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Letter to My Daughter
Dear Elizabeth,
It’s early morning and I’m sitting here wondering where you are, hoping you’re all right.
A fight, ended by a slap, sends Elizabeth out the door of her Baton Rouge home on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her mother, Laura, is left to fret and worry—and remember. Wracked with guilt as she awaits Liz’s return, Laura begins a letter to her daughter, hoping to convey “everything I’ve always meant to tell you but never have."
In her painfully candid confession, Laura shares memories of her own troubled adolescence in rural Louisiana, growing up in an intensely conservative household. She recounts her relationship with a boy she loved despite her parents’ disapproval, the fateful events that led to her being sent away to a strict Catholic boarding school, the personal tragedy brought upon her by the Vietnam War, and, finally, the meaning of the enigmatic tattoo below her right hip.
Absorbing and affirming, George Bishop’s magnificent debut brilliantly captures a sense of time and place with a distinct and inviting voice. Letter to My Daughter is a heartwrenching novel of mothers, daughters, and the lessons we all learn when we come of age.
It’s early morning and I’m sitting here wondering where you are, hoping you’re all right.
A fight, ended by a slap, sends Elizabeth out the door of her Baton Rouge home on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her mother, Laura, is left to fret and worry—and remember. Wracked with guilt as she awaits Liz’s return, Laura begins a letter to her daughter, hoping to convey “everything I’ve always meant to tell you but never have."
In her painfully candid confession, Laura shares memories of her own troubled adolescence in rural Louisiana, growing up in an intensely conservative household. She recounts her relationship with a boy she loved despite her parents’ disapproval, the fateful events that led to her being sent away to a strict Catholic boarding school, the personal tragedy brought upon her by the Vietnam War, and, finally, the meaning of the enigmatic tattoo below her right hip.
Absorbing and affirming, George Bishop’s magnificent debut brilliantly captures a sense of time and place with a distinct and inviting voice. Letter to My Daughter is a heartwrenching novel of mothers, daughters, and the lessons we all learn when we come of age.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published February 16, 2010
45 people are currently reading
1018 people want to read
About the author
George Bishop
65 books17 followersGeorge Bishop, Jr., worked as an actor for eight years in Los Angeles before traveling overseas as a volunteer English teacher to Czechoslovakia in 1992. He enjoyed the ex-pat life so much that he stayed on, living and teaching in Turkey, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, India, and most recently, Japan. He holds a BA from Loyola University in New Orleans, an MFA from the University of North Carolina in Wilmington, and an MA from the School for International Training in Vermont.
His stories and essays have appeared in publications such as The Oxford American, The Third Coast, Press, American Writing, and Vorm (in Dutch). His first novel, Letter to My Daughter was published by Ballantine Books in 2010; his second, The Night of the Comet, came out the summer 2013, also with Ballantine.
His stories and essays have appeared in publications such as The Oxford American, The Third Coast, Press, American Writing, and Vorm (in Dutch). His first novel, Letter to My Daughter was published by Ballantine Books in 2010; his second, The Night of the Comet, came out the summer 2013, also with Ballantine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
June 10, 2022
Arguments. Mothers and daughters have them often, but this argument was different. This one ended with a mother’s slap and a daughter’s angry exodus into the night. As worry and regret floods her brain, Laura sits down in her quiet kitchen and begins writing a letter to her daughter, Elizabeth. A letter that she hopes will give Elizabeth some insight into her upbringing and past in order to help bridge the divide that has grown between the two of them. Simple and honest words on paper that might heal both of their souls and perhaps lead to understanding and forgiveness.
Anyone who automatically dismisses this book because the author is a man will be depriving themselves of a thoughtful, reflective, and meaningful read. I quickly became lost in this story and often found myself thinking it a memoir rather than a work of fiction as the emotional details are strikingly vivid and the writing is genuine and immersive. Although it’s a quick read, it instantly draws you in and will either make you wish that you had received a letter like this from your own parent or that you had taken the time to write a letter like this to your own child.
