"Herman writes about the multifaceted experience of parenting with elegance and hard-earned humility. Herman's writing . Is poignant and enlightening. 'That sometimes . Mothers and their children's needs will be at odds with each other in ways that aren't in the least apparent' strikes Herman, an obviously devoted, insightful and intelligent mother, as a complete surprise, for many reasons rendered clear by the end of this memoir."--Publishers Weekly "A unique primer on the pitfalls of striving for parental perfection."--Booklist "The Middle of Everything is a poignant, provocative, and painful book about one of life's biggest issues--being a wonderful mother. What is marvelous in the book is that somewhere amid all the recollecting of her past and examining of her daughter's present comes a conclusion completely fresh and original.

It is a gift to find such candor and honesty--and even humor--on this difficult subject." --Mariflo Stephens, Virginia Quarterly Review "Honest, brave, and humbling, Michelle Herman's account of striving to become the mother her child needs--one very different from the ideal she'd imagined--is the story of every woman dedicated to sparing her child the pain of her own youth. We want to believe that love doesn't make mistakes, but Michelle Herman knows the truth: like water, love assumes the shape of the vessel, always imperfect, that holds it."--Kathryn Harrison, author of The Kiss and The Mother Knot "The Middle of Everything is honest and ugly and funny and beautiful in places where one would not even hope for bearable. Fine writing and the sure, gifted voice of the storyteller prevail, even as this family does."--Amy Bloom, author of Come to Me and A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You "A deeply personal and poignant story about coming to grips with one's weaknesses and mistakes; of facing them and working to correct them."--Collected Miscellany.