Madeleine L’Engle’s Legacy as Mother, Lover, and Writer
A meaty article in the New Yorker is a treat: often contrarian, in-depth, unexpected. I’m still a bit mystified by this one […]
Madeleine L’Engle’s “Meet the Austins,” a Story about Family Life
Madeleine L’Engle is, without a doubt, a giantess of middle grade fiction. “A Wrinkle in Time” holds a place of beloved esteem […]
“Whatever you do, may you carry on all day…”
I remain an ardent fan of Super Great Kids’ Stories. Bringing the timeless art of storytelling to the podcasting genre, the weekly […]
Betty MacDonald’s “Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic”: The Inspiring Fiction of Adults Who Enjoy Children
“Of course the reason that all the children in our town like Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is because Mrs. Piggle Wiggle likes them. Mrs. […]
Should We Be Grateful to Feminists?
After proclaiming my dislike for Betty Friedan’s ideas, I will likely be met with the rebuke that I must be thankful to […]
Betty Failed to Convince Me: I Still Want the Feminine Mystique
After many years of avoiding it, I did, in fact, read “The Feminine Mystique” in 2025 (full disclosure: I skimmed parts in […]
Just How Boring Are Kids?
It’s not uncommon for people to remark that they could never “stay at home” with children because it is so boring. Just […]
Gordon Neufeld’s “Hold On to Your Kids”: Getting to the Heart of the Matter
One of the most remarkable aspects of childrearing is how miserable it can make people. No one chooses to have children with […]
Russell and Lillian Hoban’s “The Sorely Trying Day”: A Minor Masterpiece on Family Life
Long a fan of Russell and Lillian Hoban’s collaborative “Frances” books for children, “The Sorely Trying Day” is, arguably, even better. The […]
How Do You Combine Writing with Motherhood?
Recently, someone asked me how to fit together writing and motherhood. Can one complement the other? How do you prevent writing from […]