Program 04-05-09-A

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To The Best of Our Knowledge
from Wisconsin Public Radio

May 9th is Mother's Day and this year we asked a few moms to share the plain unvarnished truth about life with kids. Motherhood isn't all sexy stars on the covers of magazines. It's also baby throw-up, poopy diapers and sulky teenagers. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the joys of motherhood - for real.

SEGMENT 1:

Susan Douglas teaches Communications Studies and has written several books on women and the media. Her latest (with co-author Meredith Michaels) is "The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined Women." Douglas tells Steve Paulson about "the new momism" that tells women that not only can they have it all, they can be sexy while they do it! Also, Ayun Halliday runs an underground parenting ‘zine called "The East Village Inky" and is the author of "The Big Rumpus." She tells Anne Strainchamps about being a young, hip Mom, and how motherhood is different from her expectations. Want to know more? Go to Ayun Halliday's website: http://www.ayunhalliday.com

SEGMENT 2:

Susan Tom has adopted a dozen or so special needs children, plus has two of her own. Jonathan Karsh has made a film about her family called "My Flesh and Blood." It premieres on HBO on Mother's Day. Karsh talks with Jim Fleming about the film and the Tom family, and we hear several clips.

SEGMENT 3:

California surgeon Leonard Schlain writes sweeping books of evolutionary theory in his spare time. His latest is "Sex, Time and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution." Schlain tells Steve Paulson that ancestral women made the connection between sex and birth and the moon and discovered time. Also, Muffy Mead-Ferro recalls her one and only experience of scrap-booking. She is the author of "Confessions of a Slacker Mom."

Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 04-05-09-A.

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Books:

• Susan J. Douglas, The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined Women (Free Press)
  
• Ayun Halliday, The Big Rumpus: A Mother's Tale from the Trenches (Seal)
• Muffy Mead-Ferro, Confessions of a Slacker Mom (Pince-Nez Press)
• Leonard Shlain, Sex, Time and Power: How Women's Sexuality Shaped Human Evolution (Viking)

Music:

• "Memo to Droola," Nancy White. On "Keepers 2: More Morning Show
  Favorites." (Minnesota Public Radio)
• "A Go Go," and "Chank," John Scofield. On "A Go Go." (Verve)
• "Good Mother," Jann Arden. On "Living Under June." (A & M Records)
• "Case of the Missing Ladyfingers," Shadowy Men. On "Dim the Lights, Chill
  the Ham." (Cargo Records)
• "Serpentine," Ani di Franco. On "Evolve." (BMI)

Distribution dates:

week of 05/09/2004 - hour1

Listen!

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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