To breed or not to breed? That is the question twenty-eight accomplished writers ponder in this collection of provocative, honest, soul-searching essays. Based on a popular series at Salon.com, Maybe Baby offers both frank and nuanced opinions from a wide range of viewpoints on parenting choices, both alternative and traditional.

Yes: "I've been granted access to a new plane of existence, one I could not have imagined, and would not now live without."--Peter Nichols

No: "I can sort of see that it might be nice to have children, but there are a thousand things I'd...