Kate Greathead Knihy

A tender, witty debut novel about a single mother navigating the upper crust of New York City society in the late twentieth century, penned by a nine-time Moth StorySLAM champion. Laura, born into old money on the Upper East Side, finds herself drifting into her thirties. In 1981, a weekend encounter with Jefferson leads to an unexpected pregnancy, resulting in the birth of her daughter, Emma. Despite her progressive ideals, Laura raises Emma alone in the same elite world of private schools and summer homes she knows well, surrounded by a cast of memorable characters. These include her eccentric mother, who tells society friends that Emma was fathered by a Swedish sperm donor; her brother, whose childhood stutter resurfaces around their stern father; a kind pediatrician; and her overbearing best friend, who has followed the Park Avenue script—except in motherhood. As Emma grows, she begins to question her privileged surroundings in ways Laura never could. Through vignettes that explore the profound in everyday life, the narrative delves into themes of sex, death, insomnia, and the catharsis of crying on the subway. The story offers a textured portrait of a woman striving to understand herself, her daughter, and the evolving landscape of New York City in the eighties and nineties, ultimately providing an insightful exploration of class and family dynamics.