Through Letter to My Daughter, George Bishop reminds those of us fortunate enough to be a parent, that our children really don’t realize that we had an actual life before their grand entrance into the world. That whenever they utter, “You don’t get it” and “You just don’t understand” that we truly do get it because we also dreamed big dreams and had our heart broken and were disappointed by those people that we thought we could trust. We also laughed and cried and had horrible (and sometimes humorous) lapses in judgement and so yes, we really do understand because at one time, we were just like them—young, overly confident, woefully unprepared, and ready to take on the world…whatever that meant. And while we beat our heads against the wall trying to impart our hard-earned wisdom into their beautifully thick skulls, we find ourselves saying, “You don’t get it” and “You just don’t understand” and then we realize that just like that, the circle is now complete.
Throughout the book, I kept being drawn to the character of Sister Mary Margaret, a kind and compassionate nun who taught at Sacred Heart Academy where Laura was sent. Laura quoted several of her sayings in her letter and every one of them is a gem in its own right: Never be afraid of the truth; Begin at the beginning; Avoid sentimentality at all costs; and my personal favorite, Be good, and if you can’t be good, at least be sensible. With advice like this, maybe Sister Mary Margaret should consider writing a letter, too?
Anyone who automatically dismisses this book because the author is a man will be depriving themselves of a thoughtful, reflective, and meaningful read. I quickly became lost in this story and often found myself thinking it a memoir rather than a work of fiction as the emotional details are strikingly vivid and the writing is genuine and immersive. Although it’s a quick read, it instantly draws you in and will either make you wish that you had received a letter like this from your own parent or that you had taken the time to write a letter like this to your own child.
Through Letter to My Daughter, George Bishop reminds those of us fortunate enough to be a parent, that our children really don’t realize that we had an actual life before their grand entrance into the world. That whenever they utter, “You don’t get it” and “You just don’t understand” that we truly do get it because we also dreamed big dreams and had our heart broken and were disappointed by those people that we thought we could trust. We also laughed and cried and had horrible (and sometimes humorous) lapses in judgement and so yes, we really do understand because at one time, we were just like them—young, overly confident, woefully unprepared, and ready to take on the world…whatever that meant. And while we beat our heads against the wall trying to impart our hard-earned wisdom into their beautifully thick skulls, we find ourselves saying, “You don’t get it” and “You just don’t understand” and then we realize that just like that, the circle is now complete.
Throughout the book, I kept being drawn to the character of Sister Mary Margaret, a kind and compassionate nun who taught at Sacred Heart Academy where Laura was sent. Laura quoted several of her sayings in her letter and every one of them is a gem in its own right: Never be afraid of the truth; Begin at the beginning; Avoid sentimentality at all costs; and my personal favorite, Be good, and if you can’t be good, at least be sensible. With advice like this, maybe Sister Mary Margaret should consider writing a letter, too?
December 17, 2009
The mother-daughter relationship is an undefinable dichotomy that is either not addressed in fictional entertainment or belittled. I had my reservations about this book (considering it’s written by a George) but it does a great job of addressing the relationship in a realistic and matter-o-fact style. It isn’t the most complicated of stories or premises but if you are female in any way, shape, or form, you’ll relate.
June 3, 2010
I admit that I am influenced by book titles in my choice of books to read. In that sense, Letter to My Daughter was somewhat off putting for me. I was expecting a somewhat predictable story of a mother writing a letter to her daughter. Fortunately, I overcame my reticence, and upon reading the first couple of paragraphs I found myself immersed in a riveting story.
The novel begins in present day Baton Rouge, Louisiana; a mother (Laura) has started writing a letter to her daughter Elizabeth to alleviate her anxiety and worry. Her teenage daughter has just left the house after yet another argument with her mother In her letter, Laura has decided to tell her daughter about her own troubled adolescent years and share secrets about her past she had previously been unable to confide.
As we read Laura's letter, we travel back in time to the late '60s. Laura’s parents are conservative Southern Baptists who don’t approve of her relationship with Tim, a Cajun boy from the other side of town. Laura continues to see Tim against her parents wishes until one fateful day when Laura’s life is changed irrevocably. At the risk of giving too much of the plot away, the novel touches on themes of prejudice, young love and sexuality, the Vietnam War, mother-daughter relationships, and the challenges of being both a teenager and a parent in an increasingly complex world.
