreciated MOTHERCOIN, a book that explores the stories of immigrant women who are hired to take care of children. There are so many different people impacted by this system: the women who care for children for, often, very little compensation, the children who grow up with complicated relationships to these caretaking figures, the birth mothers who feel pressured to go into the workforce and leave their children at home, and the immigrant children who are left behind, sometimes in other countries, and have mixed feelings about their mothers leaving even if it provides them with enough money to survive. There are no villains in this book, only a lot of complicated people and a lot of thought-provoking stories.
So many good books on this list! Nancy Reddy's book, The Good Mother Myth is an interesting read about the shaping of advice to mothers. Second Life by Amanda Hess is also a fascinating read about the intersection of technology, old narratives, and motherhood.
I read Anne Lamott’s “Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year” my first year of college in an English class and it blew my mind. I had never seen a written write so HONESTLY before. It’s journal entries during her pregnancy and her son’s first year (as you may have guessed from the title lol) and I was completely naive to the range of emotions one can feel during that time. I buy it for my all my friends who are expecting!
Wow I LOVE this list and also reading through the comments- so many great reads here…taking all the notes 📝 I’d add to the list Matrescence by Lucy Jones. ♥️ I really enjoy your newsletter, thanks for sharing.
Ordinary insanity by Sarah Menkedick was reallly good - talking about post-partum mental illness, but specifically anxiety and OCD, which often get lumped in with PPD! But I think learning about this is helpful to support the parents in your life!
Alison, oh my gosh, absolutely! I feel like this is so important for Aunties to understand. So many people don’t understand how common postpartum emotional distress is. Thanks for this excellent rec.
I loved We Live for the We by Dani McClain about the power of Black parenting specifically and parenting as a political act, it really got me thinking. On my TBR: The Bluejay's Dance by Louise Erdrich, A Life's Work and Linea Nigra but also all the new-to me titles mentioned here thank you for this series!
Thank you for these great recs, Ariana! The Dani McClain one sounds awesome. So much wisdom about radical love originates with Black women and I haven’t known which motherhood books to start with other than like really scholarly books, so I really appreciate this rec.
I haven’t even heard of the Louise Erdrich book you mention, but I will totally read it. I love her. For fiction week last week I thought a lot about including one of her novels about Fleur Pillager. It’s been so long since I read them that I didn’t trust my memory well enough, although I definitely know that Fleur is one of my favorite characters that I’ve ever read in fiction. I think this is the nudge for me to go on an Erdrich rereading kick.
I have read 3 of her novels but wasn't sure any fit! The Round House is somewhat about motherhood and The Sentence is very much an auntie book. I really want to do a year of Erdrich so I fully support you rereading!
The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood by Sharon Hays is a book I think about all the time. It's an academic book about the changing culture of parenthood that happened in the US during the 1980s to 1990s, but it's fairly assessible. This is where the term intensive motherhood came from which, online, has turned into another term to shame parents but that's not what the book is. Hays talks about the history of parenthood and the different ways cultures sees kids and how our current ideas reflect contradictory norms that expect moms to work while also shaming them for it.
Oh interesting! I had not even heard of this one. I’m adding it to my list — thank you!
I LOVE Like a Mother. It low-key launched my Substack and urge to write about women ! :)
Oh, I love that!!! It’s such a wonderful book! And you have such a great newsletter!
Hi y’all! Two books that have stood out to me over the past few years are I AM NOT YOUR BABY MOTHER by Candice Brathwaite, a reflection partially on her own experience with childbirth and parenting as a Black mother in the UK (you will be horrified and angry at what she experienced during childbirth). I also really appreciated MOTHERCOIN, a book that explores the stories of immigrant women who are hired to take care of children. There are so many different people impacted by this system: the women who care for children for, often, very little compensation, the children who grow up with complicated relationships to these caretaking figures, the birth mothers who feel pressured to go into the workforce and leave their children at home, and the immigrant children who are left behind, sometimes in other countries, and have mixed feelings about their mothers leaving even if it provides them with enough money to survive. There are no villains in this book, only a lot of complicated people and a lot of thought-provoking stories.
Oh yes, I’ve been meaning to read MOTHERCOIN! Thank you for this reminder. And the other book also sounds great. It’s going on my list!
So many good books on this list! Nancy Reddy's book, The Good Mother Myth is an interesting read about the shaping of advice to mothers. Second Life by Amanda Hess is also a fascinating read about the intersection of technology, old narratives, and motherhood.
Thank you, Katherine! I have been hearing about both of these books and this is the nudge I needed to add them to my list!
I read Anne Lamott’s “Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year” my first year of college in an English class and it blew my mind. I had never seen a written write so HONESTLY before. It’s journal entries during her pregnancy and her son’s first year (as you may have guessed from the title lol) and I was completely naive to the range of emotions one can feel during that time. I buy it for my all my friends who are expecting!
Oh, I had been meaning to read this book, but I forgot about it! Thank you for the reminder!
Wow I LOVE this list and also reading through the comments- so many great reads here…taking all the notes 📝 I’d add to the list Matrescence by Lucy Jones. ♥️ I really enjoy your newsletter, thanks for sharing.
Ordinary insanity by Sarah Menkedick was reallly good - talking about post-partum mental illness, but specifically anxiety and OCD, which often get lumped in with PPD! But I think learning about this is helpful to support the parents in your life!
Alison, oh my gosh, absolutely! I feel like this is so important for Aunties to understand. So many people don’t understand how common postpartum emotional distress is. Thanks for this excellent rec.
Thank you!! I'm honored.
Thank YOU, Jessica! Your book is so wonderful!