What could possibly make a 21st-century supermom start to feel okay about the fact that she weaned her daughter at only 10 months? A Seattle control freak took a tentative step into a yoga class to heal a sore back and soon discovered the road to peaceful imperfection.The next day Lucy and I were slated to go to baby co-op. This was a highly desirable baby class run at the neighborhood center. I had applied right after Lucy was born. At this cooperative preschool, babies socialized with one another while volunteer moms helped run the school. . . .—Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses, by Claire Dederer (Picador 2012)
I dressed carefully, in my one really expensive striped T-shirt, my most flattering jeans, and a pair of Dansko clogs, the official footgear of overeducated liberal moms. Lucy sported a tie-dyed T-shirt . . . a pair of overalls, and a hand-knitted beret, a form of headgear which I felt sent the right message. I didn't plan to tell anyone that I had not knitted it myself, that it was a hand-me-down from a friend who actually did knit for her child. But its obvious handmadeness would imply that I was a craftsy type. It was quite a house of cards I was building with that knitted pink cap. (pp. 28-29)
Quick Facts
- Setting: North Seattle ("a first cousin of the Upper West Side") and beyond, modern times
- Characters: Claire; her husband, Bruce; her daughter, Lucy; her son, Willie; their extended family; and a handful of friends, yoga teachers, and fellow travelers
- Yoga: Not a yoga how-to and not a yoga manifesto but one woman's realization that although she "couldn't be bothered to learn the right way to do yoga" she would still "continue doing it to the best of [her] ability."
- Themes: parenting, spirituality, self-awareness, control, letting go, acceptance, clarity
- Genre: memoir
This one sounds like a wonderful book! I'm adding it to my list. The setting alone would call to me, as I love Seattle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.
Oh, is this a memoir? I'll have to look for it.
ReplyDeleteOh I may like this vs how I actually feel about yoga or how, I should say, my knees feel about yoga
ReplyDeleteThis is another one that just arrived at my place from the library, and I am hoping that I get the chance to read it before it has to go back. I have sort of become a yoga enthusiast, and usually do it twice a week. I think this is going to be a very interesting book for me!
ReplyDeleteThis really sounds interesting. I'm sort of the same way with yoga -- I do it to the best of my ability, which is not all that great. Fun, though. I'll be looking for this one.
ReplyDeleteShe sounds like me...I keep doing Yoga even though I do it wrong, but it is my best effort! It does help though ;o).
ReplyDeleteI've seen quite a bit of good feedback on this one. Thanks, Candace!
ReplyDeleteSounds like me with my babies, who have since grown up. Well, nearly.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteLove this---> "although she "couldn't be bothered to learn the right way to do yoga" she would still "continue doing it to the best of [her] ability."
♥ Melissa @ Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
This sounds interesting and the yoga concept unique too.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great read!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting, I really love the title! Poser haha! Your Imprint spotlight is a neat idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog :)
April @ My Shelf Confessions
I read this last year and loved it!
ReplyDelete