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Impossible Motherhood : Testimony of an Abortion Addict by Irene Vilar (2009, Trade Paperback)
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Authors : Irene Vilar. Impossible Motherhood: Testimony of an Abortion Addict. Title : Impossible Motherhood: Testimony of an Abortion Addict. LIKE NEW! Has a red or black remainder mark on bottom/exterior edge of pages.
- Buy It NowImpossible Motherhood: Testimony of an Abortion Addict, Irene Vilar, Excellent B
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherOther Press, LLC
ISBN-101590513207
ISBN-139781590513200
eBay Product ID (ePID)71762001
Product Key Features
Book TitleImpossible Motherhood : Testimony of an Abortion Addict
Number of Pages240 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicWomen, Psychopathology / Compulsive Behavior, Abortion & Birth Control, Personal Memoirs, Educators
Publication Year2009
GenreSocial Science, Biography & Autobiography, Psychology
AuthorIrene Vilar
FormatTrade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height0.4 in
Item Weight9.9 Oz
Item Length8.5 in
Item Width5.5 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN2009-012880
ReviewsForeWord Magazine "Vilar does not mean to advocate on either side of the abortion debate; ranging far beyond the politics of abortion, her book is a controversial and intense tale of generational and national traumahellip;[Vilar is] a writer of brutal honesty and profound intelligence."-ForeWord Magazine "Impossible Motherhoodis like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." -JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OFTHE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book likeImpossible Motherhood, Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a book-and yes, confess to such a troubling story." BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OFEASY IN THE IS LANDS, "Nuanced, intellectually ambitious and unnervingly frank."- The Washington Post "The strength of [ Impossible Motherhood ] lies in exposing the need to talk about abortion as a public health issue. It's impossible to take abortion out of the realm of morality, religion and politics and place it solely in the medical realm, along with diabetes and cancer and high cholesterol. But it is crucial to see it, first and foremost, as an issue of the human body: a woman's body."- The Miami Herald "Extraordinary and incendiary…a potential launching pad for a discussion about abortion that is more personal than political…Vilar turns her experiences into a reminder that the complexity of abortion extends beyond the scientific and political arenas… Impossible Motherhood doesn't shy away from the wounds that are part of Vilar's journey toward independence; it embraces them, making her remarkable story full of assurance but free of bitterness."- Bitch Magazine " Impossible Motherhood tells why [Irene Vilar] had 15 abortions in 16 years…How is that humanly possible in either sense of the word-the moral or the physical? In the telling, however, it seems as inevitable as sunrise...Vilar, who eventually escaped this horrid cycle to have two children, writes not to excuse, but to explain herself." - Elle Magazine "In Impossible Motherhood Vilar does exactly what the best memoirists do: She tells us the truth about everything, even when the truth utterly confounds….[Vilar] tells [her story] to us with courage and grace and a true writer's skill."- The Oregonian "Vilar does not mean to advocate on either side of the abortion debate; ranging far beyond the politics of abortion, her book is a controversial and intense tale of generational and national trauma…[Vilar is] a writer of brutal honesty and profound intelligence."- ForeWord Magazine " Impossible Motherhood is like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OF THE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book like Impossible Motherhood , Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a bookand yes, confess to such a troubling story." BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OF EASY IN THE IS LANDS "Irene Vilar's dramatic and beautifully drawn story forces the reader to confront the power of sexuality and procreation that often is the only power a young woman perceives she owns in this world. IMPOSSIBLE MOTHERHOOD is profound, raw, wrenching, and honest to the bone. Yet despite the title, its message is that no matter how intense the pain one has experienced, healing and redemption are in fact possible."-Gloria Feldt From the Trade Paperback edition., “Nuanced, intellectually ambitious and unnervingly frank.�- The Washington Post “The strength of [ Impossible Motherhood ] lies in exposing the need to talk about abortion as a public health issue. It's impossible to take abortion out of the realm of morality, religion and politics and place it solely in the medical realm, along with diabetes and cancer and high cholesterol. But it is crucial to see it, first and foremost, as an issue of the human body: a woman's body.�- The Miami Herald “Extraordinary and incendiary&a potential launching pad for a discussion about abortion that is more personal than political&Vilar turns her experiences into a reminder that the complexity of abortion extends beyond the scientific and political arenas& Impossible Motherhood doesn’t shy away from the wounds that are part of Vilar’s journey toward independence; it embraces them, making her remarkable story full of assurance but free of bitterness.