Second Life: Have a Child in the Digital Age

PRE-ORDER FOR MAY 6, 2025

Second Life by Amanda Hess

A Groundbreaking Memoir of Motherhood in the Digital Age
Sharp, unsettling, and deeply personal—a must-read for fans of internet culture, feminist nonfiction, and modern parenting discourse.

From Amanda Hess, acclaimed New York Times culture critic, comes Second Life—a powerful memoir-meets-investigation that explores the emotional and psychological impact of pregnancy, motherhood, and parenting in an always-online world.

When a routine ultrasound during her pregnancy in 2020 revealed a potential abnormality, Hess—like millions of others—turned to the internet for answers. But instead of clarity, she entered a spiral of conflicting content: algorithm-driven parenting advice, conspiracy-laced forums, influencer ideologies, and commercialized fear.

In Second Life, Hess examines how the digital age rewires motherhood, identity, and the very nature of care. From fertility apps and genetic testing to YouTube birth videos and Facebook support groups, Hess maps the surreal terrain where technology and parenthood collide.

📱 A modern motherhood memoir meets cultural commentary
📱 Perfect for readers of Uncanny Valley, Trick Mirror, and The Myth of the Perfect Mother
📱 Explores themes of surveillance, digital identity, misinformation, and reproductive ethics

Format: Hardcover
Genre: Memoir, Cultural Criticism, Parenting, Feminism
Audience: Readers interested in motherhood, internet culture, technology, and women's health

✨ Second Life is both a personal and political reckoning—one that exposes how digital tools designed to support mothers can also disorient, isolate, and manipulate.