Review of "Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence" by Amy Blackstone

Childfree by Choice: The Movement Redefining Family and Creating a New Age of Independence by Amy Blackstone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to read this book because I thought it would be a testament to Blackstone's decision to not have children. However, this book is definitely more of a description of the movement of being "Childfree by Choice", as the title suggests. Blackstone covers topics including maternal instinct, happiness and aging and compares parents versus nonparents. As a sociologist herself, she quotes and references tons of different studies over the years that show that choosing not to parent won't ruin one's life. She also conducted her own series of interviews of childfree singles and couples for this book. I felt like Blackstone was being quite defensive of her position throughout the book, but it's understandable why it came across that way. As she explains, we live in a pronatalist world that leaves those who choose not to reproduce to defend their decision to others. The overall point that Blackstone is trying to get across is that people should have the freedom to make decisions for their own futures and that those that end up "childless", either by choice or not, should not be forever questioned whether they live an unhappy, regretful, bitter life. I look forward to reading some of the memoirs that she references to find those testaments I was seeking. I would definitely suggest this book to those who do not understand the choice that is being childfree. This book is not geared toward those who are unable to conceive biologically but reading the findings of studies comparing parents and nonparents in their late life could make this population comforted that their life isn't over.

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Review of "The Rules Do Not Apply" by Ariel Levy

The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I suppose I didn't have enough background information about the author, Ariel Levy, before reading this memoir because I didn't feel that it was relatable enough for me to get enough out of reading it. In this memoir, Levy divulges the details of the dissolution of her marriage and the horrible circumstances that led to her losing her son before he was even named. This book could've been horribly depressing and honestly at times, it was awfully close to being so. Levy spends a lot of time discussing how she copes with these "negative" events in her life. She goes into how she moves forward after what was essentially divorce, perhaps more accurately "conscious uncoupling" as Gwnyth Paltrow might say. My favorite quote from this memoir though was from an interview Levy conducted with Maureen Dowd: “I asked [Dowd] if she'd ever wanted children. She told me, "Everybody doesn't get everything." It sounded depressing to me at the time, a statement of defeat. Now admitting it seems like the obvious and essential work of growing up. Everybody doesn't get everything: as natural and unavoidable as mortality.” I would recommend this memoir to someone who has/had a partner with alcoholism or someone suffering the loss of a child. While the whole memoir may not apply to these people, they will get something out of reading it.

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Review of "The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers" by Bridgett M. Davis

The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother's Life in the Detroit Numbers by Bridgett M. Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this memoir by Bridgett Davis, she focuses the story around her mother Fannie Davis and her numbers business in the city of Detroit. The numbers was a term for a daily underground and technically illegal lottery played mostly by the black community. I was unaware of this term or business before reading this book. I found this story very interesting and somewhat inspiring. It is a tale of a woman's initiative to create a business out of nothing and make her own money. Especially in the time period of this memoir, it's an extraordinary tale of female empowerment. I also loved the dynamic between Bridgett and Fannie, mother and daughter. Recommended for fans of memoirs of strong women and mother/daughter stories. Also, recommended for current or former residents of Detroit; you'll be able to relate to this story or understand it more deeply than others.

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Review of "Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America" by Alissa Quart

Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America by Alissa Quart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alissa Quart does an excellent job of profiling American families from all ranges of socioeconomic backgrounds who are all feeling squeezed right now. The majority of the families she interviews have children but they range from; single parent homes, families with children with disabilities, families below the poverty line to families struggling to remain in the lower upper class. In the introduction of the book, Quart introduces us to Michelle Belmont, a technology librarian, whose family was struggling to just remain in the middle class. She borrowed to get an education required for her career, both bachelor and masters degrees, and when her son came along, they owed the hospital over $20,000 in medical bills. Quart shows right from the beginning of the book how easily a family, or even a single person, can get over their heads in debt.

Quart interviews family after family in the subsequent chapters but the message remains the same throughout. Over and over, these Americans are blaming themselves for their predicament. They blame themselves for drowning in debt, while they are merely trying to take care of their family. Quart lists to "stop placing blame" as the first step individuals can take in action to stop feeling squeezed. While this book is slightly skewed to focus on those families who may be considered "middle-class", Alissa even reveals her personal story with feeling squeezed. As a journalist, she goes through the bumps of her career and how she comes out on the other side.

While I don't think this book gives all the answers for how we as Americans can fix this issue of feeling financially squeezed and burdened in our lives. However, she does demonstrate that this is more of a universal problem that we may have thought. You are not alone in your struggle. It's the system that is the problem.

I would recommend this book for any fans of books on economics or sociology. If you enjoyed "Evicted" by Matthew Desmond, you'll enjoy this middle-class version of that book. She does get a little political in areas discussing the influences of the past and current Presidential Administration, but overall a very good insight into a universal issue plaguing middle-class America today.

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Review of "Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book surprised me so much. I did not expect to connect so well to Jahren and her experiences in life since I am far from a scientist myself. However, each of her chapters (and each of the three parts of the book) are relatable for different reasons. Her discussions about fertility and motherhood really spoke to me for some reason. Her voice was exactly the voice I needed to hear/read and this time in my life. I'm so grateful that this book came into my life. I highly recommend it to all women and men, but women especially. She shines a light on women's equal rights while not proclaiming, "I'm a feminist!!" and causing people to stop listening....not that I think this is ok behavior. This book is also a warm, touching look at a friendship that is so fulfilling that it's almost familiar. The way she describes her friend Bill is like a brother/father/soulmate. It's beautiful to hear of a relationship so complete while also being platonic. Proof that men and women can actually be friends....with no implications of attraction what so ever. Jahren's writing is fluid and impressionistic. Truly a piece of art.

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Review of "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Becoming by Michelle Obama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was everything. I loved hearing her upbringing. I knew she was amazing but I had no idea the complexity of her drive to do something important in this world. She walked us through her life before meeting Barack, during their courtship, to beginning their family and then to all the political stuff. The focus was definitely not on her role as FLOTUS which I greatly appreciated. She's so much more than that. She'll always be more than that in my eyes and if you read this book, you'll see what I mean. Cannot be recommended highly enough! Read it TODAY :)

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