Written with warmth, intelligence and humour, Alexandra Collier’s inspiring memoir takes us on the wild ride of becoming a mother on your own terms.
Alexandra Collier was a writer living in a light-filled Brooklyn brownstone in New York with the man she loved. But when she woke up to a ravenous hunger to have a baby that her partner didn’t share, her life took a sharp turn.
She found herself back in Melbourne at 37, single, heartbroken and living with her parents.
Ally began dating with dedication, with sometimes hilarious and often soul-crushing results. Like many 30-something single women, though, she found that her reproductive timeline was rapidly outpacing her romantic life. So she began to explore a controversial option: conceiving a baby with donor sperm.
Alexandra Collier is an award-winning writer who has written for theatre, screen and print including award-winning theatre productions such as Triplight, Underland, and Holy Day. Inconceivable is her debut memoir that explores the joys and challenges of modern womanhood. Collier tackles critical topics including infertility, adoption and identity with sensitivity and humor, giving you a deep insight into her experiences.
Collier doesn’t shy away from sharing the ups and downs of her unconventional pregnancy. She writes with intellect and honesty about the joys and struggles of carrying a baby without a partner, dealing with the reactions of her family and friends, and coping with the physical and emotional changes that came with becoming a mother. Collier dives deep into a whole range of reactions from people in her life, from the negative and dismissive to the unconditionally supportive. I was most touched by the sensitive process of her parents coming to accept and support her decision.
But Inconceivable is more than just a memoir about pregnancy and motherhood. It’s a story of resilience, courage and love. Collier reflects on her past experiences, from growing up in Australia to traveling the world as a writer, and how they’ve shaped her as a person and a parent. She also shares her insights on matters such as ageing, feminism and identity, and how her perceptions on these topics changed after having a baby. When her baby does finally arrive, you’ll feel all the emotions. After a long journey from New York to Melbourne, the ups and downs of modern dating and coming to the eventual decision of solo motherhood, this book made me laugh and brought me to tears more than once.
If you’re looking for a memoir that will inspire you, challenge you and make you laugh out loud, then highly recommend Inconceivable. This memoir is a candid and heartwarming account of Collier’s journey to motherhood that will stay with you long after putting it down. Better Reading’s Cheryl Akle also recorded a podcast with Alexandra where she dives even deeper into the writing process –you can listen to the episode here.
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