�- Bitch Magazine " Impossible Motherhood tells why [Irene Vilar] had 15 abortions in 16 years&How is that humanly possible in either sense of the word-the moral or the physical? In the telling, however, it seems as inevitable as sunrise...Vilar, who eventually escaped this horrid cycle to have two children, writes not to excuse, but to explain herself." - Elle Magazine “In Impossible Motherhood Vilar does exactly what the best memoirists do: She tells us the truth about everything, even when the truth utterly confounds&.[Vilar] tells [her story] to us with courage and grace and a true writer’s skill.�- The Oregonian "Vilar does not mean to advocate on either side of the abortion debate; ranging far beyond the politics of abortion, her book is a controversial and intense tale of generational and national trauma&[Vilar is] a writer of brutal honesty and profound intelligence."- ForeWord Magazine " Impossible Motherhood is like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." –JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OF THE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book like Impossible Motherhood , Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a book–and yes, confess to such a troubling story." –BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OF EASY IN THE IS LANDS "Irene Vilar's dramatic and beautifully drawn story forces the reader to confront the power of sexuality and procreation that often is the only power a young woman perceives she owns in this world. IMPOSSIBLE MOTHERHOOD is profound, raw, wrenching, and honest to the bone. Yet despite the title, its message is that no matter how intense the pain one has experienced, healing and redemption are in fact possible."-Gloria Feldt From the Trade Paperback edition., "Impossible Motherhoodtells why [Irene Vilar] had 15 abortions in 16 years…How is that humanly possible in either sense of the word-the moral or the physical? In the telling, however, it seems as inevitable as sunrise...Vilar, who eventually escaped this horrid cycle to have two children, writes not to excuse, but to explain herself." -ElleMagazine "Vilar does not mean to advocate on either side of the abortion debate; ranging far beyond the politics of abortion, her book is a controversial and intense tale of generational and national trauma…[Vilar is] a writer of brutal honesty and profound intelligence."-ForeWord Magazine "Impossible Motherhoodis like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." -JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OFTHE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book likeImpossible Motherhood, Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a bookand yes, confess to such a troubling story." BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OFEASY IN THE IS LANDS, "Nuanced, intellectually ambitious and unnervingly frank"-The Washington Post "Extraordinary and incendiary...a potential launching pad for a discussion about abortion that is more personal than political arenas...Vilar turns her experiences into a reminder that the complexity of abortion extends beyond the scientific and political arenas...Impossible Motherhooddoesnrs"t shy away from the wounds that are part of Vilar's journey toward independence; it embraces them, making her remarkable story full of assurance but free of bitterness" -Bitch Magazine "Impossible Motherhoodtells why [Irene Vilar] had 15 abortions in 16 years...How is that humanly possible in either sense of the word-the moral or the physical? In the telling, however, it seems as inevitable as sunrise...Vilar, who eventually escaped this horrid cycle to have two children, writes not to excuse, but to explain herself." -ElleMagazine "Vilar does not mean to advocate on either side of the abortion debate; ranging far beyond the politics of abortion, her book is a controversial and intense tale of generational and national trauma...[Vilar is] a writer of brutal honesty and profound intelligence."-ForeWord Magazine "Impossible Motherhoodis like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." -JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OFTHE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book like Impossible Motherhood, Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a book-and yes, confess to such a troubling story." -BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OFEASY IN THE IS LANDS "Irene Vilar's dramatic and beautifully drawn story forces the reader to confront the power of sexuality and procreation that often is the only power a young woman perceives she owns in this world. IMPOSSIBLE MOTHERHOOD is profound, raw, wrenching, and honest to the bone. Yet despite the title, its message is that no matter how intense the pain one has experienced, healing and redemption are in fact possible."