What do you think?
Rate this book
Ma Speaks Up: And a First-Generation Daughter Talks Back
The acclaimed actress and author of Jesse: A Mother’s Story tells the story of her outspoken, frequently outrageous Italian immigrant mother.
Marianne Leone’s Ma is in many senses a larger-than-life character, one who might be capable, even from the afterlife, of shattering expectations. Born on a farm in Italy, Linda finds her way to the United States under dark circumstances, having escaped a forced marriage to a much older man, and marries a good Italian boy. She never has full command of English, especially when questioned by authorities, and when she is suddenly widowed with three young children, she has few options. To her daughter’s horror and misery, she becomes the school lunch lady.
Ma Speaks Up is a record of growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, with the wrong family, in the wrong religion. Though Marianne’s girlhood is flooded with shame, it’s equally packed with adventure, love, great cooking, and, above all, humor. The extremely premature birth of Marianne’s beloved son, Jesse, bonds mother and daughter in ways she couldn’t have imagined. The stories she tells will speak to anyone who has struggled with outsider status in any form and, of course, to mothers and their blemished, cherished girls.
Marianne Leone’s Ma is in many senses a larger-than-life character, one who might be capable, even from the afterlife, of shattering expectations. Born on a farm in Italy, Linda finds her way to the United States under dark circumstances, having escaped a forced marriage to a much older man, and marries a good Italian boy. She never has full command of English, especially when questioned by authorities, and when she is suddenly widowed with three young children, she has few options. To her daughter’s horror and misery, she becomes the school lunch lady.
Ma Speaks Up is a record of growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, with the wrong family, in the wrong religion. Though Marianne’s girlhood is flooded with shame, it’s equally packed with adventure, love, great cooking, and, above all, humor. The extremely premature birth of Marianne’s beloved son, Jesse, bonds mother and daughter in ways she couldn’t have imagined. The stories she tells will speak to anyone who has struggled with outsider status in any form and, of course, to mothers and their blemished, cherished girls.
198 pages, Hardcover
Published April 25, 2017
About the author
Marianne Leone
14 books46 followersMarianne Leone is an actress, screenwriter and essayist. She had a recurring role on HBO's "Sopranos" as Joanne Moltisanti, Christopher's (Michael Imperioli's) mother. She has also appeared in films by John Sayles, Nancy Savoca and Martin Scorsese. Her essays and op ed pieces on a variety of topics have appeared in the Boston Globe. She is married to Chris Cooper, an academy-award winning actor and was Jesse Cooper's mother for seventeen years. After his death in 2005, her essay on grief was published in the Boston Globe ("He Was Our Touchstone".) Her memoir grew out of that essay.
A Foundation has been set up in Jesse's name, which supports inclusion and adapted sports for disabled people through the Federation for Children with Special Needs and AccesSportAmerica. The foundation also supports disabled orphans in Rumania through the Rumanian Children's Relief Fund.
Marianne lives on a tidal river in the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and two rescue dogs, Lucky and Frenchy.
A Foundation has been set up in Jesse's name, which supports inclusion and adapted sports for disabled people through the Federation for Children with Special Needs and AccesSportAmerica. The foundation also supports disabled orphans in Rumania through the Rumanian Children's Relief Fund.
Marianne lives on a tidal river in the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and two rescue dogs, Lucky and Frenchy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 16, 2017
I listened to this, having heard the author read from it at an event. She did the audio book as well. I love her voice and style. This is a story lovingly and artfully told. It's very honest, often funny, often moving. Very glad to have had this glimpse of the complicated relationship between two remarkable women.
March 3, 2017
This is a unique memoir, but don’t ask me specifically why it’s so unique. For days, I’ve been trying to figure that out. It must simply be Marianne Leone's own voice that makes it so special, particularly as contemporary memoirs go. I also wonder if a reader might need to be of a “certain age” to truly appreciate it, and not be appalled by the way Ms. Leone's mother behaved at times. It’s easy to see readers of younger generations writing off Linda Leone as an “abusive” mother, because she did stuff like throwing things when she got angry. It’s best, though, to just take all that happens in stride and realize both the author and her mother came through the 1950s and 1960s in one piece, and went on to have a loving relationship as adults.
