By reminding us that, for most women, having and rearing children provides a sense of meaning and fulfillment that nothing else in life offers, this groundbreaking book not only challenges feminist doctrine but asks us to reconsider fundamentally the status and perception of motherhood in our society. Drawing on sources that range from classic literature to contemporary clinical studies to her own experience as a working mother of three young children, Daphne de Marneffe writes with grace and lucidity as she explores the pleasures of motherhood--its emotional, intellectual, and spiritual rewards--and projects a radical new vision of women's lives today.