You don’t have to be a parent or a teenager to relate to this story. Once I started reading Letter to My Daughter, I found it difficult to put it down and ended up reading it in just two sittings. Don’t be put off by the title of this book as I was; the author has created an unforgettable story that will stay with you for days after you turn the last page.
Review by Gita Tewari
The novel begins in present day Baton Rouge, Louisiana; a mother (Laura) has started writing a letter to her daughter Elizabeth to alleviate her anxiety and worry. Her teenage daughter has just left the house after yet another argument with her mother In her letter, Laura has decided to tell her daughter about her own troubled adolescent years and share secrets about her past she had previously been unable to confide.
As we read Laura's letter, we travel back in time to the late '60s. Laura’s parents are conservative Southern Baptists who don’t approve of her relationship with Tim, a Cajun boy from the other side of town. Laura continues to see Tim against her parents wishes until one fateful day when Laura’s life is changed irrevocably. At the risk of giving too much of the plot away, the novel touches on themes of prejudice, young love and sexuality, the Vietnam War, mother-daughter relationships, and the challenges of being both a teenager and a parent in an increasingly complex world.
You don’t have to be a parent or a teenager to relate to this story. Once I started reading Letter to My Daughter, I found it difficult to put it down and ended up reading it in just two sittings. Don’t be put off by the title of this book as I was; the author has created an unforgettable story that will stay with you for days after you turn the last page.
Review by Gita Tewari
February 19, 2010
This is just a small book, just over 120 pages, but boy does it pack a punch! I picked this up and figured I would browse the first few pages before bed and get a feel for the book. I read 3/4 of it in one sitting and would've finished it if my eyes would've let me.
As a parent this book struck such a chord with me. I related so well to the mother, I felt her worries for her child and her fears for her daughters safety and whereabouts. I could feel her wondering if she was being a good enough parent or if she was failing her child. A worry I often have in my own life.
On the flip side of the coin, the book also struck a chord with the wild child I once was. Listening to her mom tell the story of her adolescence brought back so many memories and all those feelings from my own teenage years. The joys and heartaches that we all go through when were growing up, they all came racing back to me.
This little book really made an impression on me and I have a feeling it will stay with me for a long time to come. I would highly recommend it. (from publisher for review)
As a parent this book struck such a chord with me. I related so well to the mother, I felt her worries for her child and her fears for her daughters safety and whereabouts. I could feel her wondering if she was being a good enough parent or if she was failing her child. A worry I often have in my own life.
On the flip side of the coin, the book also struck a chord with the wild child I once was. Listening to her mom tell the story of her adolescence brought back so many memories and all those feelings from my own teenage years. The joys and heartaches that we all go through when were growing up, they all came racing back to me.
This little book really made an impression on me and I have a feeling it will stay with me for a long time to come. I would highly recommend it. (from publisher for review)
March 4, 2010
Letter to My Daughter is a coming of age debut novel, about a mother (Laura) and her teenage daughter(Liz). The story is written by George Bishop, and one would think that writing about a topic like this would be a difficult task to do well for most males, but this author succeeds.
After an argument with her mother on the eve of her fifteenth birthday, Liz storms off from her Louisiana home. While her father busies himself in projects, her mother watches the clock waiting for her daughter to return. She reflects on her own adolescence and decides to write Liz a letter, which she plans to give her on her birthday. In the letter she conveys stories never shared before about the conflicts she had with her own parents when she was her daughter's age. Laura writes an at times, painful and emotional story about her first love and her parents disapproval of the young man. She shares her experiences at Sacred Heart Academy, a Catholic boarding school that her parents sent her off too--their way of separating Laura and the young man.
MY THOUGHTS: The author did an excellent job conveying the pain and confusion of the teenage years and first love. Since the time period was the late 1960's and early 1970's, other hot issues are addressed as well, such as: the Vietnam war and discrimination etc. The novel is short, just 126 pages, but the story is written in a way that kept me engaged from beginning to end. RECOMMENDED (4/5 stars)
After an argument with her mother on the eve of her fifteenth birthday, Liz storms off from her Louisiana home. While her father busies himself in projects, her mother watches the clock waiting for her daughter to return. She reflects on her own adolescence and decides to write Liz a letter, which she plans to give her on her birthday. In the letter she conveys stories never shared before about the conflicts she had with her own parents when she was her daughter's age. Laura writes an at times, painful and emotional story about her first love and her parents disapproval of the young man. She shares her experiences at Sacred Heart Academy, a Catholic boarding school that her parents sent her off too--their way of separating Laura and the young man.
