Reviews

Lerner reads her own work on motherhood with mixed success. She may characterize motherhood as a dance, but what she describes is more of a rollercoaster ride. She shows parenting as a challenging, confusing, and, at times, exhilarating emotional mix of worry, guilt, and joy. As might be expected, she begins with the experience of pregnancy and ends with the empty-nest syndrome. Throughout, she illustrates her points with stories from bringing up her own two boys. She borrows from friends and others to show the unique relationships between mothers and daughters. Hers is not so much a guide for mothers-to-be as it is splendid reassurance for women in the thick of it. The only weakness is Lerner's measured reading pace. It is too slow and seems stilted‘a marked contrast to the lively subject matter.‘Jeanne Leader, Everett Community Coll. Lib., WA

"What a gift. . . . True, touching, practical, spiritual, sanity-saving, and I laughed out loud with recognition, surprise and gratitude."--Anne Lamott
"Lerner writes with charm, precision, and at times almost unbearable honesty. This book shows us the way."--Mary Pipher, Ph.D
"Harriet Lerner pioneers on behalf of women's whole humanity. Each chapter in The Mother Dance is worth the price of admission."--Gloria Steinem
"One of the wisest and most honest books on parenting I have read."--Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul