Did My Mama Like to Dance?: And Other Stories About Mothers and Daughters

by Geeta Kothari (Editor)

Avon has compiled a varied list of books that focus on issues and concerns for women everywhere -- from notable fiction to detailed healthcare guides.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

172 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

About the author

Geeta Kothari is the nonfiction editor of the Kenyon Review. She is a two-time recipient of the fellowship in literature from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the editor of "Did My Mama Like to Dance?" and Other Stories about Mothers and Daughters. Her fiction and nonfiction -- including "If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?" -- have appeared in various journals and anthologies, including the Kenyon Review, the Massachusetts Review, Fourth Genre, and Best American Essays.

Reviews

[Gayle Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The theme is an intriguing one, and the selection of contributors was diverse, full of different voices. That said, I found the bulk of the stories just so-so. The best ones shine as a result. My favorites were Hagedorn’s Her Mother, Rita Hayworth, and the closer by Nancy Zafris, The People I Know. Both had incredibly described characters who were revealed at a pace throughout.

[Talya Boerner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I discovered this short book of essays at the Dickson Street Bookstore (Fayetteville’s gold mine for used books), and bought it primarily because Terry McMillan and Barbara Kingsolver contributed to it. In this collection of 15 stories, my favorite turned out to be written by Kate Braverman, an unfamiliar-to-me author who died in 2019.

Not everyone enjoys short stories, but I find well-written ones to be real gems. No fluff. Every word counts. For a mere two bucks, I certainly found a treasure in this collection. Can someone tell me why so many mother-daughter relationships are dysfunctional?

If you enjoy well-crafted stories/essays, consider this one.

P.S. Yes, my Momma loves to dance. Ha.

Favorite Quote: She gave me back my life before I realized that it was not mine.

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read. I didn’t find any of the short stories stood out to me. They were all just okay.

[Kathleen Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read all of the short stories in this book but the ones I did I enjoyed. It's interesting to read about different (mostly Dysfunctional) relationships mothers and daughters have. Perhaps dysfunctional is really the norm.

[Mills College Library]

Fiction D555 1994

[AnnaSophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very contemporary group of shorter stories, most are very interesting. Eclectic collection! Good airplane read!