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Misconceptions: Truth, Lies, and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood (Paperback)

by Naomi Wolf (Author)

3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (94 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Anchor; 1 edition (Feb 4 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385497458
ISBN-13: 978-0385497459
Product Dimensions: 20.1 x 13.2 x 2.3 cm
Shipping Weight: 250 g

Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (94 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #104,920 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

In her latest work, the author of the bestselling The Beauty Myth and other titles attempts to employ her fiercely confident and uncompromising, rip-the-lid-off style to tell the painful truth of motherhood in contemporary America. Interweaving personal narrative and reportage and pouncing with particular vehemence on what she considers to be the dumb, patronizing misinformation in the bestselling guidebook What To Expect When You're Expecting Wolf reveals that birth in this country is often needlessly painful. In a portentously dramatic tone, she describes how difficult and lonely it can be to care for a child and to be a working mother. Indeed, Wolf finds new motherhood so difficult that it has rocked her celebrated feminism. "Yet here we were," she concludes "to my horror and complicity, shaping our new family structure along class and gender lines daddy at work, mommy and caregiver from two different economic classes sharing the baby work during the day just as our peers had done." Wolf says little here that hasn't been said before in books like Jessica Mitford's The American Way of Birth and Ann Crittenden's The Price of Motherhood. What stands out with embarrassing clarity is her emphasis on the sufferings of a privileged minority. In prose that often lapses into purple, Wolf describes the "savagery" of breastfeeding and the unsheltered wilderness of suburban playgrounds. This work is so unoriginal in its social critique and so limited in its portrayal of the hardships endured by mothers and children and families in this country that it comes across as a weirdly out-of-touch bid for personal attention rather than a genuine expos‚. It is likely to alienate all but the newest and most sheltered mothers.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Steingraber turns to embryology to follow the growth and development of the child she is carrying. While describing the intricacies of fetus development with lyrical prose, she notes a heightened awareness of environmental hazards that threaten the unborn. Our industrial society produces toxic substances that can cross the placenta and appear in breast milk. She issues a wake-up call in the tradition of Rachel Carson as she welcomes her daughter, Faith, into the world. Both of these books are excellent companions to mainstream pregnancy guides such as What To Expect When You're Expecting (Workman, 1996). Highly recommended for all collections. [Misconceptions was previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/01; for an interview with Wolf, see p.225.] Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., C.
- Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Table of Contents | Index

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Customer Reviews

94 Reviews

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(21)

Average Customer Review

3.2 out of 5 stars (94 customer reviews)

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3.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant surprise, Jul 21 2007

By	V. Lau "Heather" (Regina, Saskatchewan Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was not sure I would like this book... but I ended up devouring it once I got started! I do have a couple of complaints, that I will get to in a second... but for the most part I really felt that it was a poignant look at the hidden world that many mothers live in today in our culture (myself included). It was an interesting read and very educational. I felt that many of her truths were bang on and it was great to see them in print, instead of just seething inside me!

I was very interested in her discussion of how having children affects a marriage. I read that section aloud to my husband and we talked about it quite a lot the other night... it was a good conversation and he is actually extremely helpful and does work half time so I can work at my dream job the other half (even though economically it is not a choice most families would make). One thing he kept saying is that it is too bad she didn't interview any of these men to get a better understanding of what they were thinking or to point out what they were really doing in contrast to their lip service. He also pointed out that one of the reasons he does a lot more in our relationship is that I TELL him what I want and am extremely assertive about it... I want clear boundaries. Reading the book together did open up lines of communication even more for us and I was really happy to have had the opportunity for us to more deeply connect on the issue of parental responsibility. This is not to say that I don't see where she's coming from on this issue... I have seen the imbalance of power between men and women in nearly every relationship I've been exposed to and have experienced it myself... but those were some of the comments my partner and I had in regards to that issue anyhow.

One thing that I was stunned to see were her scathing comments about La Leche League. I find it ironic that although Naomi Wolf is a very observant feminist she saw fit to criticize a women's organization whose goal is to help other mothers to breastfeed using the latest information available. These women are volunteers who donate hours and hours of their time (and the author has already laid out how valuable that time is) to help other families in need. I am well aware that any organization has personalities involved and sometimes there are clashes... I have not always liked certain members of La Leche League groups I have come across... but the reality is that they are just people, donating their time to help other mothers with any breastfeeding problems that may arise. I find it ironic that when she describes the medical establishment she seems to soften her blows, qualifying her criticisms of personal encounters ("my doctor-a compassionate, highly trained physician- wanted to be right about my being in need of his surgical help...") after describing them in detail, allowing the reader to come to her own conclusions about how she feels about the incident. However, when it came to La Leche League her comments were slanderous and not backed up by description ("the Lactation Fascists"... "believe in lactation the way that some people believe in redemption - sees nursing as a moral imperative.") Obviously she has had a different experience with La Leche League than what I experienced. Unfortunately she is not forthcoming about actual information about that encounter, which is a shame because I think it would be unfortunate if she turns away other mothers from FREE help with nursing. Informed help. Passionate and caring help and a hearing ear.

So, in summation, I very much enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to some of my friends who are new moms, but I won't be donating a copy to my local La Leche League group.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly good read, Jul 27 2005

By	N. Visscher (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After having seen Naomi Wolf on the Oprah show defending her book, and listening to the mothers who strongly disagreed with her point of view, I was a little apprehensive about reading "Misconceptions". I'll admit that the beginning had me rolling my eyes, wondering if Wolf would ever get to the meat of her essay, but I was suprised by how much better the book got as I read on. I think she approaches the topic with a balanced view, and never claims that she regrets or despises any of her decisions during her journey to becoming a mother. She had a difficult time of it, to be sure, but I could tell that Wolf was trying to point out what is wrong with the 'factory' type setting of the average American hospital, as well as what the alternatives are. I also appreciate that she covered aspects of motherhood other than the physical ones, such as the effect that having a baby often has on one's marriage. I definitely got the sense that she was terrifically surprised by everything she experienced regarding pregnancy and birth, and it takes a pretty strong woman to admit that the feminist ideal we thought we had won doesn't exactly stand up to a real-life application. Overall, I believe this book is a good starting point for any thinking woman who wants to be as informed as possible in the process towards motherhood.

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5.0 out of 5 stars I love it, Mar 25 2004