MY THOUGHTS: The author did an excellent job conveying the pain and confusion of the teenage years and first love. Since the time period was the late 1960's and early 1970's, other hot issues are addressed as well, such as: the Vietnam war and discrimination etc. The novel is short, just 126 pages, but the story is written in a way that kept me engaged from beginning to end. RECOMMENDED (4/5 stars)
July 27, 2013
Short book, but good to read one written about the time of the Vietnam War from
the viewpoint of a teenage girl, since I was one and this book seems somewhat familiar.
Great job of writing from a girl's point of view George!
the viewpoint of a teenage girl, since I was one and this book seems somewhat familiar.
Great job of writing from a girl's point of view George!
January 7, 2010
* I won this book via the Goodreads Giveaway program so it is an ARC.*
When I got this book in the mail I immediately fell in love with the cover but I was a little skeptical about the content as this book was super thin! I know you can't always judge a book by a cover or its size but I tend to do that.
This slim little book is written as a letter that a mother is writing to her daughter who is 15 and has just runaway. She is reflecting on the tumultuous relationship that is, and always will be, the one of mother & daughter. She reflects on her own upbringing and the resentments she had of her own mother (and father) and how the one with her own daughter is eerily similar in ways. She writes these letters with the hopes that when her daughter returns she will be able to read them, learn, forgive, and take baby steps toward mending their relationship. The content of this letter reveals the events that shaped the mother's life between the ages of 15-18 that the mother is hoping will show her daughter how much she truly does understood the plight of the teenager & her remorse regarding their relationships present state.
I found myself quickly involved in the story and couldn't put it down. The mother/daughter relationship is always one of interest to me and I found the insights honest, relatable, and very delicately handled. The idea of a letter from my mother like this brought tears to my eyes. I wish I could have gotten something like this; perhaps I would have learned to better appreciate my mother when she was still alive. The most amazing thing to me is that this book was written by a man. I am amazed at how he was able to truly capture such complexities of the mother/daughter relationship.
I have to be honest. I don't know what drew me to this book when I was browsing the giveaways because it didn't seem like a book that I would normally pick up. However, I'm really glad that I won it.
When I got this book in the mail I immediately fell in love with the cover but I was a little skeptical about the content as this book was super thin! I know you can't always judge a book by a cover or its size but I tend to do that.
This slim little book is written as a letter that a mother is writing to her daughter who is 15 and has just runaway. She is reflecting on the tumultuous relationship that is, and always will be, the one of mother & daughter. She reflects on her own upbringing and the resentments she had of her own mother (and father) and how the one with her own daughter is eerily similar in ways. She writes these letters with the hopes that when her daughter returns she will be able to read them, learn, forgive, and take baby steps toward mending their relationship. The content of this letter reveals the events that shaped the mother's life between the ages of 15-18 that the mother is hoping will show her daughter how much she truly does understood the plight of the teenager & her remorse regarding their relationships present state.
I found myself quickly involved in the story and couldn't put it down. The mother/daughter relationship is always one of interest to me and I found the insights honest, relatable, and very delicately handled. The idea of a letter from my mother like this brought tears to my eyes. I wish I could have gotten something like this; perhaps I would have learned to better appreciate my mother when she was still alive. The most amazing thing to me is that this book was written by a man. I am amazed at how he was able to truly capture such complexities of the mother/daughter relationship.
I have to be honest. I don't know what drew me to this book when I was browsing the giveaways because it didn't seem like a book that I would normally pick up. However, I'm really glad that I won it.
February 23, 2010
When her daughter Liz runs away from home on the eve of her 15th birthday, Laura decides to pass the excruciating hours waiting and hoping for her to come back by writing Liz a letter about her own troubled teen years.
