Two new moving memoirs explore the mother daughter dynamic.  Written by daughters from very different walks of life both books demonstrate the importance of understanding and accepting their mother’s flaws and strengths in order to understand their own.  Mothers being human make mistakes.

“After the Eclipse” by Sarah Perry reads like a page turning mystery.  Sarah Perry’s life went dark at the age of 12 when her mother was murdered in the home they shared in rural Maine.  The shadow that hung over her life consisted of pain and fear.  Who killed her mother and why?  Could she or her mother have done anything different to change the outcome?  Sarah herself would be subjected to questioning by the police numerous times over the years.   It would take twelve years to find the killer and even longer to bring truth to her mother.

“In Pieces” by Sally Field is the compelling story of Academy award winning actress Sally Field’s search for answers.  Her childhood was not a happy one but the coping skills she learned served her well in her profession as actress. The masks she hid behind made her successful but not happy.  Sally was in pieces, none of which fit together.  She had to confront her childhood and mother to discover how to mend.  This book also shines a light on the #MeToo movement as it confirms that men are in power in Hollywood and they seem to be free to abuse that power at will.

Resolve to read more memoirs in 2019, they are educational and entertaining.