Because I Said So: 33 Mothers Write about Children, Sex, Men, Aging, Faith, Race, and Themselves

This book is more valuable than most child care raising books out there. This book addresses everything regarding raising kids, raising husbands and raising yourself. After reading some of the short stories you will realize how lucky we all are,no matter what our circumstances.

I enjoyed reading this book during midnight wakings when my son was 6 months old. These are sweet short stories by excellent writers and real moms. I love to give this book to friends who are expecting.

Great to read a book from a mother's perspective. Written on subjects other than spit-up and carpooling.

This book has 33 stories written by 33 intelligent women who happen to be mothers. Stories cover the gamut of breaking cultural rules, losing a successful business and starting over, dealing with divorce, moving to a foreign country and leaving your children behind, facing a difficult situation when the kids love the nanny as much as the mother, and other topics that many of us would never dream of confronting. For those who have faced such situations, these stories remind us we're not alone. I don't know how to do these stories justice with this review. I feel like a friend sitting across from the author of the story, telling her tale as if I were her best friend because of the intimate details she shares. The stories don't have a hint of whining children, male bashing, or "woe is me" moaning. After reading a story, don't be surprised if you wish you could meet the author and become her friend. Instead, meet a Muslim woman who deals with the stigma of having a child out of wedlock in "The Scarlet Letter Z." Meet a woman whose father killed himself when she was young and she didn't find out till eight years later - then her own husband was killed leaving her a widow at 34-years-old with a child on the way in "On Giving Hope." Meet a woman who arranged to have a dinner with her husband at a five-star restaurant and everything prior to the event goes wrong as she explains, "Why I Can Never Go Back to the French Laundry." Mothers sometimes feel disconnected like their lives are all about their children and their activities. Reconnect by reading these essays and take strength in knowing there are smart women who happen to have the title of Mom added to their list of roles and accomplishments. They talk about motherhood beyond sleepless nights, potty training, carpooling, or food battles. Read stories about autism, spousal abuse, growing up, babysitters, dolls, parents-to-be from different races, and a single woman having two children by artificial insemination. Expect to learn life lessons from these stories as these women have grown from experiencing life. You might walk away with something you didn't have before reading the book. I am stunned by some of the revelations as I can't imagine admitting such things to a friend much less to a faceless public, which no doubt includes family and friends. The honesty reminds us that it's OK to feel or think this way - it doesn't make us bad, just human. The essays vary in length so a mom can squeeze a little reading between feedings, a few minutes before going to sleep, while waiting in the carpool line, or during lunch break. Any time spent with this book is gratifying and worth every minute.

This is one of my top Five books of 2005. In fact, this is the best book I have read this year. If I could give it a ten, I would. I identified with each of the authors in this collection of essays ~~ even though some of their experiences I may not share, they are writing from the deep reaches of their hearts and souls. This book is not only a collection of essays of women from all ages and all walks of life ~~ it is about Everywoman. It's about you and me. When I started reading this book, I thought, oh, I'll have one favorite essay. Nope. I have more than one ~~ in fact, I love them all. These women have a wonderful and rare gift of expressing their thoughts and feelings on paper. They are inspirational for me to be the best mother, wife, friend, daughter that I can be. And if you're worried that this is all about women writing about children and parenting ~~ your fears are groundless. These women are writing about everything. They write about divorce, race, religion, abuse, love, tenderness, parenting, babysitting, watching their children grow up, dealing with prejudice,having nannies, being banned from the mosque and more. These women write of real experiences. These women are not angry writers. They are thoughtful and reflective writers, writing with prose, humor and lyrical rhyming. These women reveal their strength and grace in their essays. They don't have any male-bashing in their essays nor are they bitter or angry. They just write and their feelings and thoughts flow together in a wonderful chime of words. If I have any regret from reading this book, it's this one. I wish I could meet each and every single one of these essayists and sit down with them and just talk. I have learned so much from the little they've shared within this book, that I want to learn more. They are inspirational for women like me who do like to read and think. These women take in their events that changes them and in a small way, they change my perceptions and thoughts. A reader cannot walk away from this book without gleaning something from this book. It's just impossible. These writers make you stop and think about issues that you may not even be aware of. They challenge the status quo, so to speak. You cannot be comfortable with life after reading some of these essays ~~ but like I said, they're not angry writers, just perceptive and challenging writers. They force you to think, whether you like it or not. I highly recommend this book for every woman and men too. Men can learn a lot about women and what we think just from reading this book. If you're looking for a wonderful Mother's Day gift for the thinking and reading woman in your life, this book is it. I also recommend it for high school/young women to read ~~ it gives them an idea of what women face every day as they juggle the roles of motherhood and wifehood or single parenting or just being a woman in today's world. This is a wonderful book and a best gift for everyone to add to their booklist