Book Review: Not Becoming My Mother by Ruth Reichl - Page 2

With the equality women enjoy today, it may be hard for younger readers to comprehend how few choices women had 50 years ago. Women were pressured to marry, then criticized if they didn’t handle marriage and motherhood well, or if their husband was less than perfect. If Miriam’s marriage made her happy, that wasn’t good enough for her family. Her own mother wrote to her “People are still breathless over your sudden departure and fatal decision.”

Later regretting she did not have a career, Miriam writes: “In the end, it is meaningful work – serving people – that matters most. It is what we are made for.”

As we read of Miriam, who by age 77 eventually comes to accept herself, after a life of obedience, anger and rebellion, we also sense a difference in Reichl’s tone, as she comes to understand her mother so much better, through the exercise of writing this book. It is a gift to us, but perhaps also to the author herself.

Article Author: Helen Gallagher

Helen Gallagher reviews non-fiction books and shares insights when attending author and publishing events on Chicago's North Shore. She is a national speaker on technology, writing and publishing. She's a member of American Society of Journalists & …

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