Author(s): Sarah Menkedick

Art of the Essay

At thirty-one, Sarah Menkedick undergoes the biggest and most transformative adventure that she never anticipated: she moves into the tiny cabin on her family's form and begins the journey into motherhood. In vivid and bold prose, Menkedick explores the luminous, disorienting time just before and after becoming a mother. After a life spent traveling the globe, she reacquaints herself with the subtle landscapes of the Midwest and ruminates on what this new stage of life can mean for long-held concepts of self, settling, and creative fulfillment. This is the poignant, wondrous story of a traveler come home; of becoming a mother in spite of reservations and doubt; and of learning to appreciate the power and beauty of the quotidian. Homing Instincts speaks to the deepest concerns and hopes of a generation. Book jacket.