Through her words, Laura reveals herself to her daughter completely: the difficult relationship she had with her own parents, how she resented her mother most of all, her relationship with a boy named Tim, and the consequences to her life because of that relationship. She talks honestly about her own sexual choices and why she rebelled against authority. And Laura is candid about her mistakes with Liz, and she makes a plea for understanding, saying parents don’t always know what they are doing when raising their children. They often get by doing the best they know how to do.
Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop is a great book for mother-daughter book clubs with girls in high school to read. Daughters often tend to think their mothers can’t possibly understand what they’re going through, but this book encourages girls to see their moms in a new light. Pre-book club discussion may be even more valuable, as moms and daughters may talk candidly about the mom’s formative years and how it affects her parenting now. It could also prompt conversation about the daughter’s world, and pressure she may feel from her friends or boyfriend.
When I started to read Letter to My Daughter, I was skeptical that a man could write well about a mother-daughter relationship. But that concern quickly went away as Laura’s strong voice brought me into her story. It’s a story that doesn’t include details about the years between her teen life and this letter, but that focus on a specific time period helps define the era she lived in as well as the circumstances she faced. I found it totally engrossing, and I highly recommend it as a mother-daughter book club pick.
Through her words, Laura reveals herself to her daughter completely: the difficult relationship she had with her own parents, how she resented her mother most of all, her relationship with a boy named Tim, and the consequences to her life because of that relationship. She talks honestly about her own sexual choices and why she rebelled against authority. And Laura is candid about her mistakes with Liz, and she makes a plea for understanding, saying parents don’t always know what they are doing when raising their children. They often get by doing the best they know how to do.
Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop is a great book for mother-daughter book clubs with girls in high school to read. Daughters often tend to think their mothers can’t possibly understand what they’re going through, but this book encourages girls to see their moms in a new light. Pre-book club discussion may be even more valuable, as moms and daughters may talk candidly about the mom’s formative years and how it affects her parenting now. It could also prompt conversation about the daughter’s world, and pressure she may feel from her friends or boyfriend.
When I started to read Letter to My Daughter, I was skeptical that a man could write well about a mother-daughter relationship. But that concern quickly went away as Laura’s strong voice brought me into her story. It’s a story that doesn’t include details about the years between her teen life and this letter, but that focus on a specific time period helps define the era she lived in as well as the circumstances she faced. I found it totally engrossing, and I highly recommend it as a mother-daughter book club pick.
January 1, 2010
I won this book as a First Reads giveaway and am very glad that I did! Liz gets in a fight with her parents on the eve of her 15th birthday and runs away from home. Her mother, Laura, feels tremendous guilt and wonders where she went wrong. She did not have a good relationship with her own mother and swore, like many of us do, that things would be different for her daughter. What Laura does is sit down and write a letter to Liz, telling her all the things she had always wanted her to know, but never sat down and said. She narrates a tale of her own youth --- describing life-changing events that take place beginning when she was the same age as her daughter.
This was an excellent read that I would recommend to anyone --- young or old. It truly has multi-generational appeal. George Bishop does an outstanding job of getting inside Laura's head and making us feel as though we are right there with her. I started this book late last night and finished it today --- I really did not want to put it down. Very touching and heartfelt!
This was an excellent read that I would recommend to anyone --- young or old. It truly has multi-generational appeal. George Bishop does an outstanding job of getting inside Laura's head and making us feel as though we are right there with her. I started this book late last night and finished it today --- I really did not want to put it down. Very touching and heartfelt!
December 14, 2009
Letter to My Daughter (George Bishop) is a wonderful story. After an argument Liz takes off in the family car and Laura decides to write her daughter a letter.
It is not just a letter but the emotional story of Laura's teenage years.
She tells with emotion, of the time spent in a Catholic girls school, and why her parents sent her there. Laura talks of her forbidden love and the scandal that changed her life forever. In writing this letter Laura hopes to reach out to Liz and show her, that she understands how it feels to be young and imperfect.
It us hard to believe the author is a man! George Bishop writes well and really grabs the reader by the heart. I feel this book is an excellent choice for mothers and teenage girls as well.
It is not just a letter but the emotional story of Laura's teenage years.
She tells with emotion, of the time spent in a Catholic girls school, and why her parents sent her there. Laura talks of her forbidden love and the scandal that changed her life forever. In writing this letter Laura hopes to reach out to Liz and show her, that she understands how it feels to be young and imperfect.
