The Ten Year Nap

The Ten Year Nap
By Meg Wlitizer
Thank you Caitlin of FSB Associates for allowing me to review this book.


The Ten Year Nap is about four mothers that worked till they had their children.
They were content staying at home and taking care of their children and families. The story opens up on a sleepy morning in New York City when the alarms are sounded across town.

Amy, Jill, and Roberta ask themselves many quilt ridden questions. They question their decision that they have made for themselves. Should I have went back to work or am I content taking care of my children. This is a question that is probably asked many times in back of stay at home mother's heads. Amy's mother, a novelist questions her daughter about going back to work.

Ten years later they wake up( hence the title), and find their children becoming independent. Finding that their children need them less and less. What is a 40 something mother to do?? Should she go back to work. Or stay with her children.


The book is a jumping off point for book clubs for possibly stay at home moms. This is a good book that would have a good discussion. I can see it getting a little heated. Amy lost herself after her son was born. She woke up to ask, who am I. I think the novel asks what makes a mother, and what makes a good mother.

There were times I was routing for Amy other other times I was down right angry. saying are you stupid.

Who is to say if it is right or wrong. I can remember when I was a young mothers there were heated discussions of The Mommy Wars. This is interesting is it possible to have happiness in both worlds.

Who is to say if it is right or wrong. I can remember when I was a young mother and I wondered the same thing. I would feel guilty leaving my child going to work and and not being there for him.

Who knows what the right answer is. I just know that I was a stay at home mother and I did what I felt was best. I am not going to give any opinions because this would be a very heated argument.

I have seen chick lit books on the subject but never any book to make you think about it.

This is a great discussion starter for stay-at-home-moms book clubs.
I could not connect with these characters that well but I wanted to continue the book. I could relate with what the characters were going through and that led me to finish it. If you were expecting a resolution there was not any.
I give it ****/*****(4/5) for just the attempt for trying to tackle the issue of parenting. Staying at home vs. working mom.