Three Wishes
A True Story of Good Friends, Crushing Heartbreak, and Astonishing Luck on Our Way to Love and Motherhood
by Carey Goldberg, Beth Jones and Pamela Ferdinand

List Price: $24.99
Pages: 278
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780316079068
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Carey, Beth, and Pam had succeeded at work but failed at romance, and each resolved to have a baby before time ran out. Just one problem: no men. Carey took the first bold step towards single motherhood, searching anonymous donor banks until she found the perfect match.

What she found was not a father in a vial, but a sort of magic potion. She met a man, fell in love, and got pregnant the old-fashioned way. She passed the vials to Beth, and it happened again. Beth met man, Beth got pregnant. Beth passed the vials to Pam, and the magic struck again. There were setbacks and disappointments, but three women became three families, reveling in the shared joy of love, friendship, and never losing hope.

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1. What do you think about the role that women’s friendships play in Three Wishes? How did friendship affect the women’s decisions, and their outcomes?

2. Do you agree with Carey’s list of the most important things that a child needs? What would your list include?

3. What impact did the authors’ career choices have on their personal lives?

4. Why do you think Carey and Pam remained single into their late thirties? Can you relate to them, or do you know women like them?

5. What do you think of Carey’s deadline to have a baby? Is there an “expiration date” for women who want to become mothers?

6. Have you ever contemplated becoming a single mother by choice? Did reading this book affect your thinking on raising a child alone?

7. If you were seeking a sperm donor, would you choose an anonymous sperm donor or a known donor? What would you do if a friend offered to donate his sperm?

8. In what scenario would you ask a male friend to father your child?

9. If you decided to become a single mother, how might your family react? How would you tell them?

10. What do you think of the decisions by Beth and Pam to terminate pregnancies with a high risk of birth defects? What choice would you would make?

11. How do you think each woman’s desire for a child affected her relationship with her partner? If you wanted a child and your partner didn’t, what would you do?

12. How do these three stories illustrate major changes or trends in American society? What changes do you see happening in your lifetime with regard to women?

13. If you could have a child but not a partner, or a partner but not a child, which would you choose?

14. Did the Donor 8282 sperm carry some kind of magic? If so, what do you think it was?

15. What other books about seeking love and motherhood have you read and liked? Did you find any themes similar to those in Three Wishes?

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