A DOUBLE LIFE by Lisa Catherine Harper There is no denying it: motherhood splits a woman’s life forever, into a before and an after. To this doubled life Lisa Catherine Harper brings a wealth of feeling and a wry sense of humor, a will to understand the emotional and biological transformations that motherhood entails, and a narrative gift that any reader will enjoy. Harper documents her own journey across this great divide as a seasoned explorer might, observing, researching, and relating anecdotes. From late-night Lindy Hop dancing to crippling sciatica and morning sickness to indulgent meals, Harper marries scientific details with intimate insights as she uncovers the fascinating strangeness of this remarkably familiar territory. Harper’s carefully researched story reminds us that motherhood’s central joys are also its most essential transformations.
“Harper's elegant, thoughful writing makes this a must-read for expectant parents...The author skillfully moves between the personal and the technical...Universal, moving, and relevant.” --Publishers Weekly
University of Nebraska Press, March 2011
A WATERSHED YEAR by Susan Schoenberger
Lucy never confessed her love to her best friend Harlan before he passed away. Two months after his funeral, she is haunted by the power of things left unsaid. But then she receives the first of his emails, arranged to be sent after his death.
In an email, Harlan says that Lucy is destined for motherhood. In her grief, she suddenly rediscovers hope, journeying to Russia to adopt a four-year-old boy, Mat. Mat is also mending a wounded heart and is just as lost as she is. Together, they learn to trust, each helping the other to heal. But just as they're welcoming their new normal, Mat's father comes to America to reclaim his son and reveals the truth about Mat's past.
“A well-told tale of life and death and the way, when we least expect it, love can encompass us roundabout...[Schoenberger] has created a vivid and continuous dream of what it means to create a kind of family, for better and worse. This is a brave and moving novel.” --Bret Lott, bestselling author of the Oprah Book Club selection JEWEL
Guideposts, March 2011
THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES by Jean M. Auel
With THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, Auel gives fans the finale they’ve been looking for. In this page-turning continuation of the beloved saga, Ayla is training to become a Zelandoni, one of the community’s spiritual leaders and healers. Ayla becomes the acolyte to the Zelandoni for the Ninth Cave and begins the series of intensive journeys that are part of the sacred training. But as she struggles to find a balance between her calling and her duties as a new mother, her pursuits begin to take a toll on her relationship with Jondalar. Once again Jean Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived thousands of years ago.
“Auel is a true spell-weaver...The world she creates is vibrant and exciting.” --Los Angeles Times
Crown, March 2011
