Her Face in the Mirror: Jewish Women on Mothers and Duaghters [Paperback]

Faye Moskowitz (Editor), Kim Chernin (Contributor), Vivian Gornick (Contributor), Tillie Olsen (Contributor), Grace Paley (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 1995

A beautiful exploration of the difficult and affirming relationship between mothers and their daughters in the lives of Jewish women.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A rich collection —Publishers Weekly

"Amazing. . . Her Face in the Mirror talks to us with the combined voices of many wise daughters and mothers who are trying to make sense of the mystery of their exquisite bond." —Belles Lettres

"This collection was a gift to me, and will be for others, in understanding ourselves and those we love." —Dr. Elaine Reuben, president of the Jewish Study Center in Moment

"Fearlessly, Faye Moskowitz has drawn together fifty-six Jewish mothers and daughters in an eloquent mosaic of memoirs by eminent contemporary American authors. Just whom each contributor sees in the mirror is pictured with a painful honesty." —The Columbus Dispatch

'You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate Faye Moskowitz's work. All you need is a mind, a heart, a mother, and a need for warmth and tradition.' —Susan Stamberg, National Public Radio

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press; First Edition edition (September 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807036153
• ISBN-13: 978-0807036150
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,359,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Magnificent Book About Jewish Mothers and Their Families, April 11, 2009

By 

Bonnie Brody "Book Lover and Knitter" (Port St. Lucie, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Her Face in the Mirror: Jewish Women on Mothers and Duaghters (Paperback)

What can I say about the incredible, vivid, poetic and right-on pieces in this book!! These Jewish mothers and their families seem so real, captured in literature for posterity. We cry, smile, get angry, yearn or run away fast. Whatever your reaction, you will remember these stories for a long time. My favorites were:

1. Only a Phase by Leslea Newman - A mother discovers that her daughter is a lesbian and can't accept it. In their geographic and emotional distance, we are given the literary gift of seeing how much alike they are and much they have in common.

2 Tropical Aunts by Enid Shomer - This story deals with the Jewish and WASP sides of a family along with the traditional and the eccentric. An eccentric aunt studies eastern religion and tells a writer's mother that her dead daughter is not really dead but will come back as something else. The family never speaks to her again.

3. The Different Landscape by Margaret Klee - A mother grapples with the grief and loss of her daughter after she comes out as a lesbian. The mother searches for the daughter she once knew and loved.

4. Looking for Tamerlane by Jodi Daynard - An estranged mother and daughter use the theme of searching for a rare book by Edgar Allen Poe as a reason to bring them together in a common activity. Otherwise, they are very aware of how difficult it is for them to tap into their love.

5. Mother I Hardly Knew You by Letty Cottin Pogrebin - This is a lovely insightful memoir of the author's mother who died when the author was 16 years old. How her mother influenced Ms. Pogrebin and how her legacy of leaving gave the author the strength to make choices that have been important to her is part of the anguish here. For in her dying, se gave Ms. Pogrebin the life she now has. While she was alive she gave Ms. Pogrebin the love and unconditional faith that only a mother can give.

6. A Leak in the Heart by Faye Moskowitz - This is a memoir of her mother's dying of breast cancer.
"I still grieve the words unsaid. Something terrble happens
when we stop the mouths of the dying before they are dead.
A silence grows up between us then, profounder than the
grave. If we force the dying to go speechless, the stone
dropped into the well will fall forever before the answering
splash is heard."

These are only a few of the pieces in this book. If any of these appeal to you, I hope you buy this book. It is a real gem.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jewish women on Mothers and Daughters - a wonderful book!, October 18, 2002

By 

K. Corn "reviewer" (midwest, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Her Face in the Mirror: Jewish Women on Mothers and Duaghters (Paperback)

I'm surprised I'm the first to review this one as I found it an absolute delight, containing the the viewpoints of 56 Jewish mothers and daughters on such diverse subjects as birth, anger, love, belonging, surviving, talking back, leaving home, when a mother dies, etc. Some of the writers were old favorites of mine (Maxine Kumin, Grace Paley) and others were new discoveries ( Robin Becker, Enid Shomer). A very rich collection of works, from poetry to short stories to memoirs.