The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Our Lives and Why We Never Talk About It
by Susan Maushart
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Book Summary Information
Author: Susan MaushartEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2000-05-01
ISBN: 0140291784
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Book Reviews of The Mask of Motherhood: How Becoming a Mother Changes Our Lives and Why We Never Talk About It
Book Review: Not what I'd hoped for
Summary: 2 Stars
I liked the idea of this book, had read a transcript of a Susan Maushart interview and thought she sounded authentic. I had high hopes for the truths and dispelled myths contained within the text. Instead, I found myself muddling through a 288 page book (yawn) that contained all the information of a brief essay, s--t--r--e--t--c--h--e--d out painfully to include summaries of what had been said for the past 20 pages before and lots of boring, "So-and-so (Insert Expert's Name Here) argues blah blah blah."
About a quarter through, I began to think if I read one more page peppered with the phrase "mask of motherhood," I was going to claw my eyes out. I had to put the thing down for awhile, because - while there were some pearls of wisdom intersperced throughout the book - they were fewer and further between than to justify the tedium of the read. The whole book is written almost like a master's thesis. The language is painfully dry, the quotes by "professionals" far too frequent. Just when I'd begin to think Maushart was (finally) moving on to the next subject, having beaten the current one like a proverbial dead horse ( oh yeah, and the book is full of cliches too), she would instead begin summarizing. (ie. "As we've seen, the masks of motherhood blah, blah blah...")
The feminism stuff, where men are really keeping us down with their higher on-average wages, etc. (insert a few paragraphs detailing this stuff we already know) just annoyed me. I mean, tell me something NEW already, and just what does this have to do with the unexpected roles of new mothers?
By the time I reached the conclusion, I'd had more than enough summarizing. If I had a nickel for everytime I had to read the phrase "mask of motherhood" I might be rich. And I mean, really, the title wasn't a bad one, nor was it some crazy epiphany either.
I'd skip this book. And if you just can't resist picking it up, skimming it for real information might keep you from pulling your hair out.
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