Phenomenal begins in hardship: with Leigh Ann Henion deeply shaken by the birth of her beloved son, shocked at the adversity a young mother faces with a newborn. The lack of sleep, the shrinking social circle, the health difficulties, all collide and force Henion to ask hard questions about our accepted wisdom on parenting and the lives of women. Convinced that the greatest key to happiness—both her own and that of her family—lies in periodically allowing herself to venture into the wider world beyond home, Henion sets out on a global trek to rekindle her sense of wonder.

Leigh Ann Henion has contributed to The Washington Post Magazine, Smithsonian, Orion, and Oxford American, among other publications. She is the winner of a Lowell Thomas Award, and her work has been cited in three editions of The Best American Travel Writing.