Maybe baby : 28 writers tell the truth about skepticism, infertility, baby lust, childlessness, ambivalence, and how they made the biggest decisions of their lives

To breed or not to breed? That is the question twenty-eight accomplished writers ponder in this collection of provocative, honest, soul-searching essays. Based on a popular series at Salon.com, Maybe Baby offers both frank and nuanced opinions from a wide range of viewpoints on parenting choices, both alternative and traditional. Yes: "I've been granted access to a new plane of existence, one I could not have imagined, and would not now live without."—Peter Nichols No: "I can sort of see that it might be nice to have children, but there are a thousand things I'd rather spend my time doing than raise them."—Michelle Goldberg Maybe: "As we both slip into our mid-thirties, my own personal daddy dilemma has quietly taken on an urgency that I frankly didn't expect."—Larry Smith From infertility to adoption, from ambivalence to baby lust, Maybe Baby brings together the full force of opinions about this national, but also intensely personal, debate. To Breed Or Not To Breed? That Is The Question Twenty-eight Accomplished Writers -- Including Anne Lamott, Rick Moody, Kathryn Harrison, And Alisa Valdes-rodriguez -- Ponder In This Collection Of Provocative, Honest, And Deeply Personal Essays. Based On A Popular Series At Salon.com, Maybe Baby Features Parents And Nonparents Alike Exploring How And Why They Decided Whether To Have Children. This Powerful Collection Offers Both Frank And Nuanced Looks At Those Choices, Both Alternative And Traditional, From A Wide Range Of Viewpoints. From Abortion To Adoption, From Ambivalence To Baby Lust, From Single Parenting To Searching For The Right Partner To Have A Baby With, Maybe Baby Brings Together The Full Force Of Opinions About This National -- But Also Intensely Personal -- Debate. -- Inside Cover. Pt. 1. No Thanks, Not For Me -- To Breed Or Not To Breed / Michelle Goldberg -- Emancipation From Propagation / Elinor Burkett -- It's Not In My Nature To Nurture / Cary Tennis -- The Baby Stops Here / Lionel Shriver -- The Life I Was Meant To Have / Luisita López Torregrosa -- The Impossible Me / Lesley Dormen -- Pt. 2. On The Fence -- Bloodthirsty Dwarves / Rick Moody -- They Will Find You / Rebecca Traister -- The Rise From The Earth (so Far) / Maud Casey -- Beyond Biology / Stephanie Grant -- The Daddy Dilemma / Larry Smith -- Next Stop, Motherland / Lakshmi Chaudhry -- Redemption / Joe Loya -- Pt. 3. Taking The Leap -- Parenting On A Dare / Amy Benfer -- Not A Pretty Story / Dani Shapiro -- Second Time Around / Lauren Slater -- We'll Always Have Paris / Peter Nichols -- Surprise, Baby / Maggie Jones -- Cradle To Grave / Kathryn Harrison -- Mother's Little Helper / Laurie Abraham -- A Dad's Affidavit / Louis Bayard -- Once More, With Feeling / Joan Gould -- Triple Threat / Amy Richards -- Diagnosis : Broken / Alisa Valdes-rodriquez -- One Is Enough / Neal Pollack -- Mama Don't Preach / Amy Reiter -- My Tribe / Asha Bandele -- Road Trip / Andrew Leonard. Edited By Lori Leibovich ; Foreword By Anne Lamott. "Growth is a fundamental human need. It is at the root of everything that gives us a feeling of accomplishment, satisfaction, meaning, and progress. Yet many people find their growth stalled at some point. In The Laws of Lifetime Growth, Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura offer ten simple laws that everyone can use to keep a fresh, innovative perspective on their lives and the world around them. These laws are the distillation of Sullivan's years of coaching successful people, paying attention to what motivates them and what unlocks their greatest abilities. Each chapter is devoted to exploring one of the ten laws in detail, including stories of people from all walks of life who exemplify the law in action, common pitfalls that people often run into trying to apply the law, and practical strategies for getting past those obstacles. Once you start to integrate these laws into your life, you'll never outgrow them, they'll never become obsolete, and they will continue to lead you to greater happiness and fulfillment."--Publisher's website In a thought-provoking compilation of essays from Salon.com, twenty-eight celebrated writers--including Rick Moody, Kathryn Harrison, Lauren Slater, and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez--share their thoughts on parenthood in twenty-first-century America as they look at their individual decisions on whether or not to become a parent. 30,000 first printing. 28 writers tell the truth about skepticism, infertility, baby lust, childlessness, ambivalence, and how they made the biggest decision of their lives. WHEN PEOPLE LEARN THAT I'M IN MY LATE TWENTIES, happily married, and am not planning to have children, they respond in one of two ways.