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Aging Mothers and Their Adult Daughters: A Study in Mixed Emotions
"As far as I am aware, there is no other scholarly book on adult mother/daughter relationships, particularly one that incorporates data from pairs of mothers and daughters...I believe that the contents provide useful material for instructors, researchers, and therapists alike."
- Rosemary Blieszner, PhD
Professor of Gerontology and Family Studies
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
The mother/daughter tie is one that persists well past childhood and it takes on unique characteristics as daughter enter midlife and mohers enter old age. Incorporating vivid descriptions by mothers and daughters about their relationships, this book addresses both the rewards and the costs that mothers and daughters incur in maintaining their relationships into old age. For psychologists, gerontologists, and sociologists, as well as academics and researchers in women's and family studies.
- Rosemary Blieszner, PhD
Professor of Gerontology and Family Studies
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
The mother/daughter tie is one that persists well past childhood and it takes on unique characteristics as daughter enter midlife and mohers enter old age. Incorporating vivid descriptions by mothers and daughters about their relationships, this book addresses both the rewards and the costs that mothers and daughters incur in maintaining their relationships into old age. For psychologists, gerontologists, and sociologists, as well as academics and researchers in women's and family studies.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 4, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 28, 2026
Mothers and Their Adult Daughters: Mixed Emotions, Enduring Bonds offers a thoughtful and deeply human examination of one of life's most enduring relationships.
What makes the book especially compelling is its refusal to present the mother-daughter relationship as either perfectly harmonious or permanently difficult. Instead, it recognizes the complicated reality that love and conflict can exist together. Mothers and daughters can feel tremendous affection for one another while still struggling with expectations, communication, disagreements, and old patterns that become more complicated as both women move through different stages of life.
The focus on daughters entering midlife while mothers enter old age adds an important dimension to the discussion. At these stages, the relationship can change dramatically. Roles may begin to shift, new responsibilities emerge, and both women may have to reconsider what they need from one another.
Another strength is the use of interviews with mothers and their adult daughters. Their experiences bring warmth and authenticity to a subject that could otherwise feel purely academic. The different perspectives demonstrate how the same relationship can be experienced, remembered, and understood in very different ways.
The book also acknowledges that tensions and misunderstandings do not necessarily erase the strength of a family bond. Learning how mothers and daughters respond to conflict, communication problems, and emotional differences can help readers reflect on their own relationships with greater understanding.
Overall, Mothers and Their Adult Daughters is a sensitive exploration of love, complexity, aging, and connection. It reminds readers that enduring relationships are not defined by the absence of conflict, but by the meaning people continue to find in one another despite their differences.
What makes the book especially compelling is its refusal to present the mother-daughter relationship as either perfectly harmonious or permanently difficult. Instead, it recognizes the complicated reality that love and conflict can exist together. Mothers and daughters can feel tremendous affection for one another while still struggling with expectations, communication, disagreements, and old patterns that become more complicated as both women move through different stages of life.
The focus on daughters entering midlife while mothers enter old age adds an important dimension to the discussion. At these stages, the relationship can change dramatically. Roles may begin to shift, new responsibilities emerge, and both women may have to reconsider what they need from one another.
Another strength is the use of interviews with mothers and their adult daughters. Their experiences bring warmth and authenticity to a subject that could otherwise feel purely academic. The different perspectives demonstrate how the same relationship can be experienced, remembered, and understood in very different ways.
The book also acknowledges that tensions and misunderstandings do not necessarily erase the strength of a family bond. Learning how mothers and daughters respond to conflict, communication problems, and emotional differences can help readers reflect on their own relationships with greater understanding.
Overall, Mothers and Their Adult Daughters is a sensitive exploration of love, complexity, aging, and connection. It reminds readers that enduring relationships are not defined by the absence of conflict, but by the meaning people continue to find in one another despite their differences.
September 24, 2013
It wasn't what I was looking for. Had it been I might have rated it higher
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews