Daughters and Mothers: Healing the Relationship

I enjoyed this book in that it covered many aspects of what women go through as a daughter and as a mother in trying to find one's own separate identity for both the mother and the daughter. It is an easy read and has much for the reader to contemplate in terms of their own relationship with their mother or daughter. I would recommend this book for someone who is looking for ways to understand the dynamics of these relationships and ideas of how to make it work.

Working the program of this book is not as good as attending a mother-daughter workshop with the Firmansbut it sure is a cut above the usual mother-daughter literature. The insights, ideas, suggestions and exercises will enhance the life of any woman and will move the mother-daughter relationship to a new level for anyone whoworks through the entire book.

I have had this book since it was published, about 1990. On my initial reading I thought it heavily favored the daughter's point of view. Since rereading it recently I found it ofers a fairness I hadn't seen before, and some profound insights into the value the book offers. Examples: "The best advice you can give yourself is yours." "May you have the joy of following your own advice." And particularly the thought that if after reading the book we can see the way we can change, we are in a powerful position. On the contrary, if we think in terms of underling sections just to point out to the other how wrong she is, then we've lost that power. I appreciated the fact the book did not tell us to run out for a therapy session. We have the power and the potential within ourselves to change and to compromise for the sake of a wonderful daughter/mother relationship.

I have had this book since it was published, about 1990. On my initial reading I thought it heavily favored the daughter's point of view. Since rereading it recently I found it offers a fairness I hadn't seen before, and some profound insights into the value the book offers. Examples: "The best advice you can give yourself is yours." "May you have the joy of following your own advice." And particularly the thought that if after reading the book we can see the way we can change, we are in a powerful position. On the contrary, if we think in terms of underling sections just to point out to the other how wrong she is, then we've lost that power. I appreciated the fact the book did not tell us to run out for a therapy session. We have the power and the potential within ourselves to change and to compromise for the sake of a wonderful daughter/mother relationship.

This book rips the cover off the mother-daughter relationship and shows you the truth, sometimes beautiful, sometimes unseemly, that lies beneath. Not like that sappy imitation book by that wall-eyed Cokie Roberts person. How many face lifts has that babe had anyway? Her toes must be curling up by now. The Firmans' book is for real women...and the men who fear them.