In the Family Way - by Laney Katz Becker (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A novel in the vein of Lessons in Chemistry and Big Little Lies, about the friendship between a group of suburban housewives and a teenage unwed mother as they navigate their pregnancies-both wanted and unwanted-in a time when abortion is illegal and before the women's movement has taken flight. Think of a time-maybe not so long ago!-when women's rights were in question. 1965, "middle America": Abortion is illegal, divorce is shameful, and women can't even get their own bank accounts or sign their own leases. In this novel, a group of women grapple with the issues of the day-and with their own complicated feelings about being wives, mothers-and people. The story centers around a group of women who open up their suburban households to girls from the local home for unwed mothers, teenagers who have gotten themselves "in the family way"-some so naèive they don't even really understand how-and are sent to local families to help out with housework and to be, a little bit, mothered themselves. It's a six-month deal-once their due dates approach, these girls go to the hospital to give birth, they give up their babies, and they have agreed never to contact their "host families" again. Obviously, this gets complicated when real people are involved, and the people here are real and complicated: a woman who desperately wants, and keeps losing, babies, the wife of a nice Jewish doctor who is so squeamish and prudish she barely knows more than the pregnant fifteen-year-old who comes to live with her, and her sister, who's married to the proverbial nice Jewish lawyer who, she discovers in the worst way, is very very much the opposite of the man of her dreams. Part Big Little Lies and part Little Fires Everywhere, this debut novel from beloved literary agent Laney Katz Becker is all heart (plus history!). It is one of the rare novels that both chronicles the lives of women who came of age in the 1960s AND has something to teach (in the most un-teachy way) the women who've come after them"--

Book Synopsis

"In the Family Way bursts with the complexity, drama, and warmth of Call the Midwife, but set at the canasta and kitchen tables of 1960s suburban America. This timely, timeless novel captures not only the reproductive horrors of that era but also political awakening and a kind of nostalgic hope: it's a changing world, and Roe, behind us now, was glimmering on the horizon then. Laney Katz Becker so beautifully reveals that where there are women's hardships, there is consolation to be found, then and still, in each other's company and care."--Catherine Newman, New York Times bestselling author of Sandwich

Set in the 1960s before Roe, a poignant and powerful novel in the vein of Lessons in Chemistry and Big Little Lies, about the friendship between a group of suburban housewives who help one another navigate through their personal challenges, marriages, and their pregnancies--both wanted and unwanted.

In 1965 America, women can't have their own bank accounts, credit cards, or sign their own leases; divorce is scandalous and difficult; and abortion is illegal.

Every week, a group of suburban housewives meet for their Tuesday canasta game. As cards are drawn and discarded, the women share advice and confidences. When prim and proper Lily Berg, a doctor's wife, discovers she's pregnant with their second child, she follows her friend Becca's suggestion and takes in Betsy, a pregnant teen from the local home for unwed mothers. Betsy, who's never met anyone Jewish before, is to live with the Bergs for six months, help with babysitting and housekeeping, have her own baby, and agree never to contact the family again.

But things quickly get complicated. Lily, who's opened her home to the teenager, never planned on opening her heart, yet that's exactly what happens. Meanwhile, Becca is pregnant with her fourth, and comes up with a scheme to get a legal, therapeutic abortion, and Lily's sister, Rose, discovers the man she married isn't who he purported to be, and turns to Lily and her husband for help.

Moving and atmospheric, full of history and heart, In the Family Way is a timely novel that captures the experiences of women on the cusp of liberation as they struggle with their own complex feelings about being wives, mothers, and women with their own dreams and ambitions.

