Growing Seasons: Half-baked Garden Tips, Cheap Advice about Marriage and Questionable Theories on Motherhood

For Annie Spiegelman, motherhood is a full-time job. The hours are long, the pay is lousy, and the recognition is almost nil. Then, during her son’s second year, her mother, with whom she has always had a tempestuous relationship, becomes ill. In this wonderfully wry and touching collection of journal entries written to her son, Spiegelman chronicles her insights, insecurities, joy, and confusion about family and parenthood. While her son is going on his second, hell-raising year and her mother’s illness is making her increasingly dependent, Annie also deals with the surprising difficulty of becoming a Master Gardener and her changing relationship with her husband. Finally, Growing Seasons is a celebration of family in all its comfort and complexity.