It us hard to believe the author is a man! George Bishop writes well and really grabs the reader by the heart. I feel this book is an excellent choice for mothers and teenage girls as well.
December 14, 2009
I won this book in a Firstreads giveaway! It was really good! Usually, I don't like to read book written by guys (I know, super weird). I guess it's because I'm really girly and I like girls (Sarah Dessen) who can capture that girly, romantic feel. But George Bishop did a great job of getting all the details of a teenage relationship. Everything that Laura felt is exactly how a fifteen year old girl would feel. I love the letter aspect. The plot was entertaining and I wanted to keep turning the page. He got all of the boy-girl and mother-daughter relationships just right. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
May 5, 2016
Very quick, easy read that got inside my heart. It's what we want to hear from our own parents, and what we want to help our children understand. We get it, we understand, and here's why. The why part gets left out too often. Loved it.
December 11, 2009
What a poignant look into a mother's reflection of her teenage life and how she tries to be a better mother to her teenage daughter. Touching, emotional, smooth reading. I really enjoyed this book.
March 28, 2012
This book is really, really, really good. It should be read by every mother of a 15 year old. I wish it would have gone on forever.
Best book I have read in a very long time
Best book I have read in a very long time
November 4, 2017
This 2010 debut novel was another one of my wife's quick picks at the library. The title caught my eye because last year I attended a workshop on how to write letters to your loved ones. But I quickly got hooked by this book, and couldn't put it down. It's a quick read with simple prose.
Though the author is a guy, he does an excellent job of putting you in the mind of a distraught mother, who in the wake of her teenage daughter's running away, decides to write her a letter. A rather long letter as far as letters go, but the novel is short. This context frames the gripping story of the mother's life, colored as it is with Vietnam, forbidden love and adolescent cruelty. She pens her story in the hope her daughter will understand her better. That is, if said daughter ever returns home....
The fact that the mother's story almost certainly takes place in Baton Rouge in the early 70s, made this a must-read for me. The author does take liberties: CHS is "Cathedral" High School, SJA is another Academy down the street that boards a dozen or so "hardship" cases. The two are essentially reduced to your stereotypical conservative white upper class party schools. The Cajuns come across as very redeemable characters, as does one particular SJA sister. And other details are there: like Kleinpeter's dairy, Zachary, oil storage tanks. Little stuff like that.
It's an enjoyable read.
4 out of 5 sonnets from Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Though the author is a guy, he does an excellent job of putting you in the mind of a distraught mother, who in the wake of her teenage daughter's running away, decides to write her a letter. A rather long letter as far as letters go, but the novel is short. This context frames the gripping story of the mother's life, colored as it is with Vietnam, forbidden love and adolescent cruelty. She pens her story in the hope her daughter will understand her better. That is, if said daughter ever returns home....
The fact that the mother's story almost certainly takes place in Baton Rouge in the early 70s, made this a must-read for me. The author does take liberties: CHS is "Cathedral" High School, SJA is another Academy down the street that boards a dozen or so "hardship" cases. The two are essentially reduced to your stereotypical conservative white upper class party schools. The Cajuns come across as very redeemable characters, as does one particular SJA sister. And other details are there: like Kleinpeter's dairy, Zachary, oil storage tanks. Little stuff like that.
It's an enjoyable read.
4 out of 5 sonnets from Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
October 28, 2020
WOW! Letter to My Daughter blew me away! Why is that? Because the story was written by a man. And why do I say that? Because it’s about teenage females, it’s about relationships between parents, and relationships between girlfriend/boyfriends, and getting into their heads (of females) and being able to pull it off so convincingly that you swear it was a female writing it remembering her years as an adolescent. George Bishop was able to grasp all that and why the 3.68 readers on goodreads gave it, seems so unfair to me.
I started this book in bed and it didn’t take me long to figure out how that was a big mistake. By page 22, my eyes were fading, and I needed to go to sleep. So, the next day, I devoured the rest of the book.
