Join the Carpe Librum Book Discussion Group on Thursday, March 3, to discuss Rumaan Alam's complex and gorgeous book, That Kind of Mother.
In 1985, Rebecca Stone, a first time mother, is overwhelmed by and exultant over her new baby boy. Rebecca is more than happy that her husband is willing to let her be the sole child-rearing parent. She plans, in the spirit of Princess Diana, her personal hero, to juggle motherhood and her desire to be a poet, with grace and humor.
The privileged Rebecca secures a wise and orderly nanny, Priscilla Johnson, whose presence "shakes up Rebecca's preception of the world," during a time when race is again a "flashpoint" in society. Rebecca encounters her own blind spots about race, and through her deep connection with Priscilla, realizes her own privilege. When Priscilla dies in childbirth, Rebecca steps forward to adopt the baby. But, she has no idea what it is like to be a white mother to a black son.
This compelling and complex novel is a story about the "collision of class, race, and family."
The discussion will take place on Zoom at 5:30 p.m.. Contact Pamela Bosben at pbosben [at] rgpl.org for the link.