One important thing to note when reading this book is how the author accepts her mother for what she was. That was not the case, however, when she was a child. As a child, she was horribly embarrassed by her immigrant mother, and would daydream her mother wasn’t her real one. She even approved of the way the Irish nuns at her Catholic school looked down on her mother and made fun of her. That was back in the day when Marianne Leone believed all that she was taught by the nuns, all that she was told by the priests. At some point in her life, though, all that believing evaporated, one reason being she no longer could stomach how the Catholic church portrayed women. Women were expected to be self-sacrificing martyrs; their main mission to save men from sins; and take blame when men did sin.
That’s one reason I think the author does such a good job of portraying both herself and her mother in this book, and truly accepting her mother for the unique individual she was, as well as accepting herself for how she was as a child. There’s no expectations that females, including mothers, have to live to a higher standard than other human beings; that they need to be judged harshly if they are less than unconditionally loving saints. Mothers are humans like everyone else. Linda Leone was indeed very human, not well-educated, and often overwhelmed living in a country where she had great difficulty learning the language. On top of all that, she was widowed at a young age and had three children to support. But she came through it okay, just as the author did.
There are all sorts of families and all sorts of mothers and daughters. Marianne Leone understands and acknowledges that; showing her readers that even though life can often get very messy, an individual going through all the mess does not necessarily end up messed up. Some of those individuals even go on to write compassionate, funny and insightful memoirs, their voices standing out in a book world saturated with mother-daughter memoirs.
(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)
One important thing to note when reading this book is how the author accepts her mother for what she was. That was not the case, however, when she was a child. As a child, she was horribly embarrassed by her immigrant mother, and would daydream her mother wasn’t her real one. She even approved of the way the Irish nuns at her Catholic school looked down on her mother and made fun of her. That was back in the day when Marianne Leone believed all that she was taught by the nuns, all that she was told by the priests. At some point in her life, though, all that believing evaporated, one reason being she no longer could stomach how the Catholic church portrayed women. Women were expected to be self-sacrificing martyrs; their main mission to save men from sins; and take blame when men did sin.
That’s one reason I think the author does such a good job of portraying both herself and her mother in this book, and truly accepting her mother for the unique individual she was, as well as accepting herself for how she was as a child. There’s no expectations that females, including mothers, have to live to a higher standard than other human beings; that they need to be judged harshly if they are less than unconditionally loving saints. Mothers are humans like everyone else. Linda Leone was indeed very human, not well-educated, and often overwhelmed living in a country where she had great difficulty learning the language. On top of all that, she was widowed at a young age and had three children to support. But she came through it okay, just as the author did.
There are all sorts of families and all sorts of mothers and daughters. Marianne Leone understands and acknowledges that; showing her readers that even though life can often get very messy, an individual going through all the mess does not necessarily end up messed up. Some of those individuals even go on to write compassionate, funny and insightful memoirs, their voices standing out in a book world saturated with mother-daughter memoirs.
(Note: I received a free ARC of this book from Amazon Vine.)
July 19, 2017
This was an interesting read for me because I don't think I've read a mother-daughter memoir that was so honest as Ma Speaks Up. Marianne Leone is an entertaining writer and I enjoyed her book, her relationship with her mother was kind of sad though. I'm really close to my Mom so parts of this book were hard for me to connect to, but I appreciated how the author laid everything out there even if it maybe put some people in a bad light. You as the reader knew she was just telling her story.
April 26, 2017
This book actually made me angry. When I chose to read this I figured this was going to be right up my alley. Nope. I was never as spoiled and selfish as this woman was. I would never have thought to talk to my mother or any of my family in this manner. I am a daughter of a first generation Italian Father and Hungarian Mother. I am about the same age as the author. I grew up in the same type of ethnic neighborhood as the author and the house as my Hungarian Greats and Grands and an Aunt and Uncle. The Italian Greats, Grand's etc lived a few houses down. I never felt shame for any of my family, least of all my mother, for what she was and how she behaved. Not did I feel for any shame that my grandparents couldn't speak proper English or hold better jobs than what they found. My friends grew up the same way (and so did the author's), what the heck is there to be ashamed about???
I can't get over that this book is trying to make this out as a 'poor me -I am growing up different from everyone' book. Marianne Leone grew up exactly as everyone else in her ethnic neighborhood, she was NOT different and to use this as an excuse to take it out on her mother was a travesty.
