About this ebook
Three sisters return to their southern hometown after the death of their difficult, demanding mother, in a novel by the author of Baby of the Family.
In life, Esther Lovejoy was an intolerable mother. She raised her daughters with an iron fist, browbeat her husband into submission, and insisted they call her Mudear (an abbreviation of Mother Dear). As adults with successful careers, Betty, Emily, and Annie Ruth have scattered across the country to avoid Mudear’s influence. But now it’s time to lay her to rest, and the Lovejoy sisters have returned to Mulberry, Georgia, to pay their last respects.
What they discover is that while Mudear may be dead, she is far from gone. With a large dose of compassion and a generous splash of humor, Tina McElroy Ansa serves up a powerful tale of family secrets and the ways our scars make us stronger.
“A voice that is fresh and strong and just quirky enough to stand out from the crowd.” —The Boston Sunday Globe
“An entertaining read . . . The author, like a good small-town gossip . . . paints a vivid picture of three bright, beautiful and emotionally scarred African-American sisters.” —Los Angeles Times
In life, Esther Lovejoy was an intolerable mother. She raised her daughters with an iron fist, browbeat her husband into submission, and insisted they call her Mudear (an abbreviation of Mother Dear). As adults with successful careers, Betty, Emily, and Annie Ruth have scattered across the country to avoid Mudear’s influence. But now it’s time to lay her to rest, and the Lovejoy sisters have returned to Mulberry, Georgia, to pay their last respects.
What they discover is that while Mudear may be dead, she is far from gone. With a large dose of compassion and a generous splash of humor, Tina McElroy Ansa serves up a powerful tale of family secrets and the ways our scars make us stronger.
“A voice that is fresh and strong and just quirky enough to stand out from the crowd.” —The Boston Sunday Globe
“An entertaining read . . . The author, like a good small-town gossip . . . paints a vivid picture of three bright, beautiful and emotionally scarred African-American sisters.” —Los Angeles Times
Ratings and reviews
4.8
13 reviews
Chompy Hickson
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July 4, 2015
I read this book back in 1993. It was really good those daughters talked bad about their moms bad behavior.
1 person found this review helpful
Roslyn Thomas
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July 15, 2015
Friction: Very relatable. Love the triumph of the characters. Comical, powerful, comlicated, prosporist, achievement & future.
1 person found this review helpful
Michelle Mckever
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February 1, 2014
I LOVED THIS BOOK,There is a mother somewhere just like the one in the book. This is must read.
2 people found this review helpful
About the author
Tina McElroy Ansa is the author of Baby of the Family, The Hand I Fan With, and You Know Better. A frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she can be seen on the CBS News Sunday Morning segment “Postcards from Georgia.” She lives with her husband on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
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