A casual conversation with a relative whom the author has visited in a New England town, was the incentive for the writing of Genesis. She accidentally mentioned that her eldest daughter had just lately reached puberty. When the mother was asked whether the significance of the phenomena of puberty had properly been explained to the child, the answer was that she could not do it, and that whilst the necessity of an explanation was plain to her, she lacked the requisite knowledge to enlighten her child.