So when I saw that David Isay's book is titled Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps , my cynicism alert went off -- but it might not be all that treacly:
In time for Mother's Day, Isay brings a satisfying second collection of StoryCorps selections after the bestselling Listening Is an Act of Love. Throughout 30,000 recorded interviews by everyday Americans are numerous memories of parents, and among the many mothers who share their stories in this collection are mothers of every variety—single, working, stay-at-home, with one child or a dozen. A couple describe an unexpected camaraderie between their mothers: one American, the other Ethiopian: My mom would speak in English, and your mom would speak in Amharic, and then they'd laugh and throw their hands up. A mother of 12 tells her youngest, age 12, about her oldest, a soldier killed in Iraq. Reunited at age 60 with the son she reluctantly gave away, Hilory Boucher tells him what happened as she rode away from a Boston home for unwed mothers: You were handed off to a social worker at a stop on the Merritt Parkway, with your pink bunny and your layette. Readers will encounter an emotional range from heart-wrenching to inspirational in these compelling maternal accounts.
That's from Publisher's Weekly (Amazon, B&N). I did find an assortment of book/appearance mentions, but they're pretty much of the 'Great Mother's Day Gifts' type, not especially insightful.
Storycorps, for the NPR-less among us, is a highly regarded ongoing oral history project. Here's a bit of description from a recent article:
Want to include your personal story in an audio history of the country? The StoryCorps Van has stopped in Reno for the first time ever and is collecting stories.
They invite everyday people in to chat. It's a conversation really between you and a relative or you and a close friend. They tape 40 minutes and edit it down to 3.
Anna Walters has traveled with the van as a producer for 2 years now. She's been in 16 cities in 11 states and heard hundreds of stories. "It's very often those who are reluctant to tell their story, those who don't think they have much or a story to tell...who have the best ones of all," she says. "There are stories of courage and sorrow, tragedy, death, joy, and inspiration all around us. Here's what I've learned," she says. "I've learned not to judge people before I hear their story."
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