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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

Novels which feature the reality of life with young children

40 replies

Lilipot15 · 13/02/2016 14:29

I like reading but since I've had my two small children have found it very difficult to get into reading again. Have had some books recommended to me here, I enjoy things like Anne Tyler.
But lots of books (and TV shows and films) seem so far-removed from my life at the moment.
I don't really like chick lit light stuff. Wondered if there are any books I could identify a bit with at the moment?

OP posts:

littleducks · 05/04/2016 14:47

Inspired by this thread I have bought and read the kindle versions of the Bridget Jones About a boy and The Night wakenings. Cried about Mr Darcy alot but really enjoyed both.

I read 'I don't know how she does it' a few years ago and enjoyed it as I recognised the descriptions of late night fake bakes (used to but plain fairy cakes then ice them myself). The film was not as good.

ParsleyTheLion1 · 31/03/2016 21:02

Oh no PenquinVox, I'm afraid I don't recall exactly....it was at least 3 times I think....one occasion was Zoe (Rupert's wife) nursing Juliet. Another must have been Polly nursing one of her children....
I listened to the entire Chronicles on audiobook when my DS was between the age of 6 months and 12 months. Mostly I listened whilst I was breastfeeding...and in the dark at night when he was in my room and I couldn't have the light on to read. It was a real joy to lose myself in those brilliant books.

BertieBotts · 31/03/2016 13:38

The foster carer ones by Cathy Glass and Casey Watson are fairly young-children orientated but they read like a Take a Break article (complete with "we were just tucking into a sunday roast with all the trimmings when...") and sometimes they have horrible details of child abuse in. And also sometimes (often) the main character comes across as so perfectly organised and sorted that it doesn't seem very realistic.

Watch Over Me by Daniela Sarcodoti made me cry unexpectedly with the description of how hard the (absent) mother character found motherhood, but it doesn't have many everyday scenes with small children.

I can't remember or find the title now but I read a great book when I was pregnant about an American woman who was visiting London and went into premature labour, possibly with either twins or triplets, I can't remember now, that was really good. It was called Special Delivery or something like that but apparently there are lots of books called Special Delivery, and none of them are this one!

LauraVonSlim · 31/03/2016 13:19

I second 'the hand that first held mine' by Maggie O'Farrell. Beautifully written and captures the shock, joy, anxiety etc of having your first child perfectly.

kaymondo · 30/03/2016 22:43

I was going to suggest 'i don't know how she does it' but see a PP has beat me to it!

PenguinVox · 30/03/2016 22:34

Which of the Cazalet chronicles have descriptions of breastfeeding, Parlsley? Ive only read the first two and can't remember any (I like it when breastfeeding is mentioned in fiction, after having spent many years breastfeeding).

ParsleyTheLion1 · 30/03/2016 15:52

characterisation of the children (and their speech) in the Cazalet chronicles is superb.
And those books contain, in my view, the most evocative and spot on descriptions of breastfeeding I've ever come across in fiction

impostersyndrome · 03/03/2016 07:44

I love The L-Shaped Room trilogy! It's hard to comprehend how different attitudes were to unwed mothers only a generation ago.

I also highly recommend Sarah Moss' memoir of a year spent in Iceland with her young family. www.goodreads.com/book/show/15942921-names-for-the-sea

lamprey42 · 02/03/2016 10:19

The l-shaped room trilogy Lynne Reid banks.

HopeClearwater · 20/02/2016 21:46

A Life's Work by Rachel Cusk is unremittingly depressing though, and she comes across as extremely self-centred. For a happier view, try Making Babies by Anne Enright.

tripfiction · 20/02/2016 18:12

Blackheath by Adam Baron is just out... a tale about marriage and parenthood

bibliomania · 19/02/2016 14:50

Another recommendation for Helen Simpson's short stories, especially Hey Yeah Right Get a Life.

I also adore The Diary of a Provincial Lady and by the same author, The Way Things Are.

firefly78 · 19/02/2016 09:11

thank you that makes sense and is rather cute

Indiaplain · 19/02/2016 09:00

Short for Timothy

firefly78 · 19/02/2016 08:31

Ive just started night waking is her child really called moth!!!

Original poster

Lilipot15 · 17/02/2016 19:31

I'm so glad I started this thread!
Slightlyglitterbrained - yes, part of me is glad I already have two DCs before I read Night Waking.....staying with inlaws at the moment, and MIL is convinced I have the easiest baby ever...."well yes MIL, but you weren't awake with her for 2.5 hours last night" But at least I have a good book to read now when I'm feeding her to sleep.

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ifigoup · 17/02/2016 18:38

I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson is very honest and realistic about the fact that some women actively prefer going back to work rather than staying home with their children, and the guilt and second-guessing that goes with it. Sounds depressing but in the end it's very uplifting (and funny!) I really like it even though the author is a big Tory and I'm not.

firefly78 · 17/02/2016 18:37

going to download some of these

gingercat12 · 17/02/2016 18:32

The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell

Some parts of The Dept of Specu

Enjoy

Am looking up the earlier suggestions.

slightlyglitterbrained · 15/02/2016 22:31

Thanks for the Night Waking suggestion, bought it and finished last night.

Only prob is that it's making me think twice about ttc DC2!

Original poster

Lilipot15 · 15/02/2016 21:57

Thanks - lots to be looking at.

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PenguinVox · 15/02/2016 21:04

I read a few Jodi Picoult books after having kids and I liked the way she wrote about family life.

eddiemairswife · 15/02/2016 10:32

Helen Simpson's volumes of short stories.

eddiemairswife · 15/02/2016 10:30

have a look at Margaret Drabble's early books.

Original poster

Lilipot15 · 15/02/2016 10:15

Is the Bridget Jones book as good as the first one? In my mind they have been spoilt by the films which I just didn't enjoy as much.

OP posts:

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