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3.5 

Little Labors

By Rivka Galchen
Little Labors by Rivka Galchen digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

In paperback at last: Rivka Galchen’s beloved baby bible—slyly hilarious, surprising, and absolutely essential reading for anyone who has ever had, held, or been a baby

In this enchanting miscellany, Galchen notes that literature has more dogs than babies (and also more abortions), that the tally of children for many great women writers—Jane Bowles, Elizabeth Bishop, Virginia Woolf, Janet Frame, Willa Cather, Patricia Highsmith, Iris Murdoch, Djuna Barnes, Mavis Gallant—is zero, that orange is the new baby pink, that The Tale of Genji has no plot but plenty of drama about paternity, that babies exude an intoxicating black magic, and that a baby is a goldmine. 

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Little Labors Reviews

3.5
“Little Labors is a collection of fragmented musings on motherhood, literature, and daily life. The book isn’t particularly deep or structured—it reads more like a series of scattered thoughts from a new mother. Some passages are insightful or beautifully written, while others feel like filler. If you're in a reading slump, this might be a good pick since it's light, short, and easy to dip in and out of. However, if you're looking for something more profound or cohesive, this might not be the best choice.”

About Rivka Galchen

RIVKA GALCHEN's 2008 first novel, Atmospheric Disturbances, and her 2014 story collection, American Innovations, were both New York Times Best Books of the Year. She has received many awards, as well as an MD from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Galchen lives in New York City.

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