Letters to My Daughters

by Mary Matalin

In Letters to My Daughters, famed political consultant and TV personality Mary Matalin shares the moral, ethical, and occasionally comic life lessons gleaned from her mother's experiences and her own. These intimate, personal letters range from the spiritual to the practical, from giving life to accepting death, from civic to personal responsibility, from looking and feeling good to dealing with those pesky boys, and more. Here's a sampling of the mother wisdom found in these Crying is not a weakness; it's cathartic and cleansing. People who live life with the fullest commitment tend to cry a lot. It's a healthy expression of deep emotions. I don't like or trust people who don't or can't cry. When I tell you I understand what you're going through, it's not just because I remember what it felt like to be a teenage girl whose body is being hijacked by hormones against her will. It's because I'm a fifty-something whose body is being hijacked by hormones against her will at this very moment. And if you don't believe me, just ask your father. I believe in my heart of hearts that a life without faith is unanchored and unfulfilling. Without it, you're just wandering in the desert. You experience deeply that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts -- and the singing is damn good. Ma had a complex philosophy of sex, which I heard almost every day from age ten. "Boys would screw a snake if it would lay still long enough." Let's flash forward forty years and allow your mother to give you a twenty-first-century take on boys and "Boys would screw a snake if it would lay still long enough."...And the men in Washington think that's a compliment. A deep sense of loyalty can help you overcome almost any bump in the road. The disloyal may advantage themselves in some work situations, but their gains will be temporary, fleeting. They will fail their institutions, their colleagues, and worst of all, themselves. Filled with warmth, common sense, a belief in the values that keep families strong, and her trademark sense of humor, Mary Matalin's letters will inspire, guide, entertain, and inform. They're the perfect companion for any mother looking for a smart, sensible fellow traveler on the road to raising good daughters.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Audiobook, Biography

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2004

About the author

Mary Joe Matalin is an American political strategist and consultant. She is known for her work with the Republican Party. She was an assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney until 2003. In April 2004, she published the book Letters to My Daughters. In March 2005, Matalin was chosen to run a new conservative publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster. She is married to Democratic political consultant James Carville.

Reviews

[Lawanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook performed by Mary Matalin
These letters reveal a mother I could never have imagined and still have difficulty thinking about.

[Gypsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was fascinated by the seemingly impossible marriage of James Carville & Mary Matalin. I don’t really buy their public image of a bickering couple; jabs & insults aside they were never truly hostile toward each other whenever they appear together. Even though they cannot be more opposite on their political stand points, I sensed a deeper underlying respect they have for each other. I wanted to hear the author’s own voice conveying her thoughts, and this book is very insightful indeed. These are letters I wish my mother had written for me, lessons that I definitely could have used when I was much younger. Worth a listen!

[Laura, still reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked: her handing down words of wisdom to her daughters & leaving them a legacy of herself through this book. I think the idea of the book is great, and I think she had a lot of great things to say & pass down to her daughters. It's something I wish I had from my mother. :)

What I didn't like: she makes the assumption that her daughters are going to be straight. She passes down a LOT of her wisdom on boys/men with that assumption, and it just hit me wrong. In this day & age, I would've wanted her to be more open-minded (even though the book is 10 years old). Maybe that's a lot to ask of a self-proclaimed conservative.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this couple is fascinating. She's a staunch Republican and he's a loyal Democrat (James Carville). They both actually kind of annoy me to watch but I think their relationship is really interesting and I loved the letters. It sort of reminded me that in reality, most people have the same goals in mind....just different ideas of how to get there (or maybe I'm just being naive). In any case, I liked the book.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary writes letters to her two little girls, giving them advice, telling them about her own life, and sharing secrets and stories. This is the kind of thing I'd say to my own daughters, if I were this eloquent and well-spoken. I loved this book, and gave copies of the audio version to my girls for Christmas. I hope they listen, and learn something.

[Blaine Morrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew Mary Matalin could be so warm, wise, and affectionate? I certainly was pleasantly surprised by this book, which is well-written and which I would gladly share with my own daughter as sage advice.

[Christine Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never quite trust a book that is supposedly written for someone but that you know was actually written to sell. I found much of the book boring, though the advice was decent, but enjoyed the last sections on marriage which featured details of the Matalin-Carville union.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!

[Jodee · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very heartfelt book, a labor of love for her daughters

[Nancy Jernigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight to pass down to our daughters. I have read this twice.

[Karla · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst book I read in 2004.

[Jenn LeBow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I disagree with Matalin on politics, but I love these letters to her girls. She's funny and gritty and real, especially for a Republican! ;) (I'm just kidding....)

[Kathie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too interesting. Written from a younger mom's perspective and someone who had a different lifestyle than me.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What delightful messages to leave your daughters!

[Susan Reyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some helpful ideas for talking to my old daughters!