A review by spaceonthebookcase
The Good Mother Myth: Unlearning Our Bad Ideas About How to Be a Good Mom by Nancy Reddy

informative

3.75

Blending academia nonfiction and memoir, Nancy Reddy uses her own experiences to relay how society views motherhood and what we've gotten wrong along the way. My experience as a first time mom was met with a baby who cried a lot; allergic to egg through breastmilk, the nights before I figured out what was wrong were torture. Feeling like a failure was common and being overwhelmed moreso. Having my second and experiencing PPD, I came to realize that motherhood is a journey that many women travel but no one walks the same path. The Good Mother Myth is the type of book I wished I had. 

Blending the history of baby rearing research and books, Nancy Reddy intelligently lays out a case that men can care for their infants no differently than their mothers; society just doesn't expect them to. I particularly liked her emphasis on how motherhood has been weaponized against women in the workforce by white men anytime women make headways; this is very relevant given the current state of the United States. 

A relatively quick read, I finished the book in a day and really enjoyed my time with it. Insightful and will make you think, while also finding relatability to the struggles Nancy Reddy had as a mother herself. 

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the gifted ARC. 

***50 State Challenge: Wisconsin, New Jersey