Only Children

by Rafael Yglesias

The critically acclaimed novel from a master of contemporary American fiction€”now available as an ebook A loving satire of new parenthood and its attendant joys and blunders  The Golds and the Hummels live in the same wealthy Manhattan neighborhood, but as both couples prepare for the arrival of their first child, they share little in terms of parenting philosophy. The Golds plunge into natural birth without bothering to first set up a nursery. The Hummels schedule a C-section and fill out hospital admissions paperwork weeks in advance. Both couples, however, are grappling with the transformations they know parenthood will immediately bring. Set in a milieu of material excess and limitless ambition, Only Children skewers new parents who expect perfect lives, but also offers an intimate look at the trials all new parents face as they learn how to nurture.

Genres: Fiction, Ebooks, Family

512 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Rafael Yglesias (b. 1954) is a master American storyteller whose career began with the publication of his first novel, Hide Fox, and All After, at seventeen. Through four decades Yglesias has produced numerous highly acclaimed novels, including the New York Times bestseller Fearless, which was adapted into the film starring Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez. He lives on New York City’s Upper East Side.

Reviews

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago and enjoyed it immensely. It's the story of two families and their experiences raising their *only children*. Unique and honest look at parenting.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is, I suppose, a fairly obscure 1980s novel. Yglesias, author of the wonderful "A Happy Marriage", is a terrific writer who can really drill deep down into his characters and skillfully fashion complex psychologies. In "Only Children" he wrote about two wealthy New York City couples who fit the Yuppie mold of the time. Today you might just call them wankers.

Diane, a corporate lawyer, is married to Peter, an independently wealthy arts funder. Diane intentionally becomes pregnant without clearing this with Peter, who informs her that if she thinks he's going to play daddy, she's sadly mistaken. He sticks to his promise of non-involvement until Diane's ferocious drive to mold a genius toddler drives her to a breakdown after she slaps the two year old boy full in the face in public after he failed to perform at an IQ testing. Peter then steps in fairly adequately, although when Diane suggests having a second child (since this child raising thing is going so swimmingly and all) he responds that he doesn't think that's a good idea, since he neither loves her nor their son.

At least they have a fabulous apartment and a competent nanny.

Nina comes from a wealthy old Boston family but doesn't really do anything professionally herself until a tacked-on development near the end of the novel. Her husband Eric is a wealth manager who fantasizes about becoming the "Wizard of Wall Street". Nina's family is dysfunctional and loveless, and having a baby gives her something to finally lord over them. Eric is embarrassed by his parents because they were never able to make a lot of money. Their child raising actually goes quite a bit better than Diane and Peter's. Their son Luke has a genius IQ, and all the best private preschools in New York City fight to get him enrolled. They don't get carried away though and display genuine love while dealing with some tough baby and toddler issues.

Okay, honestly, these people pretty much suck, so why would you want to spend hundreds of pages reading about them? The problem with reading it as satire of 1980s Yuppiedom, which I believe was its aim, is that it's not at all funny. Granted, satire doesn't always have to be funny to work, but if it is not then it really needs to sock it to you hard, force your eyes open, make you gasp. I wouldn't say this novel did any of that.

Maybe this novel is just too much a product of its time. Maybe it would have done that in 1989.

In 2012, the only thing I can offer is that Yglesias really is an excellent writer, and he does offer his characters some redemption in the end.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. I wasn't sure at the beginning but except for the fact that I get really annoyed at people who think that they are the only people to ever have had a baby or raise a child, I enjoyed the book. Add to that the people involved were YUPPIES and you can guess my irritation even went up more! But the writing was good and the story kept going and some of the stories of 2 year olds made me laugh!

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to read about people who are happy and funcitonal or at least moving in that direction. These parents (and one kid) drove me crazy with their proud disfunctionality.

[Alison Petrocelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for new parents and fans of Little Children by Perrotta. Make me laugh at myself when I think of my own early behavior with my little ones.

[Kelly Kolb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good character studies of yuppies in 80s manhattan raising their first children. Not up to the level of A Happy Marriage, but clearly engages you with realistic, flawed, compelling characters.

[Ayelet Waldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the writer, love the book.

[Carol Pucak]

hated book, did not finish, moms who could not handle being moms, dad's incompetence, etc.
Unhappy, why read?