Mamma Ki Diary

by Anu Singh Choudhary

At 26, Anu Singh Choudhary presumed that everything in life had become sort-of-perfect, and her life at that moment was really the happy fairy tale ending one had grown up striving for. A supportive family, a wonderful husband, and twins (that too a boy and a girl) - is this not what a woman ultimately wants? But what followed was a roller-coaster ride while she struggled through finding a balance between her quest for self and raising a family which demanded undivided attention. 'Mamma ki Diary' is an honest and intimate account of being a mother of twins while trying to make sense of everything else around raising kids: marriage, familial system, relationships, gender issues, ambitions & desires, and lessons of life that follow. The book also looks at stories of other mothers, and finally concludes at one realisation - that we tell our stories to others only to give each-other strength, and make each-other believe that happiness lies within ourselves. Through personal experiences never discussed before, Anu's 'Mamma ki Diary' will not only resonate with mothers, but will make a heart-warming read for men and women alike.

Genres: Nonfiction

185 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Gorab · Rating 2 out of 5]

Non fiction. Diary of a lady post marriage from family planning, to pregnancy, to parent of twins and raising kids.
Pretentious, preachy ramblings. Picked this only because I loved the short story collection Neela Scarf.
Had many issues big and small with this book.

Major one:
There is this case where a mother is unfortunate to suffer miscarriage, and she keeps writing letters to her unborn son on his "virtual" birthdays, up-to 18 years!!
As if miscarriage isn't tormenting enough, you continue holding on to it, cringing and torturing yourself forever!

Overall: Avoidable. Nothing special either in writing style or the content.

[Tarang Sinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not a parenting guide but it can teach you so many things about parenting and life of a parent, especially new mother. It's non-fiction (I didn't know that). I'm not very fond of this genre but what makes this book interesting is author's writing style. Very fresh, it grips you instantly.

It talk about family, love and loss. And, it's not just author's account. The author talks about many other mothers, their life, their loss. Some moments are very poignant but sometimes I felt distracted. Also, it gets preachy sometimes that I didn't like much for most of the times, it goes on.

Overall, nice, thoughtful and quick read.

[Gourav Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching tale from working mothers. A must read for men and women alike. While it teaches women to manage their expectations, it also teaches men to support their wives through their career and household chores.

Changing times need changing attitudes. Men are no longer the sole bread winners of the family and women should no longer be the sole homemakers. This book exposes the realities of societal expectations that place much more burdens on a woman than a man.

The writing of the book strikes a chord and touches the heart. Realities are presented in a hard hitting way and the author does not try to soften or romanticize it, truth as it is. A great read.

Disclosure: I read a Hindi novel after a long time

[Runa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book, being mother of twins and full time working, I could completely relate to this book. Every page I read , it brought back my memories and many times it felt as if it was my story. Coming from the same city Ranchi, it felt very close to my heart. Very nicely written with vivid descriptions of the feelings that a woman goes through trying to address challenges like work-life balance, societal expectations and digital age’s impact on parenting.
The author’s humour often shines through making it thought provoking and enjoyable.
The book is written in a conversational tone that makes it a delightful read.
This is a book that lingers along, reminding readers of the incredible yet often overlooked role of mothers in shaping life and society.

[Pratibha Pandey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for all parents

There isn't much "new" in this book. It is not even a story or a memoir of one mother. Its a universal look at mothers and ways in many of them find answers for themselves while taking care of the family and kids.

एक बार में सब न तो याद रहेगा या सीखा गया । बस कुछ दिल हल्का हो गया है फिलहाल। अपने रास्ते बनाने का साधन ना मिला हो , होसला जरूर मिला है इस किताब से। उसके लिए author का बहुत आभार।

[Toolika Wadhwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic piece by a young working mother on her everyday decisions, experiences and the struggle to negotiate with others. She describes her experiences with ease and shares without hesitation. Complete review on: http://kitaabikhazana.blogspot.in/201...

[Swati Agrawal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book. True to its title, it is a mother's diary.

The start of the book was really good. I was able to relate to it till the first 50 pages, as my kid is 15 months old now. But gradually, the book became very preachy and philosophical, something I never like reading. However, I really like the author's observation about people. I liked it in her first book "Neela Scarf" and that is why I picked this one.

Am not sure whether I will be recommending this book or not.

[Nikhil Talwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

[Anchal Saksena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book based on motherhood.

[Pallavi Shukla · Rating 5 out of 5]

इस क़िताब में महिलाओं के जीवन की चुनौतियों को बहुत अच्छे से दिखाया गया है, जैसे काम और घर का संतुलन और समाज की अपेक्षाएं। कामकाजी माताओं की दास्तां जो दिल को छू जाए। पुरुष और महिलाएं दोनों के लिए ज़रूरी। महिलाओं के लिए अपेक्षाओं का संतुलन और पुरुषों के लिए अपनी पत्नी का साथ देना, घर और करियर में।

इस किताब की लेखन शैली दिल को छू लेती है। सच्चाई को साफ़ और सटीक तरीके से दिखाया गया है, जो बहुत प्रभावशाली है।एक बेहतरीन पढ़ने वाली किताब है। लेखिका ने अपने रिश्तों और उनके प्रभाव को अपने व्यक्तित्व पर बहुत खूबसूरती से लिखा है, खासकर बाबा, पापा, इया और माँ के साथ। अब मां को भी थोड़ा और करीब से जानने और समझने का मन है ।

समय बदलने के साथ-साथ सोच भी बदलनी चाहिए। पुरुष अब परिवार के एकमात्र कमाऊ सदस्य नहीं हैं और महिलाएं अब एकमात्र घरेलू कामकाजी नहीं होनी चाहिए। यह पुस्तक सामाजिक अपेक्षाओं की सच्चाई को उजागर करती है, जो महिलाओं पर पुरुषों की तुलना में अधिक बोझ डालती हैं।
मम्मा की डायरी जैसी ख़ूबसूरत किताब हर किसी को एक बार अवश्य पढ़ना चाहिए।