It’s Liz’s 15th birthday and her and her mother are yet in another fight, except this one ends differently. Her mother, Laura, slaps her across the face. Elizabeth runs out of the house and she doesn’t return. Her father keeps himself preoccupied by fixing stuff around the house, waiting the 24 hours the police requires before filing a missing person’s report. Laura decides she going to write letters to her daughter, tell her how sorry she is, and tell her about her own troubled teenage years growing up in small farm county during the Vietnam War years. It’s a doozy of a story too!
I like how the story ends.
I started this book in bed and it didn’t take me long to figure out how that was a big mistake. By page 22, my eyes were fading, and I needed to go to sleep. So, the next day, I devoured the rest of the book.
It’s Liz’s 15th birthday and her and her mother are yet in another fight, except this one ends differently. Her mother, Laura, slaps her across the face. Elizabeth runs out of the house and she doesn’t return. Her father keeps himself preoccupied by fixing stuff around the house, waiting the 24 hours the police requires before filing a missing person’s report. Laura decides she going to write letters to her daughter, tell her how sorry she is, and tell her about her own troubled teenage years growing up in small farm county during the Vietnam War years. It’s a doozy of a story too!
I like how the story ends.
July 13, 2017
"I shall but love thee better after death." ---Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Fifteen year old Elizabeth has taken her parents' car and left, after being slapped by her mother during a fight. During the night in which her daughter is missing, Elizabeth's mother Laura writes a long letter telling Elizabeth her own story of adolescent love, loss, and regret, leaving the reader to wonder about what decisions led her to be the kind of wife and mother she is.
Bishop's novel, his first, is very short but powerful and best read in one sitting. The settings and their impacts on the characters are finely drawn: Zachary, Louisiana, Tim Prejean and the house trailer he shares with his widowed father, Sacred Heart Academy and the girls there (especially the charity cases), and Vietnam, where Tim found purpose and then disillusion.
As the title indicates, letter writing is the theme of this gem. Laura and Tim mostly grow close through letters, the entire book is a mother-daughter letter, and both Tim and Laura show their love in lasting messages.
Fifteen year old Elizabeth has taken her parents' car and left, after being slapped by her mother during a fight. During the night in which her daughter is missing, Elizabeth's mother Laura writes a long letter telling Elizabeth her own story of adolescent love, loss, and regret, leaving the reader to wonder about what decisions led her to be the kind of wife and mother she is.
Bishop's novel, his first, is very short but powerful and best read in one sitting. The settings and their impacts on the characters are finely drawn: Zachary, Louisiana, Tim Prejean and the house trailer he shares with his widowed father, Sacred Heart Academy and the girls there (especially the charity cases), and Vietnam, where Tim found purpose and then disillusion.
As the title indicates, letter writing is the theme of this gem. Laura and Tim mostly grow close through letters, the entire book is a mother-daughter letter, and both Tim and Laura show their love in lasting messages.
December 24, 2024
It's not often that one wishes a book were longer than it is, but I almost wish there was just a little bit more to this one. After her teenage daughter storms out of the house, Laura sets about writing her a letter in which she hopes to explain that she really does understand what it's like to be a teenager. Bishop manages to pack a lot of emotional depth into this story, while keeping the prose very direct and free of frills.
But I do wish the story had been extended just a bit. It's evident that Laura manages to salvage some kind of relationship with her parents; how did that come about? What happened after Laura graduated high school? How did she meet the man we know only as "your father," who is clearly not the boyfriend of Laura's teenage years, but with whom she seems to have a good marriage? It is one thing to let your daughter in on the secret that you were once a teenager too and can understand what she’s going through, but this story might have benefited if Laura were also able to let her daughter see the light at the end of the teenager-tunnel.
But I do wish the story had been extended just a bit. It's evident that Laura manages to salvage some kind of relationship with her parents; how did that come about? What happened after Laura graduated high school? How did she meet the man we know only as "your father," who is clearly not the boyfriend of Laura's teenage years, but with whom she seems to have a good marriage? It is one thing to let your daughter in on the secret that you were once a teenager too and can understand what she’s going through, but this story might have benefited if Laura were also able to let her daughter see the light at the end of the teenager-tunnel.
July 17, 2017
This was an interesting story told in the form of a letter. The narrator's daughter runs away after an argument with her mother, and what results is a lovely retelling of the mother's past and how it shaped her into the person she is today.
A simply complicated love story set in Louisana during the 70's but the lessons certainly apply to today's world.
