10 Great Books About Moms

Just in time for mother's day: ten great books about moms and motherhood.

Fiction:

	I Don’t Know How She Does It: The Life of Kate Reddy, Working Mother by Allison Pearson A funny, wry look at modern motherhood through the eyes of Kate Reddy, supermom. She manages a hedge fund, two young children, and mountains of laundry with wit and wisdom, often applying parenting tips in order to handle her boss and boardroom management techniques to birthday party organization. More about the book
	Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner Kate is an former investigative journalist and avowed city girl who can’t quite seem to find her place in her new upscale Connecticut neighborhood where she is a stay-at-home mom of three. That is, until she discovers a neighbor’s body and explores the darker side of suburban bliss. A rollicking good foray into the mystery genre for popular author Weiner. More about the book
	The Good Mother by Sue Miller Anna is a freshly divorced single mother to three-year-old Molly when she meets Leo, a passionate man who is the polar opposite of her buttoned-up ex-husband. When her ex sues for custody of Molly, Anna and Leo’s affair is put on trial, as is her role as a “good mother”. This was Miller’s first novel. More about the book
	Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman A lawyer-turned-stay-at-home-mom finds herself in the role of amateur sleuth as she investigates the death of the headmaster at a posh preschool. A light, humorous mystery that is the first in the “Mommy Track” series from this author. More about the book
	The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent Based on a true story, this is the fictional account of Martha Carrier, the first woman to be accused of and tried for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, as told by her daughter, Sarah. As the hysteria mounts in Salem and the accusations fly around various families, Martha’s love for Sarah and her siblings leads her to great sacrifice in order to save them. More about the book

Nonfiction:

	Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts You may know plenty about John Adams, Ben Franklin, and George Washington, but what about Abigail, Deborah, and Martha? In a highly readable alternate look at our country’s founding, Roberts examines the wives and mothers who were revolutionary in their own right. More about the book
	Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic by Martha Beck An ambitious, highly educated, “power” couple gets the unexpected news that they are pregnant and soon learn that the baby will have Down’s Syndrome. This account of their decision to not only keep the baby but embrace all that such a diagnosis brings with it is by turns heart wrenching, sad, insightful, and funny. More about the book
	Mom’s Cancer by Brian Fies The ways that a mother’s cancer diagnosis affects an entire family are honestly told in this moving graphic novel. An unflinching memoir of a family’s struggle with illness told in a unique manner. More about the book
	The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less by Terry Ryan While the author’s father consistently drank away the family’s income, her mother chose to find creative ways to make ends meet in the 1950s, a time when few moneymaking venues were open to women. By entering contests, writing jingles, and keeping her chin up, Evelyn Ryan provided financially and emotionally for ten children. More about the book
	Daughter of the Queen of Sheba by Jacki Lyden NPR correspondent Lyden writes of her childhood with a bipolar mother who one day thought she was the Queen of Sheba and the next declared herself to be Marie Antoinette. By turns hilarious and horrifying, the author tells the story of both her essentially absent mother and the grandmother who ultimately raised her, a strong, colorful character herself. More about the book