Modern Motherhood Reinvented through Literature

Cecile Richards, the bestselling author of Make Trouble and former president of Planned Parenthood, describes this book as "Timely and evergreen, engaging and infuriating, personal and universal—a necessary reintroduction to some of fiction's most familiar mothers."

This smart and engaging work examines fifteen classic novels that have shaped our cultural notions of motherhood. Long before having children of her own, journalist Carrie Mullins knew how mothers should behave—sweet, supportive, dependable, and selfless. But where did these expectations come from, and more importantly, are they serving the mothers whose lives they shape? Carrie's suspicion, later crystallized while raising two small children, was that our culture's idealization of motherhood was not only painfully limiting but harmful, leaving women to cope with impossible standards rarely created by mothers themselves.

To discover how we might talk about motherhood in a more realistic, nuanced, and inclusive way, Carrie turned to literature with memorable maternal figures for answers. Moving through the literary canon—from Pride and Prejudice and Little Women to The Great Gatsby, Beloved, Heartburn, and The Joy Luck Club—Carrie traces the origins of our modern mothering experience. By interrogating the influences of politics, economics, feminism, pop culture, and family life in each text, she identifies the factors that have shaped our prevailing views of motherhood and puts these classics into conversation with the most urgent issues of the day. Who were these literary mothers, beyond their domestic responsibilities and familial demands? And what lessons do they have for us today—if we choose to listen?

This necessary reintroduction to some of fiction's most familiar mothers challenges our cultural notions of motherhood, inviting us to consider more realistic, nuanced, and inclusive ways of understanding this profound and complex experience. Through her exploration of these literary masterpieces, Carrie Mullins encourages readers to think critically about the origins and implications of our societal expectations for mothers, ultimately guiding us towards a more empathetic and supportive approach to this vital role.

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