"In the earliest photos, my mother holds me like a china doll, beaming into the camera. She’s never looking at me, just straight ahead, because it’s really a picture of her holding a prized possession ...

Think of when you go to someone's house who has a kid. What is the first thing that happens? The kid is asked to sing, dance, or recite a poem for the guests. If the kid does it, he or she receives ...