Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

There were many parts of Untamed that I could relate to, as a divorced mom of three beautiful children.  I remember thinking to myself before my divorce... is this marriage one that I want to model for my family.  My answer was ultimately what ended my marriage.  There were parts of Untamed that found me learning how I unintentionally modeled gender roles for my children as a mom.  Mostly, Untamed found me agreeing with so much of what Glennon wrote and questioning a lot about society.  Please read for a thought provoking look at how to be brave.

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

It's been quite awhile since I've read an Amy Tan book.  Our Library's short story group read Two Kinds by her.  It's an interesting short story.  Anyway, The Kitchen God's Wife is a book about a secret, you could even say, a secret life.  Pearl's mom, Winnie, is given an ultimatum by Helen to tell her daughter about her past, even the parts that Helen doesn't know.  Winnie had a tough life, much more difficult than Pearl ever knew; especially since Winnie doesn't let on about her childhood and first marriage at all.  The Kitchen God's Wife is a telling of Winnie's story to her daughter.  A mother and daughter type of tale; that is bittersweet. It shows Winnie as  a strong woman who endured more than many.  And brings to light why Helen and Winnie are so close.