I've Always Meant to Tell You Letters to Our Mothers An Anthology of Contemporary Women Writers Edited by Constance Warloe

One of the most impressive books I have ever read dedicated to Mothers it's
I've Always Meant to Tell You Letters to Our Mothers An Anthology of Contemporary Women Writers Edited by Constance Warloe and published years ago by Simon&Schuster.

I think that there is not another book more powerful than this one in grade to capture the strong, conflictual, beautiful relationship between a mother and a daughter.

A Wednesday I went to Umbertide and as I do often I stopped by at the second-hand book store of the ladies of Books for Dogs.
I didn't have in my mind anything specific.
I was there for something...precious and special.
I discovered this book and I felt that it was what I wanted to bring home.

Seventy-five daughters for an anthology, compiled with great love, devotion intention, patience.

Yes, we speak of intellectual daughters: most of them writers, and then reporters, poets, cartoonists, an universe of thinkers sometimes with mothers who were thinkers and writers as well.

Some of these names are known: Joyce Carol Oates, Lucile Adler, Natalie Goldberg but you will see...

Names and last names are not important in this book.
You won't buy this book because there is that certain author you love so badly, no.

It won't be that one the principal reason because you will want to read what these women experienced, what they meant to tell to their mothers.

You will buy this book for understand.
Understand if your relationship with your mother is similar to the one they are experiencing or they experienced and what it meant to them their mother and what their mother mean at the moment to them, adults and maybe mothers of other daughters.

These writers will be intellectually naked and sincere with their readers and their mother reporting with intensity, joy, sadness, frustration, happiness their memories.

Some of them will describe the life spent with their mothers, illness, problems, conflicts, additions, because sometimes it's difficult to be a daughter and to be a  mother and there is not a secret recipe for learning. There is who doesn't have memories of her mother apart in pictures because dead before to be in grade of...remembering.

Elizabeth Brundage writes: "I worry about being without you. I cannot imagine it. You are my mommy!"

Other ones will return with their memories at old times when their mother was still alive and what it meant that gift of life.

Tess Enroth writes: "After your death I often found myself composing letters to you, almost forgetting they would not be mailed or written. I'd have you with me in my dreams, too, and carry the illusion of your presence halfway through a busy morning."

Elegance, favorite meals, memories of a remote past kept closed jealously in boxes of letters or pictures,  fragment of moments.

Dawan Raffel: "When I was born no doctor was present. It was only you and me."

Carolyn See goes straight to the point: "Dear Ma! I've always meant to tell you that it didn't have to be this way; you made your own life by yourself..."

Shari Thurer thanks her mother: "I regard myself as tremendously fortunate to have you as my mother, with your remarkable capacity to both treasure my visits, and overlook the times I don't find time to visit." 

A diversified universe of intellectuals, united together for painting for every mom a wonderful portrait giving back to the readers in all its magnificence the most profound and true meaning of being a Mother and a Daughter.





Anna Maria Polidori