The M Word

There isn't a mother who hasn't thought of herself as stationed far outside maternity's central zone--that imaginary place where all the babies are cooing, bananas are never bruised, and every woman is comfortable enough in her own skin to disregard a magazine's blaring provocation: Are You Mom Enough? In this original and sometimes provocative collection of essays, Saleema Nawaz, Alison Pick, Nancy Jo Cullen, Carrie Snyder, and many others explore the boundaries of contemporary motherhood. There are the women who have had too many children or not enough. There are women for whom motherhood is a fork in the road, encountered with contradictory emotions. And there are those who have made the conscious choice not to have children and then find themselves defined by that decision. Here some of Canada's best writers face down motherhood from the other side of the picket fence. The M Word. It means something to every woman. Exactly what it means is rarely simple. -- Provided by publisher.

A handbook for understanding, embracing and (even) enjoying the rite of passage that is peri-menopause and menopause; outlines the experience, the medical science, treatment options and home remedies; written by a practicing GP and media doctor who has just turned 50 herself. Night sweats, hot flushes, anxiety, insomnia, exhaustion, itchy skin, low libido, painful sex … Any of these sound familiar? Ninety per cent of women experience these symptoms some time between the ages of 40 and 60, but shhhhhhh … just suck it up, princess. And nobody mention the M word. Menopause and perimenopause (the hormonal rollercoaster years leading up to a woman's last period) are among our last taboo subjects. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - once widely prescribed as the magical secret of youth - has been shunned by women and their doctors for two decades. Dr Ginni Mansberg, one of Australia's most trusted health and wellbeing experts, is here to work through the evidence and bust the taboos out of the water. The M Word is all about you and your choices. Are you being offered the best solutions for your menopause issues? Because there are great solutions to help you thrive in this new stage of life. What happens to your body once key hormones begin to diminish? What are the pros and cons of HRT? Which home remedies are worth a shot, and which are snake oil? Plus, how can you shift that menopause weight gain, what's best for your changing skin, how can you exercise your brain (move over, Sudoku) and why are you so bloody itchy all the time? All of this and more is delivered with Dr Ginni's no-nonsense humour and backed up with evidence-based facts and personal anecdotes to help women make informed choices.

Do you find yourself fumbling through motherhood? Join the club! Babies are gorgeous, exhausting, tyrannical little bundles of joy. They demand all of our time, energy and sanity, and give us nothing but cute cuddles in return. We wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes you need someone to turn to, someone who understands your daily wins and worries, from pregnancy to toddlerhood. And that's just what The M Word is here for. Read this and relax, you're doing fine! 'You will laugh, emphatically nod, and find solace in this wonderful book! A must read for all shattered new parents out there.' FEARNE COTTON

