"One of the main topics of cultural conversation is the supposed "fertility crisis, " and whether modern women can figure out a way to way to have it all--a successful, demanding career and children--before their biological clocks stop ticking. Now, however, conversation has turned to whether it's necessary to have it all or whether children are really a requirement for a fulfilling life. The idea that some women and men prefer not to have children is often met with sharp criticism and incredulity. In these essays thirteen acclaimed female writers explain why they have chosen to eschew motherhood. Contributors include Lionel Shriver, Sigrid Nunez, Kate Christensen, Elliott Holt, Geoff Dyer, and Tim Kreider, among others, who will give a unique perspective on the overwhelming cultural pressure of parenthood. This collection makes a passionate case for why parenthood is not the only path to a happy, productive life, and takes our parent-centric, kid-fixated, baby-bump-patrolling culture to task in the process"--Provided by publisher.