I also found this surprisingly heartfelt and detailed, which is not something I had expected, given that this was written by a man, but from a mother's perspective.
A simply complicated love story set in Louisana during the 70's but the lessons certainly apply to today's world.
I also found this surprisingly heartfelt and detailed, which is not something I had expected, given that this was written by a man, but from a mother's perspective.
July 31, 2017
3.25* relatable story for many people, but too full of stereotyping
teenagers' behavior for me.
The mom's angst and regrets were real, the behavior of 15 year old Elizabeth
does not ring true for me or any other families/friends that I know.
The writing was easy-going style and puts the reader into the story;
however, the lack of commas in lengthy sentences and conjoined thoughts was irritating.
teenagers' behavior for me.
The mom's angst and regrets were real, the behavior of 15 year old Elizabeth
does not ring true for me or any other families/friends that I know.
The writing was easy-going style and puts the reader into the story;
however, the lack of commas in lengthy sentences and conjoined thoughts was irritating.
October 29, 2018
This was a great easy fast read. I enjoyed it a lot. This is a mother's letter she sits down and writes to her 15 year old daughter after a fight they have and the daughter runs away. This is her way of trying to explain the mom's telling her she understands being 15 and she tries to tell her daughter how it was when her mom was 15 and growing up with grandma and grandfather. It was a moving and heartwarming story. I was a little desappointed in the ending.
June 4, 2023
I loved this slim volume. As a daughter and a mother of two daughters myself, it hits close to home. Interesting that the author is a man and he wrote convincingly in the voice of a woman. I love books about the mother daughter relationship where you get more insight about the mother that shines light on the relationship with the daughter. Yellow Raft in Blue Water is another one that I loved, also written by a man. I would recommend this book to anyone.
February 13, 2018
Loved it!
Loved this book from the very first page to the last!!! The only thing I'm disappointed about is that I've finished it..and so quickly!! Impossible to put down. Being the mother of two teenage daughters, it's also surprising that it's written by a man! The author is quite insightful.
Loved this book from the very first page to the last!!! The only thing I'm disappointed about is that I've finished it..and so quickly!! Impossible to put down. Being the mother of two teenage daughters, it's also surprising that it's written by a man! The author is quite insightful.
May 13, 2018
The melodramatic story of a teenager in the 70s with an unconvincing frame story of a mother(the main character) writing to her runaway daughter. It sounds like it was written by someone just out of their teenage years, so the relationships are all tropes that carry very little real emotional content
June 11, 2022
I enjoyed this novel so much. I stumbled upon it while going on an impromptu solo day trip. It is set in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Bishop wrote it as a long letter from the main character to her daughter. I felt like the internal conflicts of the characters were timeless and relatable. I wish I would have written this review months ago so it was still fresh in my mind.
Bishop wrote it as a long letter from the main character to her daughter. I felt like the internal conflicts of the characters were timeless and relatable. I wish I would have written this review months ago so it was still fresh in my mind.
August 3, 2023
I read this book in a little over 24 hours. I had trouble putting it down, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Interestingly enough, the book I’d just finished before it was rated much higher, and I struggled to finish that one. I put a lot of faith in ratings but I guess it’s not always the best indicator.
December 28, 2024
Wish there was more of a back story as to why the daughter ran away to begin with. Also wish there was more to the end but I also feel like that almost added to the story. Love how short but meaningful it was, and although it didn’t explain all of life it explained one persons life and insight.. how it can relate to generational curses
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June 22, 2025Arts and Literature: book with illustration on an epistolary novel (written in the form of letters) A 15 year old girl has an alatercation with her mother and runs away. While waiting for her daughter to return, Mom writes a letter about her teen years and issues with her own mother giving anwers to questions her daughter had been asking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2019
4.5 stars. I was not expecting this book to be as great as it was. The only negative comment I have is that the present day chapters were unnecessary. I just wanted to stay in tuned to the mother's story. Absolutely a brilliant read.
March 30, 2023
A mother and teenage daughter argue; mom slaps her daughter, Liz. Liz runs away and Mom is distraught. As she waits for her daughter's return, the mother writes Liz a letter. Beautiful novel, filled with love, regret and hope.
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