Page 45 Review by Jonathan
"I don't think of myself as an infertile person who wanted to share her story. I'm an artist who happened to be going through infertility. I love to draw and tell funny stories in which I am the star."
Phoebe Potts talking whimsically (I hope, rather than ironically) about this work.
I so, so wanted to love this book given the apparent subject matter: it being an autobiographical work about the trials and tribulations that Phoebe and her husband Jeff go through, unsuccessfully as it very sadly turns out in the end, in trying to conceive, first naturally and then using artificial insemination techniques. Indeed every portion of this book that focuses on that struggle and their warm and tender, enduring relationship that makes the continuing anguish bearable, is extremely enjoyable, informative and, from both my wife's and my own experience, all too accurate.
Struggling to conceive is like riding an emotional roller coaster over which you have absolutely no control or ability to get off, even as all those around you seem to be falling pregnant and giving birth at the drop of a hat, whilst you, invariably, inexplicably in most couples' cases, rather than for any specific medical reason, struggle on and on and on. Unexplained infertility is undoubtedly one of the most frustrating and emotionally demanding things for a couple, and in particular for a woman, to have to endure. On that level GOOD EGGS is most definitely a triumph. Unfortunately, despite what the title might lead you to conclude, the issue of infertility and all the attendant drama only forms a small portion of the book's content.
Much like C.T. Tyler in her book YOU'LL NEVER KNOW: A GRAPHIC MEMOIR VOL 1 which is ostensibly about her father's war experiences, far, far too much of GOOD EGGS is spent regurgitating Phoebe's battle with depression ad nauseam, which started way back before she started trying for a baby, in fact way back before she met her husband Jeff. Also, you won't be in any doubt that Phoebe is from a 'partly Jewish' family by the end of the book either, such is the repetition of this information.
If I'd wanted an insight into the life of a depressive non-practising Jew who just happened to be undergoing infertility treatment, then GOOD EGGS would have been an ideal work, but I didn't.
I realise that sounds really harsh, because I get the impression that working on this book has been excellent therapy (a word used rather a lot in GOOD EGGS too) for Phoebe, both in terms of her battle with depression and also not in being able to conceive or maintain a pregnancy, and I absolutely don't wish to belittle either of those issues. It's just that I (and also my wife who was really keen to read this) found my natural sympathy and compassion for her being gradually eroded away after yet another round of crying, visits to therapy, and scenes from another partly Jewish family gathering.
Because in terms of examining the issue of her depression it's just not on the same level as the excellent DEPRESSO and PSYCHIATRIC TALES, not even remotely close. And in terms of exploring what Jewish identity means in our modern world certainly nothing like the truly brilliant HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISRAEL IN 60 DAYS OR LESS by Sarah Glidden which I can't recommend highly enough.
I just feel the really important issue of infertility is lost amongst a morass of background noise regarding other elements of Phoebe's life. Personally I think a really good, truncating edit, or indeed maybe just a title more representative of the actual content, would have worked wonders for GOOD EGGS. Still, as I mentioned at the beginning of the review, where it does focus on the ordeal of infertility and merry-go-round of treatment it's an excellent piece of work; it's just a shame that focus is somewhat diluted by the rest of it.
