Mother Reader

June 1, 2001
Davey, a photographer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's, Grand Street, and Documents, bore her first child at the age of 38. When her infant developed colic, she found that she needed a break from the isolation of being a primary caregiver. Books were her lifeline. Her aim in this anthology was "to bring together examples of the best writing on motherhood of the last 60 years, writing that tells firsthand of the mother's experience." Arranged by year of publication, this anthology includes excerpts from journals, memoirs, essays, stories, and interviews. The contributors include an impressive list: Doris Lessing, Sylvia Plath, Margaret Mead, Susan Griffin, Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker, Ursula K. Le Guin, Mona Simpson, Toni Morrison, Grace Paley, and Mary Gaitskill. These authors question the impact of motherhood on women's lives and careers, whether or not mothers have been given a voice in the canon, and the direct experience of motherhood. Several women write about their unequivocal desire not to be a mother. An impressive addition to any women's studies or literature collection. Pam Kingsbury, Florence, AL

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.