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Rosemary S. (Somers, NY)
A Daughter Must-Read
The mother-daughter relationship is often very complex and unique. Corrigan begins her memoir as a young woman, who travels the world with her college roommate. I liked that the author not only included her own inner voice, but also her mother's and how she would have responded in different situations. I laughed when I recognized some of the same phrases my mother had used when I was growing up. I found the author's sometimes blunt words refreshing because I know similar thoughts go through my own head! I liked this style of writing because I could easily relate to it and it held my interest.
I would recommend this book to any woman, but especially to someone who is mature enough to have insight into the special bond between daughters and mothers. Having recently lost my own mother, this book had special meaning and brought a few tears to my eyes. As the story unfolds, I found myself thinking of the important roles other people have played in my own life.
I believe this would be a good book for a bookclub discussion because of the many themes involved. A few of the themes in the book are loss and grief, coming of age, motherhood, women and self discovery, and the wisdom that comes from experience. This author points out the fact that we often find it difficult to respect, or appreciate our mothers until after they are no longer with us. Her voice may continue in our own heads, hopefully in mine, forever.
Jill F. (Blackwood, NJ)
Surprisingly poignant
I didn't think I was going to like this book at first. I had a hard time relating to it and kept waiting for something to happen. I eventually realized that is the point. This book is about a life, and the every day ups and downs, not a tragic or life altering event like "The Middle Place, by Ms. Corrigan." It is about the relationship between a mother and daughter and the understanding and love that grows stronger with time. My opinion of this book was definitely formed by the Concept of "Reader Response' that the author mentions on page 146. As someone who is dealing with an elderly mother, watching her fade has been extremely difficult. I recommend this book for anyone who is going through a similar experience. It reminded me of how precious the mother/daughter relationship is, even when strained, how we, as women and mothers, are shaped by that relationship. And how eventually we all come to the same place, more like our mothers than we care to admit for good or bad.
Nancy_Lay
Glitter and Glue
"Glitter and Glue" by Kelly Corrigan caught me by surprise. As I began reading it, I thought it would be a travelogue/memoir: two twenty something women off to discover Australia, complete with Ayres Rock, coastal surfing, and snorkeling. Although there was a bit of that, the story took a right turn when Corrigan took a job as a nanny for two small motherless children. The further Corrigan took the story, the more she layered insightful musings about the links between mothers and their children as well as what it means to be a mother. I found myself at times pausing my reading to think about my own relationships with both my mother and my children. I enjoyed this thoughtful memoir.
Celia_A
Touching story of a woman's relationship with her mother
Many of us worry about turning into our mothers, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. It was only as a nanny and then as a mother herself that Corrigan came to understand the many ways in which her mother had been the glue that held her family together. This memoir of how the author's relationship with her mother has changed over the years is deeply touching. I defy anyone to read the last two pages (before the epilogue) and not get a little misty eyed.
Cam G. (Murrells Inlet, SC)
Glitter and Glue
Kelly Corrigan's mother would tell her that "your father is the glitter but I am the glue." This delightful book is a paean to her mother after finally discovering her mother was truly the "glue" in her life. This is Corrigan's 3rd book, and while her first, The Middle Place, remains my favorite, Glitter and Glue is a humorous, touching memoir.
Suzanne G. (Tucson, AZ)
If you love love your mother, don't miss this one . . .
This story, a memoir of a young woman and the disparity with her mother, shows how in actuality mothers and daughters are often so very much alike. Kelly tells it like it is. My mother and I had much the same relationship for years. It wasn't until after she died I was able to see who she was. I am my mother's daughter! There may not be too much to chew over for a book club; it is a short book but written so well it could go on forever.
Sue J. (Wauwatosa, WI)
mothers and daughters
This memoir explores the relationship between a mother and daughter and how it evolves over time. Kelly Corrigan's mother described the family dynamic as "Your father's the glitter but I'm the glue." After college, Kelly takes off with a friend to see the world and become interesting. While visiting Australia, her savings runs low and she takes a job as a live-in nanny for a recently widowed father of two. While trying to fit into the family, she hears her mother's voice everywhere giving advice. Corrigan has a great sense of humor, she's able to describe her situation in a very frank way. I enjoyed this memoir not only because it helped me reflect on the relationship I had with my mother, but also the relationship I have with my adult daughter.
Karen J. (Bremerton, WA)
Wanted More Depth
Fans of Kelly Corrigan will enjoy this touching memoir of her first foray from her childhood home wherein she travels to Australia to live adventurously and experience interesting things, free of the constraints of her strained relationship with her mother. However, soon her funds dwindle and Kelly, needing a job, takes a position as a nanny to a newly widowed father's young children. It is through parenting these two maternal orphans that Kelly begins to gain insight into her stoic and emotionally distant mother. An easy quick read and good material for a book club. However, I only gave it four stars as it did not plumb deep enough for me.
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