An accumulation of silences and other essays

Rachel McKinley
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:57:13 PDT

This collection of autobiographical essays explores themes of girlhood, motherhood, and growing up. The essays focus on the author's experiences as a woman and mother, often through the lenses of trauma and family. At the center of this collection is the author’s experience of childhood sexual abuse and how the past resurfaces unexpectedly in mothering. These personal essays often use place and nature as a frame for the exploration of a broad range of topics including bodies, memory, autonomy, and belonging. Through reflection, the author attempts to understand how generations of women in her family have navigated marriage, family, and maternity, and to illuminate the ways in which the realities of parenting can lead to bitterness and regret alongside joy. Through the honest and unflinching exploration of personal experiences with love, mental illness, relationships, and parenting, the essays offer an introspective look at both darkness and beauty as they explore what it means to fall apart, to find recover what’s lost, and to rediscover wonder.