40 ratings | 7 reviews | avg rating:4.55

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Ali Smith

Goodreads Author

Website

https://www.alismith.com

Genre

Memoir, Art, Biography

Influences

David Sedaris, Dorothy Parker, Anthony Bourdain, Jennifer Egan, Joyce ...more

Member Since

May 2014

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/mommalove

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The vibrant style Ali Smith has brought to her writing and photography—featured regularly in The New York Times, The Guardian, and other publications internationally—was forged in New York’s underground music scene where she played bass in the seminal punk / blues / avant-garde band, Speedball Baby. After touring worldwide and recording nine albums, Ali released two books of photography about women’s lives. The first, Laws of the Bandit Queens, led to a feature on OWN, Oprah Winfrey’s television network. The second, Momma Love: How the Mother Half Lives, won a Silver IPPY and an International Book Awards prize, was praised by The New York Times, and Gloria Steinem called it “a gift to moms.” With a passion for telling women’s stories, Ali’s ...more

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Ali Smith’s books

Average rating: 3.91 · 186 ratings · 41 reviews · 3 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Ballad of Speedball Baby: A Memoir 3.83 avg rating — 141 ratings — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Laws of the Bandit Queens: Words to Live by from 35 of Today's Most Revolutionary Women by Ali Smith (Goodreads Author), Maggie Estep, Nora Dunn 3.97 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 2002	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Momma Love: How the Mother Half Lives 4.90 avg rating — 10 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Ali Smith is currently reading

The Ballad of Speedball Baby: A Memoir

by Ali Smith (Goodreads Author)

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Oct 03, 2024 09:49AM

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Ali Smith is currently reading The Ballad of Speedball Baby: A Memoir by Ali Smith (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 03, 2024 09:49AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Ballad of Speedball Baby by Ali Smith. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Ballad of Speedball Baby by Ali Smith <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ali Smith rated a book liked it Jenntte Mccurdy New Memoir, I’m Glad My Mom is Dead: An Extremely Complicated Relationship With Her Mother, Career And Eating Disorder by Cassandra kiesel	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I applaud her tremendously for what she's written! It's an act of courage and self-respect and she deserves all the praise she is getting! I don't think the success of the book is at all about the writing, so reading it reminded me of how important c ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:54PM · 1 like · like · see review
Ali Smith rated a book really liked it I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
If it's based on the writing alone, I can't fault it. Can only be inspired and aspire. The cumulative effect of the stories can be overwhelming though. Not only in the intended sense- which is to say they are so powerful and perfectly told, each one ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:41PM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ali Smith rated a book it was amazing The High Desert by James Spooner (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
The High Desert is high art from start to finish. It's compelling story telling, honest, unflinching. I felt more expansive for having read it and it sparked really powerful conversations with my 14-year-old who also devoured it and wanted to learn a ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:36PM · like · see review
Ali Smith is now following James Spooner Author of The High Desert
Feb 20, 2024 12:35PM · like
Ali Smith rated a book really liked it Optimism over Despair: On Capitalism, Empire, and Social Change by Noam Chomsky	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I'm torn on this one. Chomsky is so informed it's hard to push against that. I value his insights and follow his clear arguments. But from a personal POV, I bought it to feel more hopeful about things I am despairing about and there is very little ho ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:32PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Optimism over Despair by Noam Chomsky. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Optimism over Despair by Noam Chomsky <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ali Smith rated a book it was amazing The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City by Jennifer Toth	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A book I"ve gone back to more than once. It's one of those times when I can't advicate anyone doing the supremely dangerous things she did for the story as a young woman, but I'm glad she did them. The insights are fascinating. I guess some of it, fr ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:27PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Mole People by Jennifer Toth. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Mole People by Jennifer Toth <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ali Smith is now following Jennifer Toth Author of The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath Ne...
Feb 20, 2024 12:26PM · like
Ali Smith rated a book it was amazing Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I'm a huge fan of Maria's and of her vibe and voice (literal and figurative, including the "Diane"). I support anyone with the nerve and determination to raise their hand first and say "Yup! Sucks! Happened to me." I truly believe in the inherent val ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:22PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sure, I'll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ali Smith rated a book it was amazing Putin's Russia: The Rise of a Dictator by Darryl Cunningham (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
It worked beautifully to weave together the pieces for me of so many names, events and concepts I had only a vague understanding of for decades. Helped me finally feel like an adult on the matter. Now particularly moving to understand it with the rec ...more
Feb 20, 2024 12:21PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Putin's Russia by Darryl Cunningham. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Putin's Russia by Darryl Cunningham <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">