Review Quotes

"Brightly polished . . . . The characters are charming and likable, and readers should enjoy spending time with them . . . . Historical novel with a feminist bent and heart to spare." - Kirkus Reviews
"Becker shines an illuminating light on the state of women's lives and rights before Roe v. Wade, particularly surrounding issues of unwanted and unplanned pregnancy and divorce. It's an intriguing and relevant time capsule." - Publishers Weekly
"A nec-es-sary and mov-ing reminder of the evo-lu-tion of women's rights in the US. It high-lights the impor-tance of edu-ca-tion and com-mu-ni-ty in fos-ter-ing women's empowerment. . . . Per-fect for book clubs, this nos-tal-gic and sat-is-fy-ing read will appeal to women of all ages." - Jewish Book Council
"[A] nec­es­sary and mov­ing reminder of the evo­lu­tion of women's rights in the US. It high­lights the impor­tance of edu­ca­tion and com­mu­ni­ty in fos­ter­ing women's empowerment . . . Per­fect for book clubs, this nos­tal­gic and sat­is­fy­ing read will appeal to women of all ages." - Jewish Book Council
"In the Family Way bursts with the complexity, drama, and warmth of Call the Midwife, but set at the canasta and kitchen tables of 1960s suburban America. This timely, timeless novel captures not only the reproductive horrors of that era but also political awakening and a kind of nostalgic hope: it's a changing world, and Roe, behind us now, was glimmering on the horizon then. Laney Katz Becker so beautifully reveals that where there are women's hardships, there is consolation to be found, then and still, in each other's company and care." - Catherine Newman, New York Times bestselling author of Sandwich
"Becker's latest is chock full of eye-opening reminders of how far women have come since the days when subversive texts like The Feminine Mystique were passed around like contraband. Set in the 1960s, the novel features a delightful cast of characters that you can't help but fall in love with, and the book's themes of female autonomy and reproductive freedom are just as potent today, if not more so. A powerful tale, well told." - Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen
"The history of 'housewives'--everything that goes on behind the Welcome! mat--comes alive in Laney Katz Becker's powerful novel, In the Family Way, a poignant, rich, deeply textured tale of women, friendship, and struggles amid 1960s suburbia on the precipice of change. The novel is both an inspiring and gut-wrenching page-turner filled with suburban angst--what we see and what we don't . . . . If you love books about resilience, the power of friendship, and second chances--run, don't walk, grab this one!" - Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire and The Goddess of Warsaw
"A poignant, rich, deeply textured tale of women, friendship, and struggles amid 1960s suburbia on the precipice of change." - Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire and The Goddess of Warsaw
"Delightful and inspiring. Laney Katz Becker's In the Family Way is not just an engaging story of women's friendship in the 1960s. Through its reminder of how limited women's lives were--we needed men to co-sign for loans and credit cards; we had to give up the limited jobs available to us upon becoming pregnant; and woe betide the unmarried girl who becomes pregnant when abortions were illegal and dangerous or the women in an abusive relationship when divorce brought shame--it sends an important warning shot about how easy restrictions on women's lives might return, and indeed are." - Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress of Paris
"With the assault on reproductive rights, this historical novel set in the 1960s is timelier than ever. The women in these pages--feisty, fierce, and fragile--offer a peek behind the curtain of the precariousness of women's rights and womanhood itself. At the same time, this novel is a potent reminder that women throughout history and into the future will continue to survive by doing what we have always done--take care of each other. We need stories that illuminate the enduring power of that particular spirit of sisterhood, which is what In The Family Way accomplishes so beautifully and with such inspiration." - Christine Pride, co-author of We Are Not Like Them
"Delightful and inspiring. . . . It sends an important warning shot about how restrictions on women's lives might return, and, indeed, have." - Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of Typewriter Beach
"This warm tale of friendship has a wonderful cast of characters that you will root for. An uplifting read." - Platinum Magazine
"Laney Katz Becker skillfully reveals secrets-from hidden pregnancies to subtle acts of defiance-all unfolding amid weekly games of Canasta. The novel is moving, empathetic, and a vivid reminder of social progress alongside ongoing struggles." - Providence Monthly
"This compelling novel delves into the personal journeys of a group of friends navigating marriage, motherhood, and deeply personal choices, proving that even in restrictive times, courage can flourish...moving and atmospheric . . . rich with history and heart . . . . This book feels incredibly timely, offering a powerful look at how women found strength and support in each other and in unexpected allies, making it a truly emotional and memorable read." - Beauty Cooks Kisses
"A warm, uplifting and empowering novel following a group of women as they find their place on the cusp of liberation; ideal if you're a fan of Lessons in Chemistry. It's Ohio, 1965, and a group of housewives are sharing advice, gossip, and plenty of confidences. Over the course of six months, the friends will be tested beyond expectation." - Belfast Telegraph
"[An] enjoyable and engaging family drama in 1960s suburban Ohio . . . a novel about women on the verge of historical upheaval who, despite the unjustly dismal options available to them in the era, show immense strength and intelligence." - Booklist