Best book about motherhood?

[Wednesday6]

I bumped into this book on my library app (audiobook beautifully narrated). I did not expect it to be so good! I didn't even immediately realized it was about motherhood. Soldier and Sailor by Claire Kilroy 2023 is an emotional journey of a new mother from Ireland. The narration is a stream of consciousness at times, beautifully written. I related to almost all of it, the transformation into a mother, struggle with relationship with her husband, the love of the mother (Soldier) to her new son ( Sailor) is so universal, so strong that it hurts. Anyone else read this book? I needed it and was looking for it since I had my baby boy!

I loved Night Waking.

Also The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell and recently A Ghost in the Throat. Will be checking out the others on the thread

Thanks for recommending the books on this thread, I'll look into them.

On a less positive note, many years ago when pregnant with my first child I read The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing and found it quite distressing and alarming. It's a brilliant book, but definitely made me wonder what I'd let myself in for!

Non-fiction but Three Shoes, One Sock and No Hairbrush: Everything You Need to Know About Having Your Second Child by Rebecca Abrams - a bit old now but helped me a lot when I had small dc

I loved night waking too. It’s very dark but I loved Room by Emma Donoughue. It captures the intensity of the relationship between mother and child.

In term of non fiction my wild and sleepless nights by Clover Stroud is a lovely book. She has 5 children and writes about her experience of motherhood. She was very close to her own mother who suffered a severe brain injury when Clover was 15.

Another non fiction one is what have I done by Laura Dockerill which is about her experience of postnatal psychosis.

I also rate Life After Birth by Kate Figes. In fact any of her books.

Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages
L.R. Knost

I haven't read it yet but it's been recommended to me (and not just for parents):
Mandy Saligari
Proactive Parenting: Help your child conquer self-destructive behaviours and build self-esteem

'What mothers do- especially when it looks like nothing'Really helped me through the early days of motherhood

Was coming on to recommend this - I found it absolutely wonderful

also
What to Expect When You Are Breastfeeding and What if you Can’t? By Clare Byam-Cook helped me through some very trying times and EBF both my children to age 2.

The Millstone is excellent. Rosamund seems so weak and pliant, yet she discovers that she is also strong, fierce and independent.

Another book about motherhood that I love is Frangipani, by Célestine Hitiura Vaite, a Tahitian novelist.

We need to talk about Kevin.

I listened to Summerwater by Sarah Moss on audible and really enjoyed it. So I downloaded Night Waking as recommended on here. But I'm finding the narrator a bit irritating; not the same as Summerwater narrator sadly. Is it worth pursuing still? I'm debating returning it and exchanging it for another of hers.

This is the drawback of audio isn’t it? If the narrator isn’t right it really puts you off. I haven’t listened to the audio of Night Waking but I did really love the book.

The Happy Housewife by Helen Van Royen (sp?) was a Dutch bestseller and the subjects tackled in it are tough ones but it does have a happy ending.

I Don’t Know How She Does It by Alison Pearson is funny and insightful too.

Agree soldier sailor is absolutely incredible. Loving these recommendations. 'Don't forget to scream (unspoken truths about motherhood)' by marianne Levy was another favourite of mine. Also 'after the storm' by Emma Jane unsworth