-Gloria Feldt, "Impossible Motherhood is like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OFTHE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book like Impossible Motherhood, Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a bookand yes, confess to such a troubling story." BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OF EASY IN THE IS LANDS, "Nuanced, intellectually ambitious and unnervingly frank"-The Washington Post "Extraordinary and incendiary...a potential launching pad for a discussion about abortion that is more personal than political arenas...Vilar turns her experiences into a reminder that the complexity of abortion extends beyond the scientific and political arenas…Impossible Motherhooddoesn't shy away from the wounds that are part of Vilar's journey toward independence; it embraces them, making her remarkable story full of assurance but free of bitterness" -Bitch Magazine "Impossible Motherhoodtells why [Irene Vilar] had 15 abortions in 16 years...How is that humanly possible in either sense of the word-the moral or the physical? In the telling, however, it seems as inevitable as sunrise...Vilar, who eventually escaped this horrid cycle to have two children, writes not to excuse, but to explain herself." -ElleMagazine "Vilar does not mean to advocate on either side of the abortion debate; ranging far beyond the politics of abortion, her book is a controversial and intense tale of generational and national trauma...[Vilar is] a writer of brutal honesty and profound intelligence."-ForeWord Magazine "Impossible Motherhoodis like a journey into a harrowing underworld but guided by Vilar's gifts and her light we emerge in the end transformed, enlightened, and oh so alive." -JUNOT DIAZ , AUTHOR OFTHE BRIEF WONDROUS LI FE OF OSCAR WAO "I have never read a book like Impossible Motherhood, Irene Vilar's disturbing, heart-wrenching, and ultimately triumphant memoir, for the simple and understandable reason that no one of her gender has ever summoned the brutally raw, transcendent courage to write such a book-and yes, confess to such a troubling story." -BOB SHACOCHIS , AUTHOR OFEASY IN THE IS LANDS "Irene Vilar's dramatic and beautifully drawn story forces the reader to confront the power of sexuality and procreation that often is the only power a young woman perceives she owns in this world. IMPOSSIBLE MOTHERHOOD is profound, raw, wrenching, and honest to the bone. Yet despite the title, its message is that no matter how intense the pain one has experienced, healing and redemption are in fact possible."-Gloria Feldt
Dewey Edition22
Dewey Decimal616.85/84 B
SynopsisIrene Vilar was just a pliant young college undergraduate in thrall to her professor when they embarked on a relationship that led to marriage--a union of impossible odds--and fifteen abortions in fifteen years. Vilar knows that she is destined to be misunderstood, that many will see her nightmare as an instance of abusing a right, of using abortion as a means of birth control. But it isn't that. The real story is part of an awful secret, shrouded in shame, colonialism, self-mutilation, and a family legacy that features a heroic grandmother, a suicidal mother, and two heroin-addicted brothers. It is a story that looks back on her traumatic childhood growing up in the shadow of her mother's death and the footsteps of her famed grandmother, the political activist Lolita Lebrn, and a history that touches on American exploitation and reproductive repression in Puerto Rico. Vilar seamlessly weaves together past, present, and future, channeling a narrative that is at once dramatic and subtle. Impossible Motherhood is a heartrending and ultimately triumphant testimonial told by a writer looking back on her history of addiction. Abortion has never offered any honest person easy answers. Vilar's dark journey through self-inflicted wounds, compulsive patterns, and historical hauntings is a powerful story of loss and mourning that bravely delves into selfhood, national identity, reproductive freedom, family responsibility, and finally motherhood itself--today, Vilar is the mother of two beautiful children., Irene Vilar was just a pliant young college undergraduate in thrall to her professor when they embarked on a relationship that led to marriage a union of impossible odds and fifteen abortions in fifteen years. Vilar knows that she is destined to be misunderstood, that many will see her nightmare as an instance of abusing a right, of using abortion as a means of birth control. But it isn't that. The real story is part of an awful secret, shrouded in shame, colonialism, self-mutilation, and a family legacy that features a heroic grandmother, a suicidal mother, and two heroin-addicted brothers. It is a story that looks back on her traumatic childhood growing up in the shadow of her mother's death and the footsteps of her famed grandmother, the political activist Lolita Lebron, and a history that touches on American exploitation and reproductive repression in Puerto Rico. Vilar seamlessly weaves together past, present, and future, channeling a narrative that is at once dramatic and subtle. Impossible Motherhood is a heartrending and ultimately triumphant testimonial told by a writer looking back on her history of addiction. Abortion has never offered any honest person easy answers. Vilar's dark journey through self-inflicted wounds, compulsive patterns, and historical hauntings is a powerful story of loss and mourning that bravely delves into selfhood, national identity, reproductive freedom, family responsibility, and finally motherhood itself today, Vilar is the mother of two beautiful children."
LC Classification NumberHQ767.V55 2009
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- Nov 24, 2020
I dont know yet.
This looks like a good read.But havent read it yet.Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
