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Capturing the nuance of Mother's Day

A woman keeps out of the hot sun in the shade of a tree while she reads a book in the Boston Common. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
A woman keeps out of the hot sun in the shade of a tree while she reads a book in the Boston Common. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's Saturday morning newsletter, The Weekender. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here


The spotlight has been on mothers this week at WBUR, from Cognoscenti’s CitySpace event with Kate Baer on redefining motherhood for the 21st century, to the difficult questions people receive after committing to be child-free.

Mother’s Day is tomorrow. For many, it’s a complex holiday that can bring up a range of emotions. “Grown Ups,” a 2022 novel by Marie Aubert, offers a fresh look at some of them.

The book is narrated by the protagonist, Ida, an architect who — while personally debating whether or not she should have children — is confronted with two representations of what motherhood could entail. During several days with her mother, sister and brother-in-law (and his child) at her family’s summer cabin in Norway, Ida reflects on the feelings of envy, loss and fear at the idea of being a mother. And when some seemingly good news is revealed by Ida’s sister, the mood at the cabin grows sour — fast.

Though a quick read at only 154 pages, the book offers a modern perspective on motherhood and a powerful snapshot of Ida’s life. For fans of the 2021 Norwegian film “The Worst Person in the World,” you’ll find Ida just as complicated, cruel and sympathetic as the film’s protagonist Julie. The story depicts the personal crises we go through when figuring out whether to adhere to society’s expectations of us or live how we’d like, despite the consequences that may come.

If you like spend beautiful weekends like this with a book in the sun (or the shade), we have good news: There’s a lot more reading recommendations on the way.

WBUR’s seasonal Beach Books newsletter — which I’ll be writing with book critic Christian Burno — returns in less than two weeks on May 24. Click here to subscribe and get suggestions all summer long for New England reads perfect for a day at the beach.

And don’t hold back with your own readings recs. Reply to this email and let me know what book is at the top of your to-read list right now!

P.S. — Still looking for a gift for mom? Send some Winston Flowers from WBUR and support your source for news. There’s still time to get them delivered tomorrow, if you order by noon today.

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Hanna Ali Associate Producer
Hanna Ali is an associate producer for newsletters at WBUR.

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