Customer Reviews

Strong Stuff: Mothers' Stories

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The title says it all-- this is strong stuff indeed. No sugar coating, no hearts and flowers-- just very real women talking about very real life. Oral history at its best. I couldn't put it down. Refreshingly enough, the author doesn't have any personal or ideological axe to grind-- she just lets the women talk. And what they say is just awesome.

This book ought to be on Oprah's list!

This collection of descriptions by more than 100 diverse women is very powerful, because these women tell their own stories in their own words, with no hype, or buffing, or spin, or overview by anybody. And they are therefore very very real and many are quite compelling, for various reasons. It is a voyeur's paradise. What aware man hasn't wondered what it's really like to be a mother. What woman doesn't want to know what other mothers' experience is really like? There is an index of topics which helps get a handle on the mass of text. And the book is divided into seven theme-sections, each with an introduction by the author, where in her own voice she addresses an element of the mothering experience.

Because the vignettes are each a few pages long, the book can be read in snips at different times without losing continuity.

Moore does for mothering what Studs Terkel did for working. But to my reading, the sensitivity here is much greater, and in the long run, the topic much more compelling. Enjoy!

In Strong Stuff: Mothers' Stories, Emily Moore provides a compendium of profound insights about women, their mothers, and their children. These are compelling and insightful stories drawn from 84 women and which will be of substantial value in helping the reader become the mother she desires to be; to better understand herself and her child; show her options previously unsuspected; benefit from insights and wisdom gleaned from others' experiences; see the lives of women from different cultures and life situations; and even help her decide if she wants to become a mother in a time when science and the women's movement have endowed today's women with biological and social choices respecting motherhood that previous generations of women simply didn't have access to. If you are a new mother, or are contemplating motherhood for your self, read Emily Moore's Strong Stuff: Mothers' Stories!

STRONG STUFF is to be read slowly so the stories and advice within can be savored and contemplated. In their stories mothers let slip simple but powerful nuggets of parenting wisdom. For me, the advice of Louise Callahn (Affirmation section, pg398) offers some of the best in the book..."I will never say 'no' if I can say 'yes' ". This hint may seem simple but so often we jump to 'no' without a thought. The variety of the women's backgrounds is impressive. Each of us will find some of our parenting experiences and predicaments here. I highly recommend this book for new mothers who are wondering what they got themselves into. STRONG STUFF is a wonderful source for women traveling the tricky terrain of mothering.

Strong Stuff is perfect for health care professionals, agencies which run parenting groups, Women's Studies departments and mothers. It is not a sentimental book about mothering, but instead a series of honest, raw and revealing portraits of mothers. It is fascinating to read between the lines--to understand why each story is so important. The women in the stories have different backgrounds, experiences and mothers of their own which all play a part in their identity and success as a mother. The reader can't help but develop enormous respect for all mothers and for what the mothering process teaches them. Strong Stuff will change or broaden your perspective. And just try to put it down! I described it to a friend and she said, "Amazing!"

Moore's delightfully unpretentious introduction sets the stage for a compelling read. The vignettes are easily enjoyed individually and allow this reader to dip into the book for brief periods, often and at random.
Be prepared for every emotion to surface! A beautiful book by a beautiful writer.

This book does more than explore motherhood. It invites you on an expedition. When you read it, you explore all of the faces of motherhood. The interviews allow you to see motherhood from the perspective of adopted children and adoptive parents and mothers addicted to cocaine and overprotective mothers and young mothers and older mothers. It allows the reader to identify with some stories and to understand for the first time the perspective of other mothers. The expedition is wonderful.

All readers invited!! This book has something to satisfy everyone-and not just moms. No mother's story could be told without mentioning the fathers, the children, the friends-so believe me when I say everyone can profit from reading this book. It is definitely "STRONG STUFF" but not without tenderness, warmth, and love-lots of love-woven throughout. In their own words, a wide range of "mothers" volunteer stories about relationships, ancestry, joy, suffering, expectations, disappointments, selflessness and selfishness, successes and failures, regrets and no regrets. We are enticed to at least try a few stories by the author's poignant and articulate introduction about her own mothering experience and her determined evolution of this book. A word of advice-do not let the sometimes awkward and lackluster style of some of the presentations stop you. At first I was put off, until I realized the author had recounted these stories just as the women communicated them-truly in their own words. With each new section of stories by "theme", the author offered another introduction that presented various perspectives,issues and emotions relative to that group of stories. This makes each visit with another mother in another place and in another situation totally fresh. If you did not like the style, or could not identify with the experience of one woman, then just move on to the next, or jump around for that matter. Even though grouped by themes, I sometimes preferred to pick at random and found myself equally satisfied. Whatever you want or need you can take away from these stories. There are lessons learned/ignored, advice shared/disregarded, ideas to ponder/suppress and sometimes just moments experienced with tears, laughter, anger, resentment, gratitude or uneasiness. I can identify one problem--there is not enough!! I want more!! Most of these amazing and at the same time authentic stories are only beginnings, dangling participles. With the last period of these stories there is no end. These are real evolving lives and I feel like screaming sequel! epilogue! Please tell me what is happening now with these remarkable and yet ordinary women who bravely shared their story with me.

All readers invited!! This book has something to satisfy everyone-and not just moms. No mother's story could be told without mentioning the fathers, the children, the friends-so believe me when I say everyone can profit from reading this book. It is definitely "STRONG STUFF" but not without tenderness, warmth, and love-lots of love-woven throughout. In their own words, a wide range of "mothers" volunteer stories about relationships, ancestry, joy, suffering, expectations, disappointments, selflessness and selfishness, successes and failures, regrets and no regrets. We are enticed to at least try a few stories by the author's poignant and articulate introduction about her own mothering experience and her determined evolution of this book. A word of advice-do not let the sometimes awkward and lackluster style of some of the presentations stop you. At first I was put off, until I realized the author had recounted these stories just as the women communicated them-truly in their own words. With each new section of stories by "theme", the author offered another introduction that presented various perspectives,issues and emotions relative to the following stories. This makes each visit with another person in another place and in another situation totally fresh. If you did not like the style or could not identify with the experience of one woman then just move on to the next, or jump around for that matter. Even though grouped by themes I sometimes preferred to pick at random and found myself equally satisfied. Whatever you want or need you can take away from these stories. There are lessons learned/ignored, advice shared/disregarded, ideas to ponder/suppress and sometimes just moments experienced with tears, laughter, anger, resentment, gratitude or uneasiness. I can identify one problem--there is not enough!! I want more!! Most of these amazing and at the same time authentic stories are only beginnings, dangling participles. With the last period of these stories there is no end. These are real evolving lives and I feel like screaming sequel! epilogue! Please tell me what is happening now with these remarkable and yet ordinary women who bravely shared their story with me.

I read "Strong Stuff" straight through, urged forward by the compelling diverse stories of mothers, some of whom I identified with out of my own experiences and some for whom I felt awe and humility for dealing with challenges greater than I had ever faced. Ms. Moore let the power and dignity of the individuals' voices remain strong and alive in delivering their stories to the reader. If mothering is challenging, step-mothering is even more so, I believe, and as I made up what "mothering" was "supposed to be" in parenting a lovely stepdauther, I wish I had had these stories to guide me along. I gave a copy to my goddaughter who just graduated with a degree in community development; she immediately ordered copies for her colleagues in a regional women's development program, saying it was the best resource of its kind she had seen. For studying, for savoring, for reconsidering one's own mother experience, "Strong Stuff" is not to be missed!