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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I’m a little older than who this book was intended for maybe? My kids are grown and in college, but this took me back to the stage in my life of being a younger mother. I related so much to most of this book. I love the author’s sense of humor and storytelling. I laughed a lot and even cried at one part. That being said, there was one essay that nearly ruined it for me…and why it garnered 3 stars instead of 4 (Change of Hands). Completely unrelatable. I mean, I didn’t even know a thing called night nurses was a thing…. But apparently they are, for the privileged few and I felt like the author made it sound like everyone should have one if they could afford it. Even the few mentions of their nanny put me off. But I persisted and was able to block out the one essay (out of the 22 in the book) temporarily and look beyond to what she was actually writing about…she was able to win me over again before the essays ended. Now I want to watch all the shows she has written, because I know they’ll be hilarious.
3.5 stars: it took me a few essays to adjust to the author’s writing style, which is fast paced and a bit wordier than I’m used to. I’m smack dab in the sweet spot—demographically—for this collection and could relate to many of them. That said, the one that hit me the most was about how to explain bad stuff to your kid. It was so poignant, and in that way so much rawer and personal than some of the others that were couched in humor to deflect pain or discomfort.
Jessi Klein gets it!!!! Lightning somehow strikes twice in her second book. Somehow she makes her unique and highly personal experiences as a new mom entering midlife relatable to a you g gay man??? Amazing. Cried in probably half of the essays/chapters and laughed through all of them.
I wonder if the negative critiques would still be negative if a dad wrote this book. I feel like moms are not allowed to complain, at least not out loud or in public, especially in a society that does not value nor support parenting. I thought this was funny and relatable, with poignant points. I recommend listening as the author narrates.
no
If you like reading about the difficulties of parenting from some one who can afford nannies and night nurses, this is the book for you. I discovered I had zero interest.
If you like reading about the difficulties of parenting from some one who can afford nannies and night nurses, this is the book for you. I discovered I had zero interest.
Loved her framing of motherhood as the hero’s journey. It was empowering, but without clichéd “mama bear” or “boss bitch” energy. She also focuses on identity and how motherhood influenced (and confused) her sense of self. And she’s at times heartbreakingly funny. I thought of one of her essays today as I read my son a book about Kermit the Frog five times in a row. I felt less alone. At times I felt that her sense of humor was a little too self deprecating, but still really enjoyed most of the essays.
For sure one of my favorite books I read this year. Especially charming in audiobook form. Super funny and honest look at motherhood.
I laughed, I cried, and I felt seen. Would recommend the audiobook. "A mother's heroic journey is not about how she leaves, but about how she stays."