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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
slow-paced
This was a mid-twenties crisis read for me.
I honestly enjoyed listening to all of the research that went info this book and I felt like it presented a lot of interesting narratives on past, present, and future aspects of motherhood/parenting. That being said, I don’t know that it achieved its goal of answering the big question (though obviously that’s up to the reader). I wish they brought it back down to basics a bit more just to tie all of the background and views together.
I honestly enjoyed listening to all of the research that went info this book and I felt like it presented a lot of interesting narratives on past, present, and future aspects of motherhood/parenting. That being said, I don’t know that it achieved its goal of answering the big question (though obviously that’s up to the reader). I wish they brought it back down to basics a bit more just to tie all of the background and views together.
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
challenging
informative
I appreciate the book's premise and liked it overall, but it's not the guide it bills itself as. The summary describes 'WHAT ARE CHILDREN FOR?' as an "argument" with "guidance" on how to overcome parenthood ambivalence. However, it's more of a collection of various people's thoughts on having children throughout history. The authors definitely add to these perspectives, but as someone who is absolutely the target audience for this book, I didn't find much of what I would consider guidance or advice. Still, I did enjoy reading what various people, including many prominent feminist voices, thought about motherhood and the choice to bear children.
I had a problem with how this book unnecessarily spoils other books that are mentioned, though. If you plan to read 'WHAT ARE CHILDREN FOR?' and don't want spoilers for the fiction books DETRANSITION BABY by Torrey Peters and THE LOST DAUGHTER by Elena Ferrante, read with caution. I've already read the former, and I no longer feel I need to read the latter. There were other books mentioned with spoilers that I don't remember, but those were the main two.
I had a problem with how this book unnecessarily spoils other books that are mentioned, though. If you plan to read 'WHAT ARE CHILDREN FOR?' and don't want spoilers for the fiction books DETRANSITION BABY by Torrey Peters and THE LOST DAUGHTER by Elena Ferrante, read with caution. I've already read the former, and I no longer feel I need to read the latter. There were other books mentioned with spoilers that I don't remember, but those were the main two.
Fiction spoilers aside, cultural criticism plays a big part in the makeup of this book, and the authors do a good job with this. 'WHAT ARE CHILDREN FOR?' is culturally conscious, historically and generally informative, and social justice-oriented, which makes it a solid book on the pros and cons of having children. I wish it were described more accurately because anyone who is researching what modern vs. previous decades women thought about having children would find it a helpful resource. It's meant to be a guidebook but never makes it there. It gets stuck in the intellectual weeds, but I like intellectual weeds, so I don't regret spending time in this book.
*This review is based on a digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.
informative
reflective
medium-paced