Only Children

Trafalgar Square, 1989. Very Good. The joys of Motherhood. Are they all one great lie?" In carefully orchestr ated, parallel stories of two New York couples and their sons from birth th rough age five, Yglesias explores this and other contemporary parenting iss ues. The story moves carefully between the Golds and the Hummels in a sort of literary counterpoint that becomes more staccato in the second half of t he book. Educated professionals with good incomes, both sets of parents hav e excellent intentions but are crippled by emotional "baggage": they are ad ult children ("only children") themselves. The children are unusually brigh t, but their development, like their parents', is impeded by complex psycho logical issues. Yglesias writes with insight, showing how true adulthood co mes with self-awareness, pain, and understanding. Definitely recommended.