Book review: When We Remember to Breathe

When we remember to breathe

There is a sea change happening in parenting books – their content and authorship and also the way they are published.

Prescriptive parenting books of the past are being replaced with writing that celebrates the beauty of parenthood, the fleeting realisations, and moments of terror and struggle.

Like ‘Is it Bedtime Yet?  by Emily Writes and friends, ‘When We Remember to Breathe’ is a collaboration this time between two mothers -Michele Powles and Renee Liang.

Powles and Liang have a beautiful, almost whimsical, style of writing. The words flow gently across the page, intuitively exploring what it is that gives meaning to our lives in the new millennium.

Michele Powles has trained in law and been a dancer, producer and now writer and emerging screen writer while Renee Liang, a second-generation Chinese Kiwi is a poet, playwright, paediatrician, medical researcher and fiction writer.

‘When We Remember to Breathe’ examines the parenting process from conception and pregnancy to birth and beyond. Powles and Liang bring their individual perspective to each step of the way and in doing so validate how different everyone’s journey is.

Crowdfunding

Magpie Publishing is a new crowdfunding publisher where, with the community of readers, crowdpublished books are beautifully produced and shipped to eager booklovers.

10 Comments

  1. dawnblyth 30/09/2018 at 9:23 pm

    Parenting is a hard gig! One of the hardest things you will ever do in my opinion. Having a book to read that ‘validates everyone’s different journey’ is a positive step towards a parenting book. I think it is a good reminder that everyone’s journey is so different and that we need to try and remember not to judge other people’s choices.

  2. Alezandra 30/09/2018 at 9:19 pm

    Wow this was interesting. Why did it have to go through crowdfunding is odd as surely publishers out there would see content like these would go a long way especially for parents who are in need of a good book to relate to. Yes, all those clinical how-to parenting books should be chucked (except maybe for 1 or 2…) 😛

  3. felicity beets 27/09/2018 at 4:08 pm

    Loved reading the excerpts from this book, so easy to read, so real, and I look forward to reading this book.

  4. SarahBlair 26/09/2018 at 11:49 pm

    This sounds lovely and more like what parents need rather than a book telling you that you are doing everything wrong and instructing you on the ‘right’ way to parent! The authors though, sound so accomplished that they make me think that I need to step up my game!!

  5. Jen_Wiig 26/09/2018 at 4:02 pm

    I love how parenting books are taking this direction its much more “real” and relatable this way. I recently read one of Nigel Lattas parenting books on raising boys and it was such a fantastic true book but written almost like I was reading a story rather than being lectured or bored by science that makes no sense what so ever. This book sounds like a wonderful addition to the parenting book world and so cool how its crowd funded too rather than trying to be the next New York sellers best list …quality over quantity thats awesome

  6. MuddledUpMolly 25/09/2018 at 9:24 pm

    Sounds like a great read! It’s great to see a share of the profits will be going to Good Bitches Baking, what a laugh!

  7. Shorrty4life1 18/09/2018 at 9:55 pm

    Haha I like that the profits will be shared to good bitches baking that sounds quite funny haha must be part of the mum club 😂. The first book sounded great and this also sounds amazing. She sounds like a very great author with lots of medical information which is great for new parents. Sounds like great reads.

  8. Mands1980 13/09/2018 at 12:20 pm

    Sounds great I just read some of the excerpts written in the book which are in the link to buy the book they actually bring back some memories but these are so real and actually make a book interesting to read I prefer true books written by people who have experienced things before.

  9. Bevik1971 13/09/2018 at 12:11 pm

    Great! I really like the sound of The Good Bitches Baking! That’s something I would love to do 🙂 I’m going to do some investigating! The book sounds good too of course and I would really love to read it

  10. kymmage 12/09/2018 at 7:50 pm

    I have seen this advertised on Facebook as well. It sounds like it will be a great read. Because a lot of parenting is remembering to breathe! Whether it’s because things have turned bad or because you are so proud you’re going to burst, etc. I’m off to check out the crowdfunding!

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