What do you think?
Rate this book
My Mother's Daughter: A Memoir
Personal memories of the sort her Chatelaine readers adored — a remarkable life story seen through the window of her relationship with her mother.
Every woman’s relationship with her mother is special. Yet everyone will recognize some parts of another woman’s story, especially if it is told as honestly and as sensitively as Rona Maynard tells it here.
As a little girl, Maynard soon came to see that her family was not an ordinary one. Her father, Max, was an artist and an alcoholic. Her mother was Fredelle Maynard, a brilliant academic who could not get a teaching job because she was a woman. Instead she became a writer — the author of Raisins and Almonds — and, above all, a driving, loving, ambitious, overpowering mother.
In her shadow (and that of younger sister Joyce, who went off at eighteen to live with J.D. Salinger) Rona took time to blossom as a writer and editor in Toronto. This book takes us through her career, step by step, including the miseries of being accused by her son’s teachers — and her own mother — of being a bad mother, overly concerned with her own career.
Rona’s strong, direct style will ring true for every working woman. Through the magic of her writing, she gives a clear-eyed and affectionate account of her relationship with a demanding, loving mother.
I said to my father, "You don’t live here any more. This is Mother’s house, not yours. It’s time for you to go."
My father cursed me. He shook his fist. Then he left and never came back.
—From My Mother’s Daughter
Every woman’s relationship with her mother is special. Yet everyone will recognize some parts of another woman’s story, especially if it is told as honestly and as sensitively as Rona Maynard tells it here.
As a little girl, Maynard soon came to see that her family was not an ordinary one. Her father, Max, was an artist and an alcoholic. Her mother was Fredelle Maynard, a brilliant academic who could not get a teaching job because she was a woman. Instead she became a writer — the author of Raisins and Almonds — and, above all, a driving, loving, ambitious, overpowering mother.
In her shadow (and that of younger sister Joyce, who went off at eighteen to live with J.D. Salinger) Rona took time to blossom as a writer and editor in Toronto. This book takes us through her career, step by step, including the miseries of being accused by her son’s teachers — and her own mother — of being a bad mother, overly concerned with her own career.
Rona’s strong, direct style will ring true for every working woman. Through the magic of her writing, she gives a clear-eyed and affectionate account of her relationship with a demanding, loving mother.
I said to my father, "You don’t live here any more. This is Mother’s house, not yours. It’s time for you to go."
My father cursed me. He shook his fist. Then he left and never came back.
—From My Mother’s Daughter
264 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
2 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 29, 2015
This is a fascinating look at a family of women who are strong, sometimes stronger than the men in their life and how that affects their daughters. There are patterns which repeat from one generation to another. It is also a herstory of the changes in the plight and life potential of women throughout the 20th century. The thwarting of women's dreams and potential can have a devastating affect on all around them, in particular their daughters.
It must have been an intimidating prospect to write a memoir when both your mother, Fredelle Maynard and sister, Joyce Maynard, were so well know for theirs, but Rona manages to deal with those issues and win her own place, primarily by dealing with the demons which beset her all her life.
Her mother Fredelle Maynard comes across as both a monster of self absorption and a self sacrificing martyr, but it is the love of her daughter which elevates this story and makes one see the glorious creature she really is. You see her through the eyes of love.
It must have been an intimidating prospect to write a memoir when both your mother, Fredelle Maynard and sister, Joyce Maynard, were so well know for theirs, but Rona manages to deal with those issues and win her own place, primarily by dealing with the demons which beset her all her life.
Her mother Fredelle Maynard comes across as both a monster of self absorption and a self sacrificing martyr, but it is the love of her daughter which elevates this story and makes one see the glorious creature she really is. You see her through the eyes of love.
January 28, 2011
The author grew up in a home overshadowed by a brilliant, Radcliffe-trained academic mother, Fredelle, who couldn't get a teaching job because she was a woman. In the background, but also always noticed, was her charming, dashing father, Max, who was a professor and an artist (but also an alcoholic). Fredelle provided income as a writer, but the anger she felt over the inequities of her situation seemingly consumed her at times. But she focused her considerable energies upon her home and her daughters, Rona, followed later by Joyce.
Rona recalls her sister as the family charmer, while she was the rebel. While still in college, she married, and then a year later, had her son. In the large shadow of her mother (and then of her sister, who at eighteen went off to live with J. D. Salinger), Rona still managed to blossom as a writer and an editor. She had to fight against a chronic depression and the label of being called a "bad mother" by her son's teachers and her own mother for working long hours.
Struggling to forge her unique identity, against these influences and these odds, is the driving force of this memoir. It is a reminder for each woman of how her own mother's stamp of approval or disapproval informs her life. It is also a triumphant declaration of how history, family environment, and the times in which she lived created a woman who excelled in spite of the odds. Her quote: "I became who I am in spite of her and because of her."
I enjoyed reading the history of the author and her family, for I have read and followed her sister's literary journey. Rona's story fills in a few more pieces of this puzzle. I chose four stars for "My Mother's Daughter: A Memoir" because, at times, the journey was a bit tedious. I would recommend it to those who love memoirs, or who can relate to the mother-daughter issues.
