Mamaphonic: Balancing Motherhood and Other Creative Acts

by Bee Lavender (Editor), Maia Rossini (Editor)

A smart, sexy, alternately funny and heartbreaking look at balancing art and motherhood, told in the artists' own words.

Do you have a toddler seat strapped in the back of the tour van? Do you write poetry while the baby naps? Have you discovered that becoming a mother has changed not only your daily life but the content of your creative work?

Mamaphonic is an anthology about mothering and the creative process. The book includes confessions and conversations about the true, exhilarating, entertaining, and difficult aspects of remaining creative while raising kids.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Memoir

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2004

About the author

Bee Lavender is an activist, author, entrepreneur, and expat. Her contributions as a social media pioneer caused Time Magazine to call her a "reigning mother superior," and she was the CEO of a company acquired by Facebook. She is the critically-acclaimed author of Lessons in Taxidermy (Akashic US, Orion UK, Bra Bocker Sweden) and editor of the anthologies Breeder (Seal Press) and Mamaphonic (Soft Skull). Her work has been reviewed and featured in a wide array of outlets like Fast Company, USA Today, The New Yorker, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, Salon, Time Out, NPR, and the BBC. Her writing regularly appears in magazines, newspapers, anthologies, and radio programs in both the United States and the United Kingdom. She lives in London and NYC.

Reviews

[Richard]

Do you have a toddler seat strapped in the back of the tour van? Do you write poetry while the baby naps? Have you discovered that becoming a mother has changed not only your daily life but the content of your creative work? Mamaphonic is an anthology about mothering and the creative process. The book includes confessions and conversations about the true, exhilarating, entertaining, and difficult aspects of remaining creative while raising kids. It’s a smart, sexy, alternately funny and heartbreaking look at balancing art and motherhood, told in the artists’ own words.

[Asher · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were some amazing, inspiring essays about being a Mama and an artist (of one type or another) in this book. I was reminded that I am not alone in my struggles to balance mothering and being a creative woman, and I got some good ideas on how to mingle the two.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, I have an essay in this book! how cool is that?

[mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories. Woman finding (or maintaining) a sense of selfhood in spite of all the odds as they journey into motherhood.

[Ciara · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read an awful lot of books about parenting for someone who actually does not have a child. i don't even have any super-close friends who have children. i don't even do anything that involves interacting with children on a regular basis, like being a children's librarian or an elementary school teacher or something. what's my deal? blame the time i spent attending midwifery school. obviously this is a book about being a parent. the sub-title sums it up: it's essays from various parents (exclusively moms, i think) who are engaged in various creative pursuits--writers, artists, musicians, etc. they address the question of how to find time to both pursue these creative endeavors (which are oftentimes necessary for income & financial solvency) & also parent. maybe it deserves more than three stars, because i did think it was a pretty good book, but i guess i marked low since i am not yet a parent (& won't be for several years, if ever) & therefore can't really say whether or not these essays talls with my personal experience or whatever. is that a jerk move? i mean, these ladies are doing something pretty fucking difficult. a big reason i am not yet a parent is because i didn't think i could balance a baby & all the other stuff i want to do with my life right now, but these ladies went ahead & are making the most of the situation. & still finding time to write about it.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Not all essays, mind you, but some really rang true to me. As an almost-40 mama of a 3 year old, so much of this resonated with me and helped me feel connected to the struggles I was facing post-baby. An important read for any mothers struggling with balancing their own creative thoughts, endeavors, plans and dreams. Not a perfect collection, but I wish there were more books out there like this in the parenting dept. Most do little for me and don't speak to me at all.

[Susannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My sweet husband picked this up for me in NYC a few weeks ago, which is just one more tiny thing to add to a long list of things that make me love him to pieces. We'd never discussed the book, but I knew of it and had been wanting to read it. So here we go.

Update: Some good essays, some forgettable ones. It's hit or miss, but a nice read for creative/arts-oriented expecting moms.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology is hit and miss-- there are some very important and thought-provoking essays, as well as art, poetry, etc., speaking to the difficulty in balancing motherhood with creativity/time for self. Some of the pieces are not as strong or don't delve sufficiently below the surface, but overall, I'd recommend it.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

some good essays, many blah ones. Muffy Bolding's stood out as particularly good. I find the premise that many of the authors start with - "my art is inherently important" - a bit suspect, but I also recognize that I'd be better off if I had more such confidence in my own talents and importance.

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a compilation of short stories by various authors. While I really enjoyed reading some of the stories, many of them I didn't. The beauty of this type of book is that you can just skip a story or two if you prefer.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bunch of essays by women about their experiences being artists while mothering.

[S.E. Shurtleff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to the mother-writers who opened their hearts to share these honest and beautiful essays.

[jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

nonfiction, compiled essays, motherhood, artists, mamas, parenting, babies, toddlers, radicals, art

[Fabiola Sandoval · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book ... it's been a while since I read it and I strongly recommend it, especially to new mamas.

[Amethyst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartening for mothers of babies and young children who feel at a loss for how to recapture their own mind throughout the constant interruptions of motherhood.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories of artist mamas balancing life with kids and keeping it real in their creative life.

[Megan Snyder-camp · Rating 4 out of 5]

practical perspectives