Finally, a simple and easy way to tackle the toughest topic of all... MONEY. It's the taboo topic nobody wants to broach, the elephant in everyone's living room. Not surprisingly, talking about money is a major cause of strife in U.S. households today. Planning for a family's future often prompts a total breakdown in communication, causing lasting damage. Research indicates that a staggering 70 percent of heirs lose their money, assets, and family harmony in the aftermath of estate transfers. This brilliant new book is about to change all that. Radio personality and financial advisor Lori Sackler has devoted her professional career to solving the financial problems plaguing families today. Here she introduces a set of groundbreaking tools for anyone who needs to discuss money with loved ones. She shows families how to communicate about money matters through all of life's transitions--changes in financial circumstances, remarriage and merging families, retirement, preparing heirs, and transferring wealth. The M Word will literally change the way your family views, spends, and transfers assets, wealth, and family values. You'll learn how to approach the thorniest of subjects without anxiety or stress, and your family will reap the benefits of secure financial planning for generations to come. Using the author’s five-step action plan to successfully prepare for, initiate, and execute the "money talk," you'll be able to: Understand why the money talk is crucial and challenging for families Tackle the issues that accompany wealth transfers and life's transitions Overcome the roadblocks that can keep families from communicating Prepare yourself and your family--logistically and psychologically--for the money talk Create a process for repeated talk that can keep your family and finances intact The M Word shows you and your family how to negotiate all aspects of financial planning for all generations--without stress or worry. Praise for The M Word "[M]akes a compelling argument for having 'the money talk.'" -- The New York Times "Lori Sackler's advice on overcoming the money taboo will not only help families successfully transfer wealth and deal with all of life's transitions, but actually become happier in the process." -- Shawn Achor, author of the international bestseller The Happiness Advantage "Lori Sackler masterfully delivers honest, timeless, and highly useful guidance that will help investors and their families successfully navigate crucial life transitions and financial decisions." -- David M. Darst, CFA, Chief Investment Strategist, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management "The M Word should be on the bookshelf of every parent looking for guidance on how to talk to the next generation about money." -- Eileen Gallo, PhD, and Jon Gallo, authors of Silver Spoon Kids "The M Word will take you by the hand and give you what it takes to survive and thrive financially during these trying times." -- Joan Hamburg, WOR Radio "Lori Sackler provides many insights about how families can cope with the financial dimensions of what she calls 'life's transitions.'" -- Richard C. Marston, Director of Wharton's Private Wealth Management Program "Families can spare themselves a lot of heartache by reading The M Word." -- Gail Saltz, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, The New York Presbyterian Hospital "I'm ordering books for my sons and stepsons so we can have the 'money talk' Lori's book encourages." -- Martin M. Shenkman, estate planning attorney and author

"Dr Kaye is the mate who's always got your back, she knows her stuff and tells you exactly how it is" SARA COX The complete one-stop guide to the perimenopause and menopause, by Dr Philippa Kaye, with a foreword by Vanessa Feltz Menopause is the last taboo. But it does not have to mean the end of your libido, of sex, of work, or of feeling like who you used to be. With modern treatments and evidence-based knowledge, no woman need suffer or "just about" manage. You are still who you are - let's celebrate that. Let's get informed and get empowered to make our own choices about our symptoms, our treatments, our minds and our bodies. The M Word covers everything from understanding symptoms to managing relationships to which treatments really work. Discussing HRT as well as self-help and lifestyle tips, this fully updated edition of the bestselling book will be your companion through the years before, during and after the menopause. Topics covered include: Hot flushes and other physical symptoms Psychological symptoms Sex, libido and contraception HRT and other treatments Lifestyle changes Health after the menopause And much more! Written in a positive, uplifting and light-hearted style, with plenty of quotes from real women, this book shows you how to not just survive, but thrive through the menopause, letting you remain you.

Moya. The M Word. Whisper it. Conceal it. But, please, never mention it ... Maggie Yates tells her best mate Moya everything. She tells her about Mum losing her job – how Mum's taken to crying in secret. She even tells her about her foolproof plan to cheer Mum up: find her a fella with cash to splash. Moya's with her every step of the way. I'll help, she smiles. Though you're surfing a rainbow if you think someone like that exists round here. But at the back of her mind Maggie knows that Mum's crying is more than sadness. That there are no easy fixes. And that she shouldn't be speaking to Moya any more. Because Moya died months ago. An unforgettable novel about grief and healing from Costa Children's and Irish Book Award-winner Brian Conaghan

This important new collection has seven sections examining multiple aspects of mothering in contemporary art: History, Criticism, Theory, Artists? Writings, Text/Image work, Interviews, and Visual Art. This stunning book includes full colour photographs and contributions from: Mary Kelly, Susan Suleiman, Mignon Nixon, Jane Gallop, Margaret Morgan, Andrea Liss, Aura Rosenberg, Barbara T. Smith, Sherry Millner, Ellen McMahon, Renée Cox, Gail Rebhan, Marion Wilson, Judy Glantzman, Denise Ferris, Youngbok Hong, Camille Billops, Patricia Cué, Monica Mayer, Cheri Gaulke, and more.

"Each of these twenty-six short stories takes an elaborate, circuitous path that leads to a 'weighty' one-word punch line."--School Library Journal