by Ruth Reichl
A moving and surprisingly gripping account of how Ruth Reichl's mother struggled for happiness and meaning at a time--not so long ago--when beauty was a woman's only asset, and marriage and motherhood her only socially sanctioned goals.
Reichl has always had a peculiar relationship with her mother, a love-hate, an adore-loate, a respect-revolt relationship. Her mother, Miriam, longed to be a doctor, but her parents refused, saying if she became a doctor she’d never fulfill the only real purpose a woman should have in life: to find ...
This tiny gem stemmed from a speech given to celebrate what would have been the author's mother's 100th birthday. Reichl reflects on womanhood in mid-20th century America and the social pressures that nearly crushed her mother. Digging through the basement on a quest to write her mother's story, s...