She acknowledges the hardships of motherhood, warning that giving birth can be excruciating, that personal pursuits can suffer, that working can come with feelings of guilt. Yet Fennelly pulls this off, and her words of wisdom are deeply sweet without being cloying.
The letter is one of many that she wrote and later compiled into a book it’s an odd form, in a way, because it encourages the reader to encroach on someone’s deeply personal correspondence. “But find time to read good literature, too, even if a novel takes a month”-substantive books, she argues, nourish and counsel us in ways that straightforward guidance cannot. “Of course there will be Required Reading, the baby books and magazines,” Beth Ann Fennelly, a mother, professor, and former poet laureate of Mississippi, advises her newly pregnant friend in a letter. Great With Child: Letters to a Young Mother, by Beth Ann Fennelly For those in the midst of the great transition into parenthood who may also be seeking reassurance, these writers offer up generous insight without judgment. The authors have drawn them by exploring their own psyche and experiences, and by researching the perspectives of others. When I put down What to Expect, I found titles that offered maps for navigating, emotionally and physically, what was to come. I also hoped to learn more about the cultural context of bearing and rearing children, so that I could understand how I now fit into it.
I looked for a wide range of books that would help me holistically understand what would happen to me and my family. Following in the footsteps of millions of people before me, I dutifully purchased a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting and jotted down notes on the perils of cold cuts and various medications.Īmid the onslaught of rules and restrictions, what I found myself craving-along with a tall glass of cold ale-was less dogma and more solidarity around this strange new state of being. Meanwhile, guidebooks and articles filled my head with warnings. Much was unsolicited and came from well-meaning friends, relatives, or strangers in the endless flow of comments on internet forums. The moment I learned I was pregnant, advice began pouring in from all directions.
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