Privacy by Molly Young is a chapbook in diary entry form about her pregnancy. At just 80 pages long, it's based on a journal the author started keeping when 16 weeks into her pregnancy in an attempt to be a participant-observer in the process. The well written entries feel like a combination of journal, essay and memoir rolled into one. I've seen Privacy referred to as a chapbook and a zine, but the author calls it a zine so let's go with that.
In the Preface, Young notes there are many books about birth and motherhood but wonders why there are so few about pregnancy. While considering why that might be, I also found myself pondering her choice of title and whether it could be a play on the words private and pregnancy.
Young has been published in the New York Times Magazine and her literary writing style and distinct sense of observational humour had me smiling and chuckling as I was reading. Here's a taste:
"Noticed that “prenatal” and “parental” and “paternal” are anagrams. Made a list of Things That Are Delivered: Babies, mail, speeches, verdicts, messages, pizza." Page 53Young reads and comments on an 1882 manual called Enlightened Woman and pamphlets from the 1940s to humorous effect. Covering her pregnancy from 16 weeks until the the baby is born and can almost roll over at 8 weeks old, Privacy is a quick and entertaining read.
While it's difficult to categorise, what's clear is that this is an intimate look at one woman's pregnancy as it happens. With deeply personal observations about the mental, emotional and physical nature of pregnancy, Privacy has broader appeal than women who have given birth or might do so in the future. Recommended to me by a male reader, I don't have children - and I'm past the childbearing age - yet was easily able to appreciate the content Young has generously decided to share with us.
I hope Molly Young has continued writing in her journal about becoming a mother as her unique and witty observations about parenthood would be worth checking out in the future. Thanks to Sam for the recommendation!
Carpe Librum!