This synopsis is totally misleading. The mother never speaks and there is no humor in this book, the author was not an outsider.
This book started off interesting and went downhill to the point that at 75% I was skimming.
The best part of this book was the three recipes at the end.
ATTL supplied ARC
I can't get over that this book is trying to make this out as a 'poor me -I am growing up different from everyone' book. Marianne Leone grew up exactly as everyone else in her ethnic neighborhood, she was NOT different and to use this as an excuse to take it out on her mother was a travesty.
This synopsis is totally misleading. The mother never speaks and there is no humor in this book, the author was not an outsider.
This book started off interesting and went downhill to the point that at 75% I was skimming.
The best part of this book was the three recipes at the end.
ATTL supplied ARC
June 16, 2019
Thanks to Book Club Cookbook for this book.
A fast moving book about a daughter's love and a lot of dislike for her very Italian mother and how she didnt speak good English and was embarrassed by that and her other ways but loved her too in her own way.
What made me laugh was even though she sent her daughter to Catholic school she was not very religious. A lot of homemade Italian food too and her mothers life after she and her father moved from Italy to MA. Her father died at the young age of 50 and how her mom had to cope and get a job -- one of which was a lunchlady at her kids school. You know that went over especially well with Marianne!! LOL. I wish there was more about her sister Lindy and brother Michael though. All I knew about Michael was he was his mom's favorite being the only boy and her sister was only mentioned almost only at the end of the book from what I remember.
Goodreads states that I read it in 4 days. Make that 2 days. I started it 2 days later than it said I did.
A fast moving book about a daughter's love and a lot of dislike for her very Italian mother and how she didnt speak good English and was embarrassed by that and her other ways but loved her too in her own way.
What made me laugh was even though she sent her daughter to Catholic school she was not very religious. A lot of homemade Italian food too and her mothers life after she and her father moved from Italy to MA. Her father died at the young age of 50 and how her mom had to cope and get a job -- one of which was a lunchlady at her kids school. You know that went over especially well with Marianne!! LOL. I wish there was more about her sister Lindy and brother Michael though. All I knew about Michael was he was his mom's favorite being the only boy and her sister was only mentioned almost only at the end of the book from what I remember.
Goodreads states that I read it in 4 days. Make that 2 days. I started it 2 days later than it said I did.
February 16, 2017
This is a review of the ARC, and so I can hope that the book gets significantly more editing before it gets published.
On the whole, it seems like an interesting read, in a second-generation immigrant talking about and to her mother kind of way. Unfortunately, the narrative is so incredibly rambling and random, that it's quite hard to follow. There are definitely some very interesting stories in here somewhere, but I'm not sure why anyone who isn't directly related would take the time to try and untangle them.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
On the whole, it seems like an interesting read, in a second-generation immigrant talking about and to her mother kind of way. Unfortunately, the narrative is so incredibly rambling and random, that it's quite hard to follow. There are definitely some very interesting stories in here somewhere, but I'm not sure why anyone who isn't directly related would take the time to try and untangle them.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
November 25, 2017
One of the best explorations of mother-daughter relationships I've ever read. If you found much to admire in Vivian Gornick's Fierce Attachments or Richard Russo's Elsewhere (a beautifully written and tender memoir about a mother/son relationship), you will fall head over heels for Ma Speaks Up. Ma is a fearsome, larger than life creature, and author Marianne Leone delves into her love/dislike relationship with Ma with humor and honesty. You don't have to be Italian or from an immigrant family to enjoy this book.
July 2, 2017
I often wonder think about the courage it takes to write a memoir. A memoir is so public, putting your life right out there, and while it may help to clarify one's thinking or to make sense of a life, there's no protection from the criticism or judgment of the reader.
Marianne Leone's writing is honest, unapologetic, and, in many places, her reflections do not cast her in the most positive light. Her mother's personality and ease with her body, which manifested itself in ways that ran counter to Marianne's natural shyness, love of books, and stifling Catholic education, created a tension between them that often became a full-fledged war that lasted well into Marianne's adulthood.
