Boston Herald
columnist Teitell gives her unvarnished view of life as a new mom in this latest in a spate of "tell it like it is" motherhood memoirs. Like its predecessors, Teitell's memoir is a mom-centric comedy beginning with pregnancy and ending with the revelation that she really is a good parent. Her observations walk the fine line between comic and horrifying, as when she describes a friend as "one who might
go with the less expensive softer mattress—the increased risk of SIDS be damned—if it meant she could still go to the expensive highlights place." Teitell's insistence that nannies "have become cappuccinoed, which is to say anyone can have one," is a little off-putting, although her riff on her subterfuge to hire one is amusing. Teitell occasionally comes across as self-indulgent, but for the most part, her observations are on the mark. Her account of "mommy dating"—that treacherous world of finding a mom and toddler both you and your child like for play dates—is so eerily and wonderfully accurate it'll have moms cringing. In fact, anyone who's ever felt insufficient as a parent at one time or another will empathize with Teitell. Moms, especially those dealing with toddlers, will certainly find glimpses of themselves. Agent, Brettne Bloom at Kneerim & Williams. (Apr.)
Forecast:
Broadway touted Teitell at a lunch this fall, so expect to see coverage in women's and parenting magazines, which could spur Mother's Day sales.
