Synopses & Reviews
Ask any woman whose mother has died, and she will tell you that she is irrevocably altered, as deeply changed by her mother's death as she was by her mother's life. Although a mother's mortality is inevitable, no book had discussed the profound, lasting, and far-reaching effects of this loss--until
Motherless Daughters, which became an instant classic. Twenty years later, it is still the book that women of all ages look to for comfort and understanding when their mothers die, and the book that they continue to press into each other's hands.
Building on interviews with hundreds of mother-loss survivors, the author's personal story of losing her mother, recent research in grief and psychology, and with a new afterword exploring how the legacy of mother loss shifts with the passage of time, Motherless Daughters reveals the shared experiences and core identity issues of motherless women:
Why the absence of a nurturing hand shapes a woman's identity throughout her lifespan
How present-day relationships are defined by past losses
How a woman can resolve past conflicts and move toward acceptance and healing
What grief really is: not a linear passage, but an ongoing cyclical journey
Review
"Intelligent, brave, consoling, and wise,
Motherless Daughters is an essential and illuminating must-read for anyone who has lost a mother or loves someone who did." - Cheryl Strayed, author of the
New York Times bestseller
Wild"This book has helped me heal my heart. Finding myself in the stories of other motherless daughters let me know I was not alone. If you have lost your mom--this book is essential." - Rosie O'Donnell
"Motherless Daughters sheds light on an experience--the loss of a mother at any age, but especially at a young age--that is by definition lonely and shadowy. Through thoughtful, in-depth research, and with her companionable voice, Edelman has brought solace to thousands of women over the years, creating a sense of community in the midst of grief." - Meghan O'Rourke, author of The Long Goodbye
Synopsis
The classic New York Times bestseller that has helped millions of women cope with and heal from the grief of losing their mothers Although a mother's mortality is inevitable no book has discussed the profound lasting and far reaching effects of this loss until Motherless Daughters, which became an instant classic. More than twenty years later, it is still the go-to book that women of all ages look to for comfort, help, and understanding when their mother dies. Building on interviews with hundreds of mother loss survivors, Edelman's personal story of losing her mother, and recent research in grief and psychology, Motherless Daughters reveals the shared experiences and core identity issues of motherless women:
- Why the absence of a nurturing hand shapes a woman's identity throughout her lifespan
- How present day relationships are defined by past losses
- How a woman can resolve past conflicts and move toward acceptance and healing
- Why grief really is not a linear passage but an ongoing cyclical journey
- How the legacy of mother loss shifts with the passage of time
Synopsis
The 20th Anniversary edition of the New York Times bestseller, with a new afterword by the author.
Synopsis
For twenty years, this beautifully written” (
USA Today), moving, comprehensive and insightful look at the lifelong ramifications of the loss of a mother” (
San Francisco Chronicle) has been the book a woman can turn to for understanding and comfort when her mother dies. Building on interviews with hundreds of motherless daughters, Hope Edelmans unique and courageous work also reflects her personal experience with the continued legacy of mother loss. An exploration of a profoundly life-altering rite-of-passage,
Motherless Daughters is for any woman who wants to better understand the mother-daughter relationship.
About the Author
Hope Edelman is the author of six nonfiction books, including the bestsellers Motherless Daughters and The Possibility of Everything. Her articles and essays have been published in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Real Simple, Glamour, Self, Parade, and the Huffington Post, as well as in numerous anthologies. As a public speaker, she has traveled all over the world to talk about the long-lasting effects of early mother loss. In 2012, she was inducted into the Medill Hall of Achievement at Northwestern University, her undergraduate alma mater. She holds a master's degree in nonfiction writing from the University of Iowa. Currently an affiliate faculty member in the MFA program at Antioch University-LA, she lives with her husband and their two daughters in Topanga Canyon, California. hopeedelman.com