The mother she describes is similar to many of my mother and aunt's friends when I was growing up in Boston in the 1950's, holding on to the traditions and culture of Italy and Greece, celebrating food, devoted to the Blessed Virgin, on intimate terms with a cast of martyrs and saints, and, with the exception of my mother, all swearing like troopers. They harbored secrets, and their stories of childhood changed over and over again. My mother deflected my questions about this until I stopped asking them, left to create dramas for them all in my own head.
Linda Leone was relentless in her comments and criticism about Marianne's hair styles, irreverent mouth, choice of clothing, her parenting behavior in her role on "The Soprano's," and her need to take better care of her husband, the well known actor, Chris Cooper. "I think she's lettin' herself go," was Ma's greatest worry. Meeting Chris Cooper's parents for the first time, warned not to swear, her belief that Marianne was playing herself in some roles and that, based on a particular role she loved, Chris might have "a dark side," made me laugh. I still remember an elderly friend of my mother's worried that an actor on a beloved soap opera had been in labor for weeks, the summer break in the filming. Nothing could change her mind.
Linda Leone's widowhood at 42 years-old was a sentinel event for everyone in the family. Pragmatic, she took jobs that initially paid the bills but then fulfilled her in many ways. Perhaps the most surprising was her connection to the Angiulo brothers in the North End, well known Mafia names to anyone from the Boston area, when she became a bookie. All in a day's work for Linda and without a need for explanation to her daughter. Her decision not to love again, her consistent embellishment, her magical thinking, and her need for hope, were qualities that endeared her to me and may sound familiar to those who knew strong if not mysterious women of this era.
Yes, they made peace especially when Marianne's son, Jesse, was born and throughout his life and death. Yes, Marianne finally understood her own behavior as well as her mother's. "Mothers are always a mystery to their children" she writes in the acknowledgements at the end of the book, a book she hopes "decodes and celebrates" her mother. Indeed she has.
Marianne Leone's writing is honest, unapologetic, and, in many places, her reflections do not cast her in the most positive light. Her mother's personality and ease with her body, which manifested itself in ways that ran counter to Marianne's natural shyness, love of books, and stifling Catholic education, created a tension between them that often became a full-fledged war that lasted well into Marianne's adulthood.
The mother she describes is similar to many of my mother and aunt's friends when I was growing up in Boston in the 1950's, holding on to the traditions and culture of Italy and Greece, celebrating food, devoted to the Blessed Virgin, on intimate terms with a cast of martyrs and saints, and, with the exception of my mother, all swearing like troopers. They harbored secrets, and their stories of childhood changed over and over again. My mother deflected my questions about this until I stopped asking them, left to create dramas for them all in my own head.
Linda Leone was relentless in her comments and criticism about Marianne's hair styles, irreverent mouth, choice of clothing, her parenting behavior in her role on "The Soprano's," and her need to take better care of her husband, the well known actor, Chris Cooper. "I think she's lettin' herself go," was Ma's greatest worry. Meeting Chris Cooper's parents for the first time, warned not to swear, her belief that Marianne was playing herself in some roles and that, based on a particular role she loved, Chris might have "a dark side," made me laugh. I still remember an elderly friend of my mother's worried that an actor on a beloved soap opera had been in labor for weeks, the summer break in the filming. Nothing could change her mind.
Linda Leone's widowhood at 42 years-old was a sentinel event for everyone in the family. Pragmatic, she took jobs that initially paid the bills but then fulfilled her in many ways. Perhaps the most surprising was her connection to the Angiulo brothers in the North End, well known Mafia names to anyone from the Boston area, when she became a bookie. All in a day's work for Linda and without a need for explanation to her daughter. Her decision not to love again, her consistent embellishment, her magical thinking, and her need for hope, were qualities that endeared her to me and may sound familiar to those who knew strong if not mysterious women of this era.
Yes, they made peace especially when Marianne's son, Jesse, was born and throughout his life and death. Yes, Marianne finally understood her own behavior as well as her mother's. "Mothers are always a mystery to their children" she writes in the acknowledgements at the end of the book, a book she hopes "decodes and celebrates" her mother. Indeed she has.
