Becoming a Grandmother: A Life Transition

I really was disappointed with this book. It seemed more like a research paper about grandmothers from different parts of the world than a book about becoming a grandmother. Also the grizzly grandmother myths from different cultures just wasn't what I was expecting from a book titled Becoming a Grandmother: A Life Transition. I don't know why the author included those-maybe she needed filler. I guess I wasn't wanting to read a book that has such a liberated/resentful woman message woven throughout-I should've read more reviews before buying this book. It spends a lot of pages exploring the perspectives of women who aren't willing to embrace the grandmother role and that's not the grandmother I hope to be.

I gave this book to my mother when I found out I was pregnant. I admit to reading most of it before handing it on. I now wish I'd bought two copies -- one for my mother-in-law. It is a great account of all the doubts and feelings that may occur when a mother finds out her offspring is going to become a parent. The author mainly deals with a mother-daughter relationship, rather than a mother-son relationship. The author is British, and I related well to the content. It was reassuring to know that my mother was probably experiencing doubts and having to address issues to do with her growing older. I enjoyed the idea that a new bond is created between mother and daughter because they share childbirth in common. My mum felt that it was a lot less threatening to receive this as a gift, than to be given a How to Grandparent book which is really a slap in the face to say 'You don't know what to do!'. A good narrative which should be taken in the light in which it was written -- not a how-to book, but a food-for-thought book which might reassure that its okay to have doubts about impending grandparent-hood.