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A History of Holding—Signed

from $19.00

Described by Ashlee Gadd (Create Anyway) as “a book to savor, cling to, and gift to every mother you know,” this intimate poetry collection captures motherhood in its full complexity—the ache of exhaustion, the wonder of small moments, and the way time bends and blurs. Tender and honest, A History of Holding gives language to the beautiful and brutal work of becoming, and to the quiet truth that what we hold is never meant to stay the same.

Shipping
Free U.S. shipping (International orders click here.) Each book comes beautifully packaged with personal touches, perfect for gifting.

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Described by Ashlee Gadd (Create Anyway) as “a book to savor, cling to, and gift to every mother you know,” this intimate poetry collection captures motherhood in its full complexity—the ache of exhaustion, the wonder of small moments, and the way time bends and blurs. Tender and honest, A History of Holding gives language to the beautiful and brutal work of becoming, and to the quiet truth that what we hold is never meant to stay the same.

Shipping
Free U.S. shipping (International orders click here.) Each book comes beautifully packaged with personal touches, perfect for gifting.

 

PRAISE FOR A HISTORY OF HOLDING

“Look again / at the shape of my arms. / Isn’t it obvious / what they’ve held? / Can’t you tell? / They’ve cradled / a whole world.”

In A History of Holding, Allison Mei-Li writes through the body—its breaking, its healing, its infinite capacity to love. She finds meaning in everyday moments: waiting in a Build-A-Bear line becomes a way to mourn, and a child’s mispronounced 'lasterday' becomes a new way to mark time. With tender precision, these poems move through the shifting identities of womanhood: the daughter, the young woman, the almost-mother, the grieving mother, the one who mothered and was remade by it.

A History of Holding is not only a meditation on motherhood, but on what it means to live in a body that remembers everything. It’s a testament to what we endure, what we carry, and how hard we love. 

—ISABELLE CORREA
author of Good Girl and Other Yearnings

“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

in the hands of others

“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)