Accidentally on Purpose - by Mary F Pols (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

At thirty-nine, movie critic Mary Pols knew she wanted to have a baby. But never--not in a million years--on her own. When she finds herself unexpec-tedly expecting, she plunges into the greatest adventure of her life. With humor, insight, and compelling honesty, Pols reveals what it means to compromise in the name of love and to find joy in an accidental life, suddenly brimming with purpose.

Review Quotes

"[Pols writes] with humor and grace. . . . It's rare to find such honesty, even in an account so personal. Grade: A-" -- Entertainment Weekly

"Sharp, witty and slightly self-deprecating, she alternates clever, camera-ready one-liners with intense self-revelations about parents, children, love and family...." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"Ms. Pols is a charming and insightful storyteller, and her memoir is both engrossing and endearing ..." -- New York Observer

"Her writing is mesmerizing and lyrical. I laughed and cried and shook my head at some of her choices, but I rooted for her and her son the whole way." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Much as Pols's story resembles the Judd Apatow movie, it is distinct in its heartfelt description of a woman who has come up against the edge of youth and expectation." -- Cookie Magazine

"It's funny, intimate, wise, and real, and we get to root for forty-something Mary, her twentysomething coparent, Matt, and their little son, Dolan, now four." -- Elle

"Amid joy and heartbreak, Pols grows from a self-absorbed and judgmental whiner into a self-aware adult and loving mother. It's her transformation that makes this memoir an unforgettable read." -- Diablo Magazine

"Bay Area film critic Pols chronicles her unexpected pregnancy and journey into not-quite-single motherhood....A page-turner by someone who stopped waiting for Mr. Perfect." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Candid and unaffected, Pols provides an important lesson about not being willing to compromise herself, and that being brave can bring the richest rewards." -- Publishers Weekly

"... a well-written, emotionally honest memoir of Pols' journey to motherhood and increased maturity.... She details with wit and humor her efforts to juggle her many challenges..." -- BookPage

"...far transcends its particulars...thoughtful, funny and sexy...a delightful meditation on partnership, desire, fulfillment..." -- Peggy Orenstein, bestselling author of Schoolgirls and Waiting for Daisy

"Astutely witty...will grip you to the very last page. This is a feminist tale for our age." -- Heidi Julavits, author of The Uses of Enchantment

"... [A] touching, funny, and brutally honest story...[Pols] is opinionated, vulnerable, droll, tenacious, acerbic, loyal...real." -- Kate Moses, author of Because I Said So: 33 Mothers Write About Children, Sex, Men, Aging, Faith, Race & Themselves