Elinor Burkett

Throughout the book I was reminded me of The Simpsons character, Reverend Lovejoy’s wife. Every time there was a controversy, she lamented “What about the children?!”

Elinor bravely challenges the sacredness of having children. Businesses and the government are catering to the child-bearing adults – namely the middle class and above adults – at the expense of the childfree and the low income families.

Like abortion, this is a subject that everyone has an already set opinion. However, it’s A LOT easier to make a speech about how wonderful children are than someone trying to explain to a single aunt about why you don’t have a child. It’s politically correct to want kids. I applaud Elinor for braving these waters; I’m sure she has lost a lot of friends.… (más)

Elinor Burkett accepted a Fulbright scholarship to teach for a year in Central Asia post 9/11. This is an excellently written memoir of her travels and experiences throughout the region from Uzbekistan to Afghanistan to Iran and everywhere in between. She is adept at illiciting the locals opinions of politics, culture and the world, which often follows a rationale that is never even considered in the West. As someone suffering from wanderlust, I applaud the intrepid Ms. Burkett. She's much braver that I could ever be.… (más)