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ABOUT THE BOOK
From desperate search histories to dancing in a sun-kissed kitchen, A History of Holding explores what it means to be a human while raising one.
In Allison Mei-Li’s debut collection, motherhood becomes a mirror for life itself. Rooted between the cosmic and domestic, these poems trace a transformation both physical and existential—revealing how a mother’s world expands and contracts all at once.
Threaded throughout are small revelations: the first crack in a child’s innocence, a mother finding herself in a stranger’s stare, sunlight catching on tiny shoulders. With lyricism and tenderness, Mei-Li writes toward the ache of impermanence, the awe of survival, and the quiet truth that what we hold—our children, our memories, ourselves—is never meant to stay the same.
For anyone who knows the world is as breathtaking as it is brutal, this book is a reminder to keep reaching for the heart of it all, to find meaning in all that we’ve held.
PRAISE FOR A HISTORY OF HOLDING
“What a vivid, fearless, compassionate portrait of motherhood. Allison Mei-Li cracks her heart wide open and leaves nothing behind. This is a book to savor, cling to, and gift to every mother you know. A stunning debut.”
—ASHLEE GADD
author of Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood
“A History of Holding captures the raw and tender realities of becoming a mother, giving language to the experiences so many women carry just under the skin and fear they’re facing alone. This is a book of longing, grief, and joy so raw it rubs against the most tender parts of the heart. More than anything, this book offers what its title promises: the rare gift of feeling held.”
—ELISE POWERS
author of The Size of Your Joy
“Allison Mei-Li has such a refreshing way of writing about motherhood. Her poems piece together the heartache, unfiltered joy, and unexplainable time-grief that comes with being a mother. You’ll walk away from this stunning collection with a fuller heart.”
—OPHELIA MONET
Editor In Chief of wildscape.
“Beautifully written, tender and poignant. Reading A History of Holding feels like holding a crystal of womanhood up to the light—every turn reveals a different facet. Incredibly special.”
—MICHELLE AWAD
author of Soul Trash, Space Garbage
"The perfect read for every mother. Allison Mei-Li finds a way to articulates the tangled web of emotions that every mother feels. This collection is a true reflection of parenthood in the modern world."
—JILLIAN STACIA
author of Set the Bone (forthcoming)