February 3, 2018
As the title indicates, the author writes about her mother, who fled Italy to avoid marriage to a much older man, and lands in Massachusetts where some relatives of her mother's lived. Leone, one of 3 children, grew up in Nonantum, the Italian section of Newton (aka "the lake"), where her father owned a bar and her mother was a homemaker, renowned for her cooking and delicious Italian dishes. Leone was often at odds with her Italian immigrant mother, whose English skills were poor, and her familiarity with American ways of life was missing. Leone went to Catholic school all the way up till the 12th grade, and the nuns & priests were another source of irritation for her as well. Leone writes with much color, some humor, and an acknowledgement of the warmth & love she feels for her mother, as well as for her aunt, Ellie.
May 6, 2019
In the collection of essays Ma Speaks Up, Marianne Leone explores the relationship she had with her immigrant Italian mother in a Massachusetts suburb in the 1960s, her destructive experiences at the hands of the nuns as she attended Catholic school, her relations to other family members, plus her own development as a first-generation American girl. The writing is both raw and erudite which exhibits Leone’s education and ability to walk the working class and white collar worlds without a blip. Her bravery in ripping off the dressings and exploring wounds she and her family were responsible for is something to be admired—she is brave enough to talk of taboo and punch it in the face. Those of us with family roots in Southern Italy will recognize the attitudes and beliefs of which Ms. Leone speaks.
June 3, 2017
I won this book as a giveaway from goodreads and was to give my review on it. Well, this book is a definite 5 star *****. This novel is a memoir about life and growing up with a mother who is an Italian immigrant. Marianne grows ashamed and embarrassed of her mother Linda.But as the author grows into an adult she realizes as most of daughters do, that mom really isn't that bad. Henceforth , this is the reason of " I became my mother ! ". This book was an easy read and although it did jump around a bit, it is written in such a way that you feel that you are part of the book and living the stories and experiences with the family.
July 30, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I received it. As I started reading I noticed quickly that it starts to jump around, a lot of randomness in this book. There are some humor points to it, but most of the time it just seemed like a mouthy teenager not respecting her mother, some brief points where she does admit she admires her mother. Overall I was very bored with this book and read it simply to see if it got better. I liked the mother and her sassy attitude and not letting people who taunted her bring her down in life. I won this book in a goodreads giveaway thank you.
June 5, 2017
"Ma Speaks Up" is the story of a first generation American daughter born to an Italian immigrant with a complicated background. I really enjoyed the way the author told the story. She was resentful at times of her mom's broken English, blunt mannerisms, etc. But you can tell how much she cared for her mom and as she grew up, appreciated her mom. Love that she included recipes at the end of the book.
I received an advanced copy of this book from LibraryThing in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advanced copy of this book from LibraryThing in exchange for my honest review.
October 24, 2020
Yep, all of us a certain age, living in some areas of the country (European immigrant) will relate to this book! European moms were't the most educated on the planet (WW1 and 2 insured that, I think) they were one tough love bunch! Yeah, we were abused, and most certainly learned from the experience (ouch!), but we loved and cared for unconditionally. Great story, brought back lots of memories! lol!
I received a Kindle arc from Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Edelweiss in exchange for a fair review.
May 23, 2017
This book was difficult to read because it skipped around so much. A mother/daughter story, having finished the book I still don't know if 'Muddy-ahn' liked her mother.
I did enjoy Ma's stories though. She was a true drama queen. Thus 3 stars instead of 2.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
I did enjoy Ma's stories though. She was a true drama queen. Thus 3 stars instead of 2.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
August 26, 2017
Poignant and funny exploration of old world-new world culture in the context of her mother-daughter relationship and the effect that had on becoming the person, writer, actress Marianne Leone is. I read this after attending her book reading at my local library, so I 'heard' the characters she describes in the voices she created for them. Delightful.
January 13, 2019
If you’re male, not of Italian decent and marrying into an Italian family you need to read this book so that you understand that everything that is, has or will happen around you is normal. Best part is you will never ever be without fantastic tales of family lore while enjoying food prepared with love. As I have and will continue to .... enjoy the ride.
October 28, 2017
I had the opportunity to meet Marianne in person. Despite her fame and that of her husband's, she is a warm, charming person. Her coming of age story and relationship with her mother is most engaging. It is also a story of family secrets.
January 15, 2019
Marianne Leone's memoir of her mother and her relationship with her mother is in turn heartbreaking, funny, warming, mordant humor, dark, light and everything inbetween. The audio version is especially incredible as it's read by the author--an actress as well as a writer.
