Description
Book SynopsisWhether related by biology, marriage, circumstance, or choice, aunts embody a uniquely flexible familial role. The aunt-niece/nephew relationship - though often overlooked - is critical and complex, one that appears at the core of a resilient, healthy family life.
In this engaging book, Laura Ellingson and Patricia Sotirin construct a consideration of ""aunts"" that moves from noun to verb. ""Aunts"" is more than a group of people or a role; instead, ""to aunt"" is a practice, something people ""do."" Some women ""aunt"" as second mothers, friends, or mentors, while others play more peripheral roles. In either case, aunts nonetheless significantly impact their nieces and nephews' life choices.
Drawing on personal narratives that represent a rich cross section of society, Ellingson and Sotirin construct a cohesive story of the diversity of aunting experiences in the contemporary United States. Skillfully written,
Aunting recovers the enormous potential of this dynamic kinship relationship and offers a model for understanding and supporting the variety of families in society today.
Trade ReviewThis place of kinship is a major role in the lives of many young people as they grow, and Laura Ellingson and Patricia J. Sotirin provide an expert analysis of this dynamic and its importance. Aunting is a fascinating twist on familial life, and makes for a very highly recommended read. -- Midwest Book Review
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction: Why Aunts?
- 1: Caring for Kin
- 2: Constructing Kin
- 3: Aunts at a Distance
- 4: My Auntie, My Self
- 5: Mentoring and Modeling
- 6: Carrying on the Family
- Conclusion: Aunting in the Twenty-First Century
