The Realist

This episode introduces the next of 12 letters from their collaborative visual arts project “Letters to Our Unborn Children: An Exploration of a Woman’s Decision to Remain Child-Free by Choice.” They discuss the “Realist” archetype behind this Letter, and share their research and insights around the themes in the letter. They are joined by guest Peggy O’Donnell Heffington, author of Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother.

Peggy is a Senior Instructional Professor in the Department of History at the University of Chicago, where she teaches historical research and writing methods and a little about gender and women’s history. Her first book, Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother, was published by Seal Press in 2023. She is a trail runner, a gluten-free baker, and a clothes connoisseur. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband Bob and their two pugs, Ellie and Moose.

Recorded on Sept 12, 2024.