Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A unique, and very frank, memoir about opting for adventure instead of motherhood, freedom instead of a family.
This enthralling memoir tracks the stages of award-winning author Maria Coffey's decision to create an adventurous, nomadic life instead of having children and where that life has led her. It's an exciting travelogue, a love story, and a commentary on the risks and rewards of choosing unconventional paths.
Maria reveals how a factor in her decision was the fear of loss she developed after her partner Joe Tasker died on Everest. She describes the conflicts with her mother, an Irish Catholic matriarch who longed for grandchildren, and the negotiations with her husband, Dag, who initially wanted kids and to have them along on their wild kayaking expeditions. The narrative takes the reader around the world on crazy escapades, to cultures where the child-free choice was unfathomable, and where children eventually - and surprisingly - came into Maria's life.
An adventure story with a unique twist, this memoir tackles the universal themes of choice and consequence, agency versus fate. It is a must read for anyone curious about stepping off the beaten track, and a testament to the power of being open to the unexpected.
Synopsis
A compelling memoir about opting for adventure instead of motherhood, and the lifelong outcomes of that choice.
Instead captures Maria Coffey's adventurous life through her biggest decisions along the way, including the decision not to have children. It's a vivid travelogue, a love story, and a personal commentary on the risks and rewards of choosing unconventional paths.
After two traumatic experiences during her twenties - a near-drowning in Morocco and her boyfriend's death on Mount Everest - Maria determines to seize every day and explore the world. Mixed with her desire for freedom is a new fear of loss, which convinces her against parenthood. She falls in love with Dag, who shares her dreams, and they begin creating a life of adventure. There is one snag: he wants children and thinks they could include them in their wild exploits.
Instead follows Maria's trajectory as she shares her guilt-ridden relationship with her Irish Catholic mother; her baby debates with Dag in unlikely situations, like kayaking through a storm; the doubts that rear up in remote cultures where her childfree choice is unfathomable; and how children eventually - and surprisingly - come into her life.
An adventure story with a unique twist, Instead tackles the universal themes of choice and consequence, agency versus fate. It is a must read for anyone curious about stepping off the beaten track, and a testament to the power of being open to the unexpected.