{"product_id":"little-labors-9780811225588","title":"Little Labors","description":"\u003cp\u003eSei Shonagon's \u003ci\u003ePillow Book\u003c\/i\u003e--a key inspiration for Rivka Galchen's new book--contains a list of \"Things That Make One Nervous.\" And wouldn't the blessed event top almost anyone's list?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eLittle Labors\u003c\/i\u003e is a slanted, enchanted literary miscellany. Varying in length from just a sentence or paragraph to a several-page story or essay, Galchen's puzzle pieces assemble into a shining, unpredictable, mordant picture of the ordinary-extraordinary nature of babies and literature. Anecdotal or analytic, each part opens up an odd and tender world of wonder. The 47 Ronin; the black magic of maternal love; babies morphing from pumas to chickens; the quasi-repellent concept of \"women writers\"; origami-ophilia in Oklahoma as a gateway drug to a lifelong obsession with Japan; discussions of favorite passages from the Heian masterpieces \u003ci\u003eGenji\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Pillow Book\u003c\/i\u003e; the frightening prevalence of orange as today's new chic color for baby gifts; Frankenstein as a sort of baby; babies gold mines; babies as tiny Godzillas ...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLittle Labors-atomized and exploratory, conceptually byzantine and freshly forthright-delights.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e New Directions Publishing Corporation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/17\/2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780811225588\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 136\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.50lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.20h x 4.70w x 0.60d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/25\/2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/01\/2016\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Rivka Galchen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":36644310778012,"sku":"9780811225588","price":14.41,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_90873f31-006b-4bce-b641-e1d9a350dcc6.jpg?v=1603858328","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/little-labors-9780811225588","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}