Jennifer Traig

Recalling the agony of growing up as an obsessive-compulsive religious fanatic, Traig fearlessly confesses the most peculiar behaviour - like scrubbing her hands for a full half-hour before meals, feeding her stuffed animals before herself, and washing everything she owned because she thought it was contaminated by pork fumes!

Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood

Devil in the Details

From a distinctive, inimitable voice, a wickedly funny and fascinating romp through the strange and often contradictory history of Western parenting Why do we read our kids fairy tales about homicidal stepparents? How did helicopter parenting develop if it used to be perfectly socially acceptable to abandon your children? Why do we encourage our babies to crawl if crawling won’t help them learn to walk? These are just some of the questions that came to Jennifer Traig when—exhausted, frazzled, and at sea after the birth of her two children—she began to interrogate the traditional parenting advice she’d been conditioned to accept at face value. The result is Act Natural, hilarious and deft dissection of the history of Western parenting, written with the signature biting wit and deep insights Traig has become known for. Moving from ancient Rome to Puritan New England to the Dr. Spock craze of mid-century America, Traig cheerfully explores historic and present-day parenting techniques ranging from the misguided, to the nonsensical, to the truly horrifying. Be it childbirth, breastfeeding, or the ways in which we teach children how to sleep, walk, eat, and talk, she leaves no stone unturned in her quest for answers: Have our techniques actually evolved into something better? Or are we still just scrambling in the dark?

A Cultural History of Misadventures in Parenting

Act Natural

From the critically acclaimed author of "Devil in the Details" comes this hilarious first-person account of life as a hypochondriac, as well as a look at the condition's history and broader cultural context.

A Cultural History of My Hypochondria

Well Enough Alone

Victoria Traig

Tchotchkes, Schmattes & Nosherei

Judaikitsch

Crafty Girl: Slumber Parties answers the critical question: How to host a slumber party that isn't a snore? Here, complete plans for fourteen fabulous themed fetes offer dozens of dreamy ideas for midnight munchies, hilarious games, clever crafts, fun sleepover flicks, and more. Guests will enjoy getting supercrafty at the all-night-long Beadapalooza, the sparkliest party around. The relaxing Bliss-Out Spa Party encourages attendees to chill, with beauty treatments and tasty refreshments fit for a film star. And the creepy Night on Haunted Hill will scare the squeals out of every girl in sight. The ultimate guide to partying in one's PJs, Crafty Girl: Slumber Parties lets any hostess transform an ordinary sleepover into a spectacular slumberama.

Things to Make and Do

Crafty Girl: Slumber Parties

Why do we read our kids fairy tales about homicidal stepparents? Exhausted, frazzled, and at sea after the birth of her two children, Traig began to interrogate the traditional parenting advice she'd been conditioned to accept at face value. The result is a deft-- and hilarious-- dissection of the history of Western parenting, moving from ancient Rome to Puritan New England to the Dr. Spock craze of mid-century America. Have our techniques actually evolved into something better? Or are we still just scrambling in the dark? -- adapted from jacket

Counsels writers on the process of authoring a memoir as demonstrated by such memoirists as Frank McCourt and Art Spiegelman, in a guide that shares tips for staying motivated and keeping readers engaged.

The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir

The Autobiographer's Handbook

Chris Monks

Are you the world's worst parent? Could be, but you won't know for sure till your child starts writing confessional poetry, asks to speak to the manager at an Applebee's, or launches a YouTube channel. In the meantime, let the humorists of McSweeney's guide you through every step of parenthood, from IVF to empty nest. This practical anthology collects the most popular parenting humor writing from McSweeney's Internet Tendency, plus loads of brand-new quizzes, lists, musings, questionable advice, harangues, primal screams, and more. An essential handbook for aspiring helicopter moms, disaffected soccer dads, and hovercrafting basketballing aunts/uncles/cousins--or anyone else who needs something to read while holed up in the bathroom for some "me" time. Includes: Nihilist Dad Jokes Are You the Worst Fucking Parent? Decoding Your Teenager's Glares: A Comprehensive Guide "We're Pregnant," Said a Man Romantic Tips to Help Spice Things Up for Couples With Four Children and Two Full-Time Jobs Hello, I'll Be Your Toddler Tour Guide For This Trip Out The Front Door Our Daughter Isn't a Selfish Brat; Your Son Just Hasn't Read Atlas Shrugged Please Let Me Put My Disease-Riddled Hands All Over Your Baby! Why I Decided Not to Have an OBGYN and Let Wendy From Work Handle My Prenatal Care Instead In Retrospect, the Theme for Chad's 4th Birthday Party Should Not Have Been "Stanford Prison Experiment" Hey, Mom and Dad, I Made a Delicate, Structurally Unsound Craft That You Get to Carry Home In the Rain Your School District's Reopening Survey I'm The World's Best Dad Because Once I Watched My Kid When My Wife Wasn't Around How to De-Feralize Your Children for Back-to-School I Don't Know What the Big Deal About Having a Baby Is

Jennifer Traig

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