The Motherhood Affidavits by Laura Jean Baker

Rejecting her Jewish heritage and values that dictate women should have as many children as possible whilst in their thirties, Heti presents her dilemma as making it a success as a writer versus bringing up children. Probably the most daring and thought-provoking bookin this selection, Sheila Heti’s Motherhood is an eye-opener about the choices women are making today. The Motherhood Affidavits ( Non-fiction) by Laura Jean Baker She collectively refers to these identities as her ‘harem’ and desperately seeks to unite the voices so that she can stop having conflicting thoughts and focus on her two loves, writing and being a parent, in peace.Ī raw account of her feelings, Shafek’s work is an important literary examination on motherhood and well-being.

Suffering from postpartum depression, the typical symptoms of guilt, anxiety, and an overwhelming sense of shame take hold, Shafek questioned her own abilities as a mother and stopped writing.Īfter finding the courage and need to write again, she crafted this elegant memoir elaborating her experience with the condition and the conflicting voices in her head - each identities of different forms of womanhood - from the maternal to the spiritual to the critic, the multi-tasker and the go-getter pulling her in different directions. Whether you struggle from postpartum depression or not, this is a book that is deeply connected to all our identities as mothers.īlack Milk: On Writing, Motherhood and the Harem Within ( Non-fiction) by Elif ShafakĪcclaimed Turkish writer Elif Shafek’s memoir about a very difficult personal criss after the birth of her first child in 2006. Things That Helped ( Non-fiction) by Jessica Friedm annĪ stunning collection of essays chronically Friedmann’s personal experience of postpartum depression that beautifully capture observations on race, class, culture, society, mental health and of course motherhood.ġ2 finely crafted essays that document the struggles of womanhood (both as mothers as well as working women) and the things that helped her recovery from postpartum depression such as art, spirituality and travelling to another country. Undergoing fertility treatment in the US, Emma candidly discusses the societal pressures of choosing a non-conventional path, the anxieties of a non-biological conception, the frustrations and challenges of fertility treatment, and the life-changing joys of such a solo decision.Īn engaging read, whether or not you are thinking of pursuing motherhood on your own. At 37, British journalist Emma Brocke discusses her journey to conceiving a child on her own whilst in an early same-sex relationship. Another hilarious memoir about choosing to conceive on one’s own accord.

The Motherhood Affidavits by Laura Jean Baker