BOOKENDS

A journey through the losses, experiences, and books that have made one woman’s life.

Owens, creator of the podcast Moms Don’t Have Time To Read Books, found solace in books early on in her life, using reading to cope with her social anxiety and her parents’ divorce. Later in childhood, she developed a love of writing as well as a desire to help other girls and women feel less alone by sharing her own stories. Owens writes openly about a college friend who was killed on 9/11, the first in a series of tragedies the author endured. In her grief, she turned to writing, reading, and food. She wrote her first book, which, though the idea didn’t sell, ignited a passion that would direct the course of her life. She married (details of her first marriage are omitted) and had four children, and the combination of fulfillment and stress that came with being a mother inspired her to start her podcast, which she has since expanded into other ventures. Owens recounts falling in love again after divorce and offers encouragement and advice to mothers and women trying to get it all done. Her insights into dealing with grief are touching, and readers experiencing loss may find solace in her story. Though Owens approaches the immense privilege she has enjoyed all her life with tact and honesty, it may still alienate some readers: “I’d taken town cars in my private life: my parents insisted I take a Skyline credit ride car whenever I went downtown. The subway was strictly prohibited.” The author’s candid voice is approachable, but she is prone to clichés. Of a moment between her and her husband, she writes, “If it were a comic book drawing, there would be electric sparks flying as we both stopped to look at the impact of his innocent hand on my shoulder.” At the end, Owens includes a 10-page list of “all books referenced” in her memoir.

The author’s genuine voice and sincere storytelling are marred by clunky prose.