General Note: "Featuring conversations with Richard Russo, Trey Ellis, Augusten Burroughs, Edward Albee, Timothy Kreider, Ann Beattie, Susan Minot and other parents and former children."
Formatted Contents Note: Daddy. Red card ; The plover's egg ; I'm awake, I'm awake ; Time out I: conversations with fathers and sons Richard Russo, Ralph Savarese, Trey Ellis, Augusten Burroughs -- Maddy. That'll teach 'em a lesson ; The orphan girl ; The griffin ; Time out II: conversations with waifs and angels Edward Albee, Barbara Spiegel, Timothy Kreider -- Mommy. The jumble ; The muffle voice ; I'll give you something to cry about ; In the hall of the mountain king -- Time out III: conversations with mothers and daughters Christine McGinn, Ann Beattie, Veronica Gerhardf, Susan Minot -- Postlude: Anti-venom -- Afterword: Same monkeys, different barrel, a conversation with Jennifer and Deirdre Boylan by Anna Quindlen.