{"product_id":"9780811222976","title":"Little Labors","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRivka Galchen’s \u003cem\u003eLittle Labors\u003c\/em\u003e is a droll and dazzling compendium of observations, stories, lists, and brief essays about babies and literature\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSei Shonagon’s \u003cem\u003ePillow Book\u003c\/em\u003e—a key inspiration for Rivka Galchen’s new book—contains a list of “Things That Make One Nervous.” And wouldn’t the blessed event top almost anyone’s list?\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLittle Labors\u003c\/em\u003e is a slanted, enchanted literary miscellany. Varying in length from just a sentence or paragraph to a several-page story or essay, Galchen’s puzzle pieces assemble into a shining, unpredictable, mordant picture of the ordinary-extraordinary nature of babies and literature. Anecdotal or analytic, each part opens up an odd and tender world of wonder. The 47 Ronin; the black magic of maternal love; babies morphing from pumas to chickens; the quasi-repellent concept of “women writers”; origami-ophilia in Oklahoma as a gateway drug to a lifelong obsession with Japan; discussions of favorite passages from the Heian masterpieces \u003cem\u003eGenji\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Pillow Book\u003c\/em\u003e; the frightening prevalence of orange as today’s new chic color for baby gifts; Frankenstein as a sort of baby; babies gold mines; babies as tiny Godzillas …\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLittle Labors–atomized and exploratory, conceptually byzantine and freshly forthright–delights.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New Directions Publishing Corporation","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47128344658160,"sku":"9780811222976","price":13.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780811222976_p0.jpg?v=1763741980","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780811222976","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}