Fruto: Bearing the Burden of Care (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780872869165)

Mothering always comes at a price, paid by women regardless of their means.

"A book that penetrates the devastating reality of care work, offering understanding and invaluable company. As if it were a secret remedy, in Mexico we've seen Fruto: Bearing the Burden of Care circulate amongst sisters, mothers, daughters and friends. I'm sure that in distant lands it will be just as treasured."--Jazmina Barrera, author of Linea Nigra: An Essay on Pregnancy and Earthquakes

After the birth of her first child, the relentless work of motherhood left award-winning Mexican journalist, Daniela Rea feeling overwhelmed, despairing, and afraid of losing her identity. She took up the tools of her trade and began a series of interviews with other women, some mothers, some caregivers. As she listened to their experiences of providing care for others, sometimes under extreme circumstances, she began to find a place and a meaning for her own story.

Fruto examines the personal and social contradictions of care. Fourteen voices weave in and around Rea's own, punctuated by diary entries from her first days of motherhood and reflections on her upbringing that are sparked by a lengthy interview with her own mother. Throughout, she engages with an international women's chorus of philosophers and feminists, poets and essayists, and the result is a compelling page turner that chronicles a journey of listening in search for meaning.