The Maternal Is Political: Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change
Author: Shari MacDonald Strong
The saying is true: The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. And the world has never needed mothers more. World and national leaders can't agree on how to educate our children or empower us to feed our families, on how to join together as a global community or keep us safe. Fortunately, mothers-the most underestimated and unsung political group-hold the future in their arms and hands.
Whether they're starting ambitious movements by taking on urgent matters that affect millions or speaking quietly within their homes and communities, the mothers in this collection are, like mothers everywhere, making a difference one person, one issue, one wrong-that-needs-righting at a time. For moms who are willing to fight that good fight, The Maternal Is Political is a comfort, an inspiration, fuel for the fire, and a roadmap to a better future ... for us and for all of our children.
Publishers Weekly
In a raw and emotional literary anthology, 30 women express their frustrations about motherhood, their disappointment with unsupportive work environments and their deep desire for social change. In her debut effort as an anthology editor, Strong brings together voices of veteran and first-time writers in a cacophony of cries that mothering isn't just personal, it's political. The stories include Jennifer Margulis and her husband who, unable to reconcile full-time work and parenting, quit office work and begin a home business; and Helaine Olen's horror stories of "mean moms" in playgroups who look down on stay-at-home mothers. Anne Lamott writes of the difficulty of espousing a pro-choice position before a largely Catholic audience. This book has a liberal bent, and happy, content mothers don't get much airtime. Young women considering motherhood may be taken aback by the rage and unchecked anger in some of the essays and the lack of solutions presented. But if shock spurs action, this anthology has done its job.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents:
Foreword Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner 1Introduction Shari MacDonald Strong 5
Believe
Motherhood Made Me Do It Judith Stadtman Tucker 15
Alien Sarah Masterson 25
Mom, Interrupted Marrit Ingman 30
Rebel Mom Tracy Thompson 40
As a Mother Nancy Pelosi 48
Life Under Construction Jennifer Margulis 50
Of Volcanoes and Ruins and Gardens Violeta Garcia-Mendoza 59
Mothers Against Faith Marion Winik 67
Well-Behaved Women Jennifer Niesslein Stephanie Wilkinson 70
The Secret Lives of Babysitters Sarah Werthan Buttenwieser 75
My Bus Karen Maezen Miller 83
On Receiving Notice of My Stepdaughter's Pregnancy Mary Akers 89
Shown the Ropes J. Anderson Coats 94
In Albania Mona Gable 101
Teach
Twists in the Plot Jennifer Brisendine 111
First-Grade Values Susie Bright 124
How to Make a Democrat from Scratch Stephanie Losee 129
Revolution on Your Skin Susan Ito 135
Because I'm Not Dead Ona Gritz 138
Making a Minyan in Vermont Nina Gaby 147
The Making of a Scholar Vera Landry 155
Chubby Cheeks, Dimpled Chin Margaret McConnell 164
Mothering in Real Time Jane Hammons 174
All-Consumed Alisa Gordaneer 181
Playground Prophets Carolyn Alessio 189
Girl-Shy Kris Malone Grossman 194
A Letter to My Daughter at Thirteen Barbara Kingsolver 201
Act
The Maternal Is Sustainable Rebecca Walker 219
Politics of the Heart Jennifer Graf Groneberg 225
Campaign Confidential Ann Douglas 230
One Hundred and Twenty-Five Miles Amy L. Jenkins 240
The Mean Moms Helaine Olen 243
One Day Benazir Bhutto 250
Trying Out Gayle Brandeis 253
Good Riddance, Attention Whore Cindy Sheehan 260
Adoption in III Acts Kathy Briccetti 264
Performing Mother Activism Beth Osnes 280
Pregnant in New York Anna Quindlen 285
The Born Anne Lamott 289
Signora Gigi Rosenberg 293
Raising Small Boys in a Time of War Shari MacDonald Strong 298
The Mother Is Standing Denise Roy 309
Peace March Sans Children Valerie Weaver-Zercher 314
Interesting textbook: Herbal Remedies or Yoga for Stress Relief
Forensic Nurse: The New Role of the Nurse in Law Enforcement
Author: Serita Stevens
ON THE FRONT LINES
A young victim of a hit and run is brought to the ER...A college student thinks she may have been raped....A homeless man is covered with chemical burns but won't say how he got them... Across the country, in moments of crisis, nurses are often the first witnesses to acts of trauma. And when the human body itself is a crime scene, what a nurse does—from asking the right questions to preserving the key evidence—can make all the difference in the world.
IN THE HEART OF THE ACTION
Now, a new kind of nurse is being deployed to the front lines. Detective, advocate, caregiver: specially trained forensic nurses play an increasingly critical role in cases of violence, negligence and mayhem—and giving justice a fighting chance.
AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME...
This book chronicles dozens of riveting cases, from the bizarre to the commonplace. Spotlighting pioneering personalities in forensic nursing today, this book shows how forensic nurses do their job, why they often become key witnesses in trials, and how these unsung heroes help police solve society's most baffling crimes.
Publishers Weekly
The author, a registered nurse and mystery writer (Bagels for Tea), does an excellent job of conveying the importance of an emerging medical specialty. Because forensic nurses described by Stevens as "law enforcement's secret weapon," with a "unique combination of medical skill, legal knowledge, and criminology" are often first on the scene of a crime or in an emergency room, they are in a unique position to collect evidence regarding accidents, alleged sexual assault, spousal abuse and other violent incidents. Stevens details how forensic nurses are trained to preserve and interpret evidence that physicians may overlook. A sexual assault nurse examiner, for example, assists alleged rape victims with a careful physical examination, an in-depth interview and emotional support. Stevens shows how savvy FNs deal with physicians who resent forensic nurses, viewing them as encroaching on their territory (she suggests telling the doc, " `I would love to have you do this exam... the whole six hours of interviewing... and doing the evidence collection.' See how quickly they back out"). Drawing on case histories, Stevens describes how forensic nurses are trained to remain objective, serve as legal witnesses and work with law enforcement. She also highlights the problems these skilled nurses face, such as inadequate compensation. Agent, Lettie Lee of the Ann Elmo Agency. (Sept. 20) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
Stevens, a registered nurse and mystery author, paints a vivid picture of how forensic training now enables the nurse to play the traditional patient-advocate role in groundbreaking ways, such as identifying suspicious injuries, gathering evidence, and working with law enforcement. Nurses function in a forensic capacity when they care for criminals within the criminal justice system, work as legal nurse consultants for law firms, or, most important, encounter victims of crime or abuse. Stevens's goal is to define and promote this rapidly growing field; unfortunately, her book is not up to that task. Inadequately researched, repetitive, and poorly written, it also devotes too much space to presenting numerous case studies. There is coverage of various forensic roles, but the text is unevenly weighted to "Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner." Another flaw is the outdated and incomplete bibliography. Although this is the only book available on the topic, it is recommended only for the most extensive nursing collections. Bridget Faricy-Beredo, Lorian Cty. Community Coll., Elyria, OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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