Mother of mine
September 2010
Wisdom of Our Mothers; Author: Edited by Eric Bowen; Published by: Familia Books; Rs. 1006
An anthology of true stories and poetry based on the theme of lessons learned from the authors’ mothers, this is the brain-child of part-time philanthropist Eric Bowen.Following Tim Russert’s popular, Wisdom of Our Fathers, Bowen saw the need for a companion volume of maternal wisdom, and solicited writers from around the world to contribute their stories. Guided by his own mother’s teaching that “one does well by doing good,” Bowen has pledged half his profits from the book to raise funds for shelters for abused mothers and children.
Everyone has a mother, and readers will doubtless find stories in this anthology that relate to their own experiences. The mothers profiled in the stories are human. Their virtues are balanced by their flaws, and in some cases, the lessons learned from those flaws form the basis of the story.
The anthology explores maternal wisdom in various categories: emotional, relationship, and practical skills; virtues, humour, and heritage. One chapter delves into “The dark side,” profiling some truly dysfunctional mothers. “From other lands” describes motherhood in cultures outside the American mainstream.
The easy-to-read essays cover a wide range of topics: from mothers protecting and nurturing their children to teaching them to appreciate the simple joys of living. There are stories on surviving domestic violence; how mothers helped build inner strength and instilled virtues like courage, faith, honesty, hard work and creativity in their children. Essays on how mothers taught emotional and practical skills to their wards, enhance the value of the book.
In Mother Bear, Kathy Krisko writes about how her mother chased away a bear with a fence slat. “‘Well,’ my mother said casually, ‘I certainly wasn’t going to let it get your guinea pig.’ And by that I understood that she meant me.”
The book is a worthy tribute to arguably the most powerful relationship in the world – the mother-child bond.
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