I hadn’t heard of comedienne Natasha Leggero, but I was intrigued by the concept of her book The World Deserves My Children: How to justify bringing new life onto a (maybe) dying planet. It’s not a topic that seems ripe for a comedic take, but Leggero’s writings reminded me that parental worry is timeless, that children bring immeasurable joy, and someone needs to save the Earth, so why not the offspring of good people?
In her collection of essays, Leggero reveals a personal style that feels casual but never veers off-track. A “geriatric mother” who finally became pregnant at the age of 42 with her last remaining frozen egg, she takes readers through myriad topics: her childhood career as a community actress; her conversion to Judaism; the IVF process; her life in LA as she pursued acting; marriage and parenthood, as well as the writings about pregnancy and motherhood.
While I enjoyed learning about Leggero’s career pursuit, I identified the most with her essays on the worrying she experiences as a parent. Although Leggero’s husband argues that her worries don’t help keep their daughter any safer, I don’t think this is a fixation that can be broken with logic, or even time.
I have bad news for Leggero: As a fellow worried parent, this isn’t something you age out of as your child ages. I still worry about my son choking on food. He’s 28. (He lives alone!)
Leggero might not make readers feel any better about the fate of the planet, but she does remind us there are still some good people left on it.
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