Bad Mother by Ayelet Waldman
There’s not much of a summary I can post for this book. Basically it’s a set of essays/memoirs of Waldman’s experiences as a mother. Waldman claimes to be a bad mother because she discusses way in which she is unlike the stereotypical “good mother”. But I disagree (and I think she probably does too) that she is a bad mother.
I really liked this book for a few reasons. First of all, quite of few of the chapters really resonated with me. I can’t really pinpoint any specifics anymore, but I there were times when I knew and understood exactly what she was talking about, because I’ve been there.
The other thing I liked about the book was how honest it was. Waldman doesn’t back away from sharing the worst things (in her opinion) she’s done as a mother. And while I disagreed with her philosophy and her decisions on certain issues, I appreciated her candour. In one particular chapter, she discusses a decision she made as a mother that I would never have even considered, but her emotions about the situation were so raw and real, I couldn’t help but feel for her, even though I disagreed with her choice with all of my being.
I really enjoyed this book, but I know that a lot of people might be offended by it or at least some of Waldman’s choices as a mother.
