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5 Minutes for Books — The Manual for Motherhood

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.


Can I be honest here?

I think of books like The Manual for Motherhood, edited by Christine Fugate, as books for people who don’t really read books. This book is relatively thin (under 150 pages) and made up of about 30 different essays by 30 different writers. It’s more like a magazine than a book.

Now that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I hope that those of you don’t feel like this stage of life gives you the luxury to read have perked up to read the rest of this review. But fellow book snobs–I hope that you are hanging in with me as well.

I started reading The Manual for Motherhood thinking that I would read it as anthologies like this are mostly intended to be read–a little at a time. You know–bedside or bathroom reading–an essay or two whenever I had ten minutes to spare. The problem with that is that once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I sped through this book in two sittings.

This collection was compiled from winning entries to the essay contest answering, “What do you wish you knew before you became a mother?” (You can leave a suggestion for the question for the next contest, which will possibly end up as Volume 2 of the Manual for Motherhood, and stay tuned for details on how to enter that contest.)

Of course there’s no manual for motherhood, but this book offers us the next best thing: real experiences from real moms. Isn’t that how we get through those first few weeks with our first baby? the boundary-trying toddler years? potty training? teen rebellion?

One thing that I wish that this book had was a little biographical information about each writer. Many of these essays piqued my interest in the writer. How many children does she have? Is she a blogger? Is she writing a book? (update: Apparently I’m an idiot. There are bio paragraphs, but I just didn’t see them. I looked at the end of the essays, obviously, and I looked at the back, but they are actually about 8 pages in from the back of the book).

Fugate’s website, Mothering Heights, offers links to some of the contributors websites, which is a start. Her blog also offers fun posts on her likes and interests: movies, girlfriends, and gluten and dairy-free cooking.

The following essays are just a sample of what spoke to me in this book:

  • In “Fertilizer” Cynthia Jenkins writes about being herself, not the mom that she grew up with.
  • Diane Compton relates her hobby of snorkeling to the challenges and surprising wonder of parenting in a beautiful essay called “Skimming the Surface.”
  • Judy Berna’s “Letter to the Mother of That Baby” examines the many faces of a baby-admiring mall patron, reminding the reader of our similarities and differences as women and as moms.
  • One of our own 5 Minutes for Mom community, Angela (CPA Mom), has an essay featured in the book. Her “Advice to the Mom-to-Be” is a good reminder to all of us–no matter how old our children–about accepting ourselves the way we are.

This book is not composed of pat “life is busy for a mom” kind of essays, or “I knew life would be different, but I never knew it would be so good” reflections. It covers everything from adoptive mothers, to diagnoses, to the changing of a marriage after parenthood, to losing yourself and finding it again.

I recommend that you buy this book. Buy it to support writing moms finding their voices. Read it yourself, or buy it for a new mom, or for a mom deep in the trenches who needs a little “been there” support. It’s available at amazon.com.

If you’d like to win a prize package including a copy of The Manual for Motherhood, a tiara (because a woman can do everything better in a crown), and a canvas tote, leave a comment here. I’ll announce the winner in next week’s column.

The winners of last week’s book, The Suicide Index, are #85 Dara Nix and #76 Joan Koczon. You should have received an email from me asking for your address.

Reader Interactions


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98 Comments

  7. I have never owned a tiara before. I would love to sit in our home reading this book full of wonderful essays wearing a tiara. Please enter my name in your drawing. Thanks, Cindi

    Reply

  8. This sounds wonderful!!! I’d love to be entered to win your giveaway!! I also love the fact that you’re including a tiara, and I definitely agree with you on the reason for that!!!

    Thanks!
    Michele R.(CA)
    [email protected]

    Reply

  23. I would love to win this. I don’t have the time for a full on book theses days, but some nice mommy bed time stories would be great. Thank you

    Reply

  24. This book sounds like a fun read and probably will make all mothers not feel like they go through things alone.

    Reply

  48. Well I could certainly use a manual right about now. I read computer manuals, self- help manuals and this would come in most handy!
    Oh And the tiara’s not too shabby either.
    thanks!

    Reply

  50. A manual on how to do this mommy thing, and some supplies to look hot while doing to. Um…best giveaway ever!

    Reply

  52. Thank you Janice, Susan and Jennifer for your support of the book and moms who dare to write! I LOVE your site and am so honored to have the book featured on it. You have made 31 moms and one dad very happy today!

    Reply

  58. I like the sound of this book. I’ve heard many times the ‘life is busy, but better than ever’ takes and, while I agree, I’d like to read some other takes on motherhood.

    Reply

  61. It’s nice to have a compact read from time to time. And this sounds like a pretty interesting read.

    :–) Nell

    Reply

  62. I just got the link to this blog and I’m looking forward to the fun things I have been reading. This book does look interesting. Thanks for posting about it!

    Reply

  65. I love the idea of having both the book (I love reading) and the tiara. I am after all Queen of this Castle -ah, I mean humble home.

    Reply

  76. I’d love to give this book a read, and I think I’d wear the tiara while I clean the house. Or make dinner. Or wash dishes. Or read. Um, frankly, I’d wear the tiara all the time.

    Reply

  77. Sounds like an interesting book – count me in. One thing about motherhood is that they certainly don’t exagerate when they say “you’ll never sleep again”!

    Reply

  87. This looks like a great book – and one that I could read in small chunks while feeding my 5 month old!!! I’d love to win!

    Reply

  93. I fully believe every woman should own and wear a tiara.
    This book sounds like fun, and very interesting. I’m all about supporting fellow moms. Great review, I appreciate your honesty.

    Reply