Time for some shelf indulgence...with Rare Birds Book Club
Today is World Book Day and if it inspires you to send a literary motherhood masterpiece to the special woman in your life for Mother’s Day here are three top reads chosen by Rachel Wood, founder of Rare Birds Book Club.
Rachel Wood founder of Rare Birds Book Club
Let’s be honest, a ‘World’s Best Mum’ mug just isn’t going to cut it after the year we’ve had and in fact, the last 12 months have highlighted, for many, just how much they actually do lean on their mother figure for support. For others, there is a new found respect and awareness of just how hard the role of ‘mum’ really is. With this in mind here are Rachel’s top three non-fiction reads that are - in equal measures - moving, funny and perfectly mirror the joys, highs and lows of motherhood.
Mother Ship by Francesca Segal
When her twin girls are born early, Francesca Segal finds herself in uncharted territory; the neonatal ward is a far cry from the romantic vision of motherhood she imagined. But in the milk express room, amongst the other women, hope emerges as she meets a community of new mothers who are fearless and inspiring, there for each other during one of the most difficult moments of their lives. This gripping diary of the early months keeping vigil while her daughters fought for survival is tender, honest and compulsively readable.
I Am Not Your Baby Mother by Candice Brathwaite
“Where are all the black mothers?” - it’s the question that sparked this thought-provoking guide to motherhood, written for the black mothers who are too often excluded from the mainstream maternity narrative. Braithwaite uses her trademark sense of humour to create a straight-talking guide to help new mothers navigate everything from pregnancy to primary school, while also dealing with white privilege, microaggressions and the unconscious bias women of colour face with maternity care.
The Hungover Games by Sophie Heawood
When Sophie Heawood found herself unexpectedly pregnant, she struggled to find books that reflected women like her. Her single status and hectic lifestyle as a journalist seemed miles away from the nuclear families described in the classic parenting guides. This brilliant memoir is a smart and funny look at what to expect when you’re not expecting.
