DEBORAH COPAKEN
Writer / Photographer
“A sharp and heartfelt eyewitness guide to international conflicts, obscure social movements, injustices and half-forgotten uprisings of the 1980s and early ‘90s…Shutterbabe has all the makings of a spectacular memoir. Kogan has led a fascinating life (a half-life, really—she’s only 34), lived it fully and with gusto, reflected on it with intelligence and humor, and written about it, sometimes humbly, always lucidly.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Flashy and exciting.”
—The New York Times
“Appealingly wry, copiously descriptive and often witty…Kogan brings her photographic gift—an eye for the well-chosen image—to her writing , and the effect can be unforgettable….Unlike so many memoirs, it is eloquent and well-observed, not only about the world: war, death, photojournalism and, of course, the worldwide battle between the sexes.”
—The Washington Post Book World
“How could a mother kill her children? This breathtaking first novel from photojournalist Kogan attempts a heart-wrenching answer. . . . [An] unflinching portrait of filicide, which still manages to find light in the darkness of a very disturbing subject.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An amalgamation of autobiography, true crime and melodrama. . . . The story is so engaging… a credit to this narrator’s wonderfully appealing voice: funny, frustrated, likable, totally candid about her desires and failings…The perfect book club book.”
—Washington Post
“The author is masterful at showing the fluid state of mothering in all its kaleidoscopic dimensions – the highs and lows, the angry moments counterbalancing affection, and the depths to which some will go to ‘protect’ loved ones. This exceptional, riveting novel will haunt you long after you’ve reached the end.”
—Rocky Mountain News
“The former war photojournalist delivers funny, surprisingly riveting ‘tales of maternal combustion’ in this book of collected essays.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“[Kogan] brings a biting wit to such topics as meddlesome parents spreading not-very-nice gossip about your child at school; dealing with an unexpected illness amid family crises and the editing of a piece for the New York Times, and becoming a reluctant stage mom as your son embarks on a fledgling movie career. The problems Kogan and her family encounter aren’t that much different from the ones we all face in our daily existence — she just describes them better. And as you methodically make your way from story to story about transportation problems, health-care issues, dealing with both parents working and kids with a raft of activities, you will find yourself (as I did, many times) nodding your head in acknowledgment, ‘Yes, I’ve been there!'”
—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“A smart, funny, engrossing, and action-packed meditation on women’s lives, growing up, having and not having it all, class and the expectations that come with having gone to Harvard, love lost and found, infidelity and sexuality, and finally, loss and lying, especially to yourself.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Hilarious, addictive…a brilliant, exquisitely modern exposé of just how far from perfect the lives of the elite can be…Kogan’s characters are so fully realized, their dilemmas so profoundly human, that we come to see them not as members of the vaunted ruling class but as flawed, farcical versions of our own imperfect selves.”
—People, a “People Pick” 4 out of 4 stars
“Destined-to-be-a-classic…a sharply funny, clear-eyed examination, in the vein of Mary McCarthy’s The Group, of the power and burden of privilege, the reality of being a modern woman, and the lasting bonds of female friendship.”
—Vanity Fair
“The ABC’s of Adulthood is the perfect combination of humor, wisdom, practical advice, and gorgeous photos. An invaluable resource for anyone grappling with the challenges of being a grown-up (and isn’t that all of us?).”
-Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project
“I read the ABC’s of Adulthood thinking it would be appropriate for my kids, and found its wise and witty lessons relevant for myself, too. And I’ve been making my bed every morning since!”
-Ayelet Waldman, author of Love and Treasure
You will come back to The ABCs of Parenthood again and again, whenever you need to remember the big picture or the fact that children are as breathtaking as the images on these pages.”
–Diane Debrovner, Parents Magazine
The ABCs of Parenthood is a warm, witty, wise and visually delightful book. Absolutely essential reading for anyone who’s had a parent, been a parent, wants to be a parent or knows a parent. An utter gem!
–Julie Klam, author of You Had Me at Woof
This book will teach you to stop hovering and worrying and start letting go and enjoying the ride. I plan on giving it to every new parent I meet.
–Ayelet Waldman, author of Love and Treasure
Boasting a rich palette of colored pages and exquisite photos, not just of babies but of saxophones, ice cream, birds, and more, this would be a lovely baby shower gift. Verdict: Guaranteed to make any expectant mother weep.
—Library Journal