Rona recalls her sister as the family charmer, while she was the rebel. While still in college, she married, and then a year later, had her son. In the large shadow of her mother (and then of her sister, who at eighteen went off to live with J. D. Salinger), Rona still managed to blossom as a writer and an editor. She had to fight against a chronic depression and the label of being called a "bad mother" by her son's teachers and her own mother for working long hours.
Struggling to forge her unique identity, against these influences and these odds, is the driving force of this memoir. It is a reminder for each woman of how her own mother's stamp of approval or disapproval informs her life. It is also a triumphant declaration of how history, family environment, and the times in which she lived created a woman who excelled in spite of the odds. Her quote: "I became who I am in spite of her and because of her."
I enjoyed reading the history of the author and her family, for I have read and followed her sister's literary journey. Rona's story fills in a few more pieces of this puzzle. I chose four stars for "My Mother's Daughter: A Memoir" because, at times, the journey was a bit tedious. I would recommend it to those who love memoirs, or who can relate to the mother-daughter issues.
February 27, 2021
A very enjoyable book. I feel connected to this family mostly because I follow her little sister, Joyce and because her Dad and I have a similar church background. Rona's story is hers alone to tell. A mother, daughter relationship that is constantly frustrated until the alcoholic father is finally banned from the home by Rona herself. Rona redeems her mother's poor choice of a husband and by telling the story of her mother triumph of authorship of her own book. A great read. I loved reading it and want to read more.
June 26, 2022
I ended up with the impression of this being a long lament for what’s been lost or out of reach.
Fascinating family, check.
Interesting and ambitious life, check.
The multigenerational struggle to be connected but separate explored, check.
Not sure of the authors intent.
Maybe just a way to “spend time” with her formidable and magnificent mother.
Fascinating family, check.
Interesting and ambitious life, check.
The multigenerational struggle to be connected but separate explored, check.
Not sure of the authors intent.
Maybe just a way to “spend time” with her formidable and magnificent mother.
January 2, 2020
Before reading this book, I would recommend reading Rona's sister Joyce's memoirs first, and then reading her mother Fredelle's memoirs. Doing this helps put My Mother's Daughter in the right context.
March 6, 2017
An interesting and well written, frank account of a mother/daughter relationship together with other family idiosyncrasies.
November 14, 2020
I always enjoyed Rona Maynard's contributions to Chatelaine back in the day...I was so looking forward to reading her memoir. Although well written, this memoir was much more somber and sad than I expected.
September 16, 2008
I'm not familiar with Chatelaine, so perhaps that's one reason why this book club selection didn't work for me.
Maynard's writing didn't particularly stand out for me. In fact, I found this memoir rather ordinary. Her parents' vocations were artistic in nature, and her father was an alcoholic, so that gave her some fodder for her stories. Her younger sister Joyce had an affair with J.D. Salinger. Her mother was probably the most important person in her life, thus the title, but she failed to intrigue me with that relationship either.
Rona struggled with the usual modern-day responsibilities juggling her career, motherhood, striving to be a good wife and daughter. Maybe that's the whole point of this memoir -- the commonalities she has with most women today? I've seen many five star reviews on Amazon Canada for this memoir, but frankly, in my humble opinion, it barely rates the three stars I gave it. There's a good reason why the paperback is not readily available in the U.S.
Maynard's writing didn't particularly stand out for me. In fact, I found this memoir rather ordinary. Her parents' vocations were artistic in nature, and her father was an alcoholic, so that gave her some fodder for her stories. Her younger sister Joyce had an affair with J.D. Salinger. Her mother was probably the most important person in her life, thus the title, but she failed to intrigue me with that relationship either.
Rona struggled with the usual modern-day responsibilities juggling her career, motherhood, striving to be a good wife and daughter. Maybe that's the whole point of this memoir -- the commonalities she has with most women today? I've seen many five star reviews on Amazon Canada for this memoir, but frankly, in my humble opinion, it barely rates the three stars I gave it. There's a good reason why the paperback is not readily available in the U.S.
December 3, 2024
Great Writing
I enjoyed reading about Rona Maynard’s family dynamics – her relationship with both parents, and their distinctive characters is interesting to say the least. She did a great job of diving into her intimate, albeit complicated relationship with her mother until her mother died. She didn’t go how she herself felt about her mother’s passing and how she processed it afterwards. She dove right into her time as editor of Chatelaine, which was interesting, but the part about her handling her mother’s death seemed to be missing.
I enjoyed reading about Rona Maynard’s family dynamics – her relationship with both parents, and their distinctive characters is interesting to say the least. She did a great job of diving into her intimate, albeit complicated relationship with her mother until her mother died. She didn’t go how she herself felt about her mother’s passing and how she processed it afterwards. She dove right into her time as editor of Chatelaine, which was interesting, but the part about her handling her mother’s death seemed to be missing.
April 5, 2013
See the interview with author Rona Maynard on MovingStories.TV here >> http://www.movingstories.tv/author-bi...
November 6, 2010
met her at a mental health conference as she talked of her struggle with depression
August 14, 2011
It took a while for me to enjoy this book but in the end, the story of this family was worth a read but I wouldn't really recommend it.
Want to read
February 21, 2012Seems like she might have some good ideas about women and mentorship. PLUS, she actually writes about real life experience.
September 6, 2013
I read this book because she was coming to speak at an event I was attending. I really loved it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews