Books for those not celebrating Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day can be hard for some people for various reasons which is why we are looking at books for those not celebrating Mother’s Day. For example, some people may have lost their mother, or their relationship with their mother may be strained or complicated. Others may struggle with infertility, have lost a child, or have a strained relationship with their own children.

Watch: What is motherhood really like? – Don’t Forget to Scream author Marianne Levy

Additionally, some people may come from non-traditional family structures, where a mother figure is absent or non-existent.

Books for those not celebrating Mother’s Day

For those who are not celebrating Mother’s Day and may find it difficult, there are a number of nonfiction books that may offer comfort and support. Here are some recommendations:

• 📚 Stray by Stephanie Danler. In this situation, Danler’s memoir “Stray” reflects on her tumultuous coming-of-age in California and her struggles with addiction and identity.
• 📚 The Mothers by Brit Bennett. “The Mothers” is a novel that explores the lives of three young people in a black community in Southern California and the consequences of their choices.
• 📚 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. “Girl, Woman, Other” is a novel-in-stories that follows the interconnected lives of twelve black British women across generations and identities.
• 📚 All My Mother’s Lovers by Ilana Masad. In “All My Mother’s Lovers,” Ilana Masad’s debut novel, a daughter discovers unexpected secrets about her mother’s past after her death.
• 📚 What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer. This is a collection of poems that explores womanhood, motherhood, and the complexities of modern femininity.
• 📚 All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung. The memoir tells the story of her transracial adoption and her journey to connect with her Korean birth family.
• 📚 What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About edited by Michele Filgate. What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About is an anthology of essays exploring the complex and often painful relationships between mothers and daughters.
• 📚 Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden. Madden’s memoir chronicles her coming-of-age as a queer biracial teenager in a dysfunctional family with absent fathers.
• 📚 Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Zauner’s memoir explores grief, identity, and family through her experiences as a Korean-American musician and her mother’s illness.
• 📚 My Mother, Munchausen’s and Me: A True Story of Betrayal and a Shocking Family Secret by Helen Naylor. In this case, Naylor’s harrowing memoir reveals how her mother’s Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy caused her years of abuse and medical manipulation.
• 📚 Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss by Hope Edelman. This book explores the unique challenges faced by women who have lost their mothers.

Hence, these books can help readers feel seen and understood, and provide guidance for navigating difficult emotions and situations. Also, check out the episode with Don’t Forget to Scream author Marianne Levy.

Article updated on March 10, 2024.

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