"Mother" may be the most underappreciated job title of all time, as any woman who has raised children can confirm. Amy Krouse Rosenthal, proud mother of three, can certainly attest to that fact, which is why she has chosen to compile a "scrapbook" of the kinds of things any disheartened or overwhelmed mother needs to hear. She provides encouragement for women who want to start families but are afraid to, and support for women who already have families and sometimes wish they'd never started. The handy format makes this book perfect for picking up between warming bottle fluid, doing laundry, and putting away toys. Her advice will ring true to mothers (and mothers-to-be) of all ages.

Offering a series of essays, anecdotes, vignettes, and asides, the author explores the universal themes of motherhood, from guilt and inadequacy to joy and magic to the astonishing sense of self-discovery that comes with being a mother.

Bestselling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s warm and hilarious guide to motherhood "Mother" may be the most underappreciated job title of all time, as any woman who has raised children can confirm. Amy Krouse Rosenthal, proud mother of three, can certainly attest to that fact, which is why she has chosen to compile a "scrapbook" of the kinds of things any disheartened or overwhelmed mother needs to hear. She provides encouragement for women who want to start families but are afraid to, and support for women who already have families and sometimes wish they'd never started. With Rosenthal’s signature humor mixed with plenty of wisdom and a good dose of reassurance, she reminds moms that it’s ok if their kids don’t like them all the time, that every mom fantasizes about running away, and that moms should take joy in the things they can do better than their kids can—important things, like drawing a piece of toast. Moms will laugh out loud at Rosenthal’s descriptions of chaotic, exhausting, hilarious scenes all moms know too well, and ultimately feel the warmth, joy, and purpose that makes mothering the rewarding job it is. The handy format makes this book perfect for picking up between warming bottle fluid, doing laundry, and putting away toys. Rosenthal’s advice will ring true to mothers (and mothers-to-be) of all ages.

"What is the meaning of life?" Throughout history, people have spent much of their lives trying to explain how the world works and why. Initially, they seek to live better lives and thrive. Ultimately, they seek to find purpose and significance in their existence. Experience the scientific and philosophical journey billions of years in the making to answer the question that all living beings capable of rational thought will ask themselves: why are we here? Over the course of that journey, you will come to understand how humans determine their meaning and, with some of your own analysis, discover your own purpose along the way.

A mother’s moving and honest memoir about the premature birth of her daughter—and the strength and grace that can be found in the midst of life's greatest challenges In her early thirties, Kasey Mathews had it all: a loving husband, a beautiful two-year-old son, and a second baby on the way. But what seemed a perfect life was shattered when she went into labor four months early, delivering her one-pound, eleven-ounce daughter, Andie. The first time Kasey was wheeled into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), nothing prepared her for what she saw: a tiny, fragile baby in a tangle of tubes and wires. All at once, Kasey was confronted with a new and terrifying reality that would test the limits of love, family, and motherhood. In this riveting, honest, and often humorous memoir, Preemie chronicles the journey of one tiny baby’s tenacious struggle to hold on to life and the mother who ultimately grew with her. From hospital waiting rooms to the offices of alternative practitioners, from ski slopes to Symphony Hall, Kasey tries to make meaning of her daughter’s birth and eventually comes to learn that gifts come in all sizes and all forms, and sometimes... right on time.

My Mother's Kitchen is a funny, moving memoir about a son’s discovery that his mother has a genius for understanding the intimate connections between cooking, people and love Peter Gethers wants to give his aging mother a very personal and perhaps final gift: a spectacular feast featuring all her favorite dishes. The problem is, although he was raised to love food and wine he doesn’t really know how to cook. So he embarks upon an often hilarious and always touching culinary journey that will ultimately allow him to bring his mother’s friends and loved ones to the table one last time. The daughter of a restaurateur—the restaurant was New York’s legendary Ratner’s—Judy Gethers discovered a passion for cooking in her 50s. In time, she became a mentor and friend to several of the most famous chefs in America, including Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton and Jonathan Waxman; she also wrote many cookbooks and taught cooking alongside Julia Child. In her 80s, she was robbed of her ability to cook by a debilitating stroke. But illness has brought her closer than ever to her son: Peter regularly visits her so they can share meals, and he can ask questions about her colorful past, while learning her kitchen secrets. Gradually his ambition becomes manifest: he decides to learn how to cook his mother the meal of her dreams and thereby tell the story of her life to all those who have loved her. With his trademark wit and knowing eye, Peter Gethers has written an unforgettable memoir about how food and family can do much more than feed us—they can nourish our souls.