“Tenth of December”
George Saunders is a master short story-teller whose talent is skillfully displayed in The Tenth of December, a collection of ten short stories that was recently published (2013). A writer who seems to be writing about the mundane aspects of life – work, buying a puppy, planning a birthday party, or picking the kids up from school – Saunders is, in fact writing about the big picture: parenting, corporate greed and power, entitlement, human rights, mental illness, and despair. With George Saunders, there is always a message that says something about our culture and what we value and that’s what makes his short stories so thought-provoking, hilarious, and often heart-breaking. Read more 
An Open Letter to All Non-Parents from a Parent
When I was in my early 20’s, I worked in an office with several women who had children or were having children. One woman in particular was referred to as “Earth Mother” and was a frequent butt of jokes and resentment because she would bring her baby to the office, breastfeed him in the empty conference room, work special hours, and from time to time ask us to pick up the slack on group projects – none of which endeared her to us. She was also brilliant, hard-working, and a time management czar. Read more
Paddock Post 