Book Review: Waiting for Daisy, By Peggy Orenstein
By: Stefanie Luna, LMFT
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I just finished reading Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Fertility Doctors, An Oscar, An Atomic Bomb, A Romantic Night, and One Woman’s Quest to Become a Mother, by Peggy Orenstein. Now that’s a title! And a perfect one for the memoir that follows.
As a reader I felt like a close friend with whom the author shares her story. The book begins when the ambivalent author finally decides she wants to be a mom only to find out it may not be that easy. What follows is a twisting, turning, painful and often hilarious journey through the world of infertility and into the land of motherhood.
Of course the topic immediately interested me as a therapist with a focus on infertility counseling but I think this book has universal appeal. I found myself wondering how it would all turn out and staying up an extra half hour to sneak in a few more pages. There are several twists and turns along the way that keep you guessing about how motherhood will find her. I found myself cheering her on, longing for her dream to come true, laughing at her unfiltered observations, wanting to console her, worrying about her marriage and ultimately applauding the insight and wisdom she ultimately gains.
This book does such a great job of highlighting the pain of infertility and how easy it is to get swept away by the technology of having a baby that the essential self becomes lost and wayward. It poignantly illustrates the toll infertility can take on a marriage (partnership).
My only critique of the book is that I wanted to hear more about the emotional support she utilized during her struggle. But then again, I’m a therapist so I would want to know that.
This would be a great book for anyone that wants to better understand the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of not being able to have a baby. As a cautionary tale, I think it could also be a valuable resource for couples struggling to build a family. I would also highly recommend it to friends and family members who want to support a loved one during the pain of infertility.
Beyond a story of infertility and the search for motherhood this book is about obsession, regret, timing, hope, love and miracles. It is simply a great story, well told.
©Copyright 2008 by Stefanie Luna, LMFT. All Rights Reserved. Permission to publish granted to GoodTherapy.org. The following article was solely written and edited by the author named above. The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the following article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment to this blog entry.
Click here to contact Stefanie and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile