(M)otherhood: On the choices of being a woman

Product Description Extremely open in its honesty and meticulously researched, (M)otherhood probes themes of infertility, childbirth and reproductive justice, and makes a powerful and urgent argument for the need to tackle society's obsession with women's bodies and fertility. Review "An exhilarating, genre-defying read . . . seamlessly interwoven with statistics, quotes and scientific evidence to clever narrative effect . . . reminiscent of Olivia Laing's writing on loneliness or the body . . . The whole thing adds up to the most thoughtful, empathic and inspiring science of the self" -- VIV GROSKOP ― Observer "Absolutely sensational. Revelatory and of its time, challenging myths and ingrained perceptions. I could not put it down. Everyone should read this" -- MICHAEL CASHMAN, CBE, co-founder of Stonewall "Brilliant, brave, beautiful . . . such an inspiring book" -- ELIF SHAFAK "Riveting. Agarwal writes with searing honesty and tenderness about the joys and agonies of becoming a mother, of trying and failing to conceive again, and then of pursuing a route to motherhood that's widely seen as taboo . . . Agarwal writes beautifully about her own complicated experience" ― Guardian "Intimate and insightful, Pragya Agarwal expands the meaning of the word motherhood in this brilliant book. This is urgent, essential reading for everyone" -- AVNI DOSHI "A wide-ranging, searingly honest and timely intervention into the framing of a fundamental and fraught choice, as well as an impassioned defence of ambivalence as part of the human condition" -- OLIVIA SUDJIC "(M)otherhood is a valuable step towards a literature that acknowledges the breadth and variety of the parenting experience and its cultural meanings. It is touchingly personal and brave" -- ANGELA SAINI, author of Superior: The Return of Race Science "Powerful and compelling . . . Agarwal is a precise, elegant writer who seeks answers by embracing complexity" ― New Statesman "A book about the disparate forces of duty, stereotypes, pressure, double standards and expectations forced upon women, Agarwal cuts through all of it to examine the multiplicity and complexity of motherhood in all its myriad forms. A moving, urgent and necessary read, ultimately it is a book about love" -- LAURA BATES "Courageous, tender, painfully resonant and beautifully written - this is such a wise and generous exploration of womanhood and identity, and deserves to be read as widely as possible" -- DAISY BUCHANAN Book Description Part memoir and reflective analysis, Pragya Agarwal examines motherhood and fertility and how it shapes all our lives From the Back Cover Extremely open in its honesty and meticulously researched, (M)otherhood probes themes of infertility, childbirth and reproductive justice, and makes a powerful and urgent argument for the need to tackle society's obsession with women's bodies and fertility. About the Author Dr Pragya Agarwal is a behavioural and data scientist. She has held a number of senior academic positions in US and UK Universities for over 15 years and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. As well as numerous research papers, she is the author of three widely acclaimed non-fiction books, Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias, Wish We Knew What to Say: Talking with Children about Race and (M)otherhood: On the choices of being a woman, and a book Standing Up To Racism for young children. Her journalistic writing has appeared in the Guardian, Prospect, Forbes, BBC Science Focus, Scientific American and New Scientist amongst others, and her essays have appeared in several literary magazines. A passionate campaigner for racial and gender equity, Pragya has given keynote talks around the world. She is a two-time TEDx speaker, a TEDx Women organiser and the founder of a research think-tank The 50 Percent Project. Pragya has been awarded the Transmission Prize for making complex scientific ideas accessible and the Nesta Crucible award for scientific innovatio