Coming of Age

Hope Jahren's story stretches all the way back to her childhood and ends when she is in her 30s, living with her husband and son in Hawaii. Over the course of the book, she ages by decades, but she also matures through a series of experiences and discoveries about herself.

One of the most important examples of this theme is seen in Jahren's relationships. As a child, she felt there was something missing from her relationship with her parents and brothers, especially with regard to her mother. She could never put a name on what was missing until she became an adult. It was only then that she knew she had needed contact and declarations of love. When she was pregnant, she worried that she would never be able to give her son the love he needed, but she found that was not the case. Jahren...