February 29, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book and related to it a lot. I think my mom is writing a similar book about our family and I might one day too. This is the kind of book that lives inside me. Remembering, honoring, cherishing, telling, sharing, figuring out.
May 6, 2026
More like a 3 1/2, but didn’t feel strong enough to round up to a 4.
This was pretty well written and entertaining, with potential to have some really good generational insight, but it didn’t go quite far enough, which is why I didn’t mark it higher.
This was pretty well written and entertaining, with potential to have some really good generational insight, but it didn’t go quite far enough, which is why I didn’t mark it higher.
September 10, 2019
A very funny, loving and touching memoir of an old school Italian mother and her independent American born daughter and their tumultuous relationship. Marianne describes her 'Ma' to a T and shares with us some very interesting tales about how it was growing up with such a strong female lead in her life. Loved hearing about the family members and especially enjoyed the photos included towards the end. My own upbringing was completely different so my eyes got pretty wide at some of the things 'Ma' was capable of. Highly recommended.
June 16, 2017
Fierce and tender. Oh the power of the old generation of Italian women.
February 24, 2017
I loved this memoir! In a time of much intense focus on the immigrant experience, (and danger that it may be severely limited or shutdown) it was wonderful to be immersed in this delightful story of Marianne Leone's childhood, and to be introduced to her Italian immigrant mother and family. As I read this book, I felt as if the tribal stories of our America, were being told to me around a fire. The clash of generational understanding, the shifting sentiments, emerging truths, and the ultimate resulting love and respect between mother and daughter, left me wanting more.
March 18, 2018
As always, Marianne is a fantastic writer (what a wonderful couple the Universe made!), but this could have been fleshed out more. It had the potential to be a fascinating read of Angela's Ashes proportion (especially the way her mother embellished), but the book just fell flat.
I suppose Knowing Jesse remains the better book because she spent seventeen years living his life with him; but she spent part of her own childhood ignoring her mother, leaving her with a dearth of source material.
I suppose Knowing Jesse remains the better book because she spent seventeen years living his life with him; but she spent part of her own childhood ignoring her mother, leaving her with a dearth of source material.
April 10, 2017
I really liked this book. It may be because it's a mother-daughter story and it resonated with me. A stormy/loving relationship, full of discovery when each least expects it. The story moves quickly, back and forth in time. The author has a love of analogies that helps the reader understand her mindset as she describes her upbringing and her mother's life as she knows it. Stormy, loving, passionate. She shares her love of her mother's cooking even when she is protesting otherwise. She shares her favorite recipes.
Her mother was a rebel. She refuses to marry one person, escapes to America, finds her way through the difficulties, makes a stand against the church. She would have been a difficult person to get to know, but I think the rewards of doing so would be amazing.
I can definitely recommend this book.
Her mother was a rebel. She refuses to marry one person, escapes to America, finds her way through the difficulties, makes a stand against the church. She would have been a difficult person to get to know, but I think the rewards of doing so would be amazing.
I can definitely recommend this book.
April 14, 2017
I won this book through Goodreads. I enjoyed this heart felt memoir. I loved the interaction and dialogue. Really great read.
April 15, 2017
Marianne Leone’s book “Ma Speaks Up” provides an inside look at her relationship with her Italian immigrant mother. The book jumps around a lot, as if she were just writing down whatever she was thinking, not following an outline or any kind of chronological order. I was not familiar with Marianne Leone's work as an actress, so I knew nothing about her prior to this book. She was so ashamed of her mother as a child, (thinking that the nuns were right in making fun of her broken English, wishing she was not her real mother, etc) that I found it difficult to read this book. While there is often conflict between mothers and daughters, this seemed really extreme. They did eventually find their way to a strong healthy relationship, but the journey was not a fun one which is probably why this book took me so long to read even though it is very short. I do look forward to trying the lentil soup recipe in the back of the book.
April 19, 2017
I received this as an ARC from LibraryThing. Overall an interesting book! A bit philosophical among the vignettes of the author's Mother. I enjoyed the philosophical musing of her relationship with her mother. I did get tired of hearing how ashamed she was of her Mother's foreignness.
August 3, 2017
I loved this book and all the memories it brought back of my Grandma Flo who also is from "The Lake".
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews