A Life's Work: On Becoming a Mother by Rachel Cusk

I hated being a mother at first. I was completely unprepared for the raw relentlessness of the work. Exacerbating the problem was the isolation; isolation not only from the rest of the world, but from other mothers, smiling mothers, who somehow didn't seem to mind.

I've read a lot of books--a lot of books--on mothering and parenthood. Rachel Cusk is the first author whose voice feels authentic. Sure, The Girlfriend's Guides cover much of the same territory, but for some reason, Vicky thinks this is all funny. It isn't. Rachel knows that. I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with new motherhood. Cusk articulates several dimensions of new mom angst amazingly well.

(A post script: Seven years later, and again with a newborn, I feel delighted each morning at the prospect of spending another day mothering.)