Examines motherhood, childhood and the unexpected effects of past events and present actions. From the author's experiences with the man she calls 'my paedophile' to the domestic trials of sleep training her infant son or her obsession with a Beastie Boys song, this work moves from one subject to the next.

The idea of learning through repetition and the automatic motions of humans are metaphorically represented by the countless figure eights she performed as a child on the ice. Family is ever present in 8, and Fusselman writes with inclusive tenderness, extending this intimacy to the reader as well. Her efforts to come to terms with the ideas of innocence, aging and the healing power of touch draw the reader in still deeper - the uplifting revelations staying with you long after the last page is turned.