In the United States, more than 15 million women are parenting children on their own, either by circumstance or by choice. Too often these moms who do it all have been misrepresented and maligned. Not anymore. In We Got This, seventy-five solo mom writers tell the truth about their lives—their hopes and fears, their resilience and setbacks, their embarrassments and triumphs. Some of these … these writers’ names will sound familiar, like Amy Poehler, Anne Lamott, and Elizabeth Alexander, while others are about to become unforgettable. Bound together by their strength, pride, and—most of all— their dedication to their children, they broadcast a universal and empowering message: You are not alone, solo moms—and your tenacity, courage, and fierce love are worthy of celebration.
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The ancient, iconic commonality of “motherhood” has always provided an enormous canvas from which to draw memory or share perspective, whether over centuries, ethnicities, eras, or individual experiences. The stories that fill this wonderful book come from a panoply of mothers whose unique point of view is their “solo-hood,” their process of raising children as a single parent, and while that lends each essay a particular flavor, all readers — whether parents or childless, single, married, or divorced — will find something that touches and resonates.
There are so many talented writers who contribute to this anthology, with so many different anecdotes that run the gamut from funny, to heartbreaking, to melancholy, to triumphant, that one can enjoy this book like a good meal, taking time to savor each separate “course” in whatever order pleases, but ultimately embracing the whole as a “feast” of compassionate, thought-provoking, lovingly maternal storytelling.
Well done, ladies, with particular kudos to Marika Lindholm, who founded ESME (Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere) in 2015, as a “helpful and informative community for single moms,” and was the main editor behind this powerful compilation of diverse and fascinating perspective on the art and craft of raising children on one’s own.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that sticks.
Heartwarming, Heart wrenching, Heartfelt
While neither single nor a mother, I was completely immersed in this beautiful collection capturing very human experiences. The wide ranging essays, poems, and quotes are warm, funny, heartfelt, compassionate, and so much more. The intention of “We Got This” is to support and inspire single moms, however I would also highly recommend this book for anyone interested in strong writing and compelling tales.
Having grown up with a single mom, this heartwarming, inspirational, and candid collection of personal accounts brought me through most every human emotion as these brave women from all sectors of society shared a piece of their struggles, triumphs, and intimately human experiences. I can’t recommend this book strongly enough, and I’m grateful to know that we weren’t alone, despite how often it felt that way.
Even though this collection is “solo mom stories,” I think anyone can enjoy this book because it’s full of heart and intellect. I’m not a mom, but I very much enjoyed reading the poetry and prose in this collection by a group of diverse women. One of my favorite stories was by Marika Lindholm (one of the editors). It’s a graceful tale of a parakeet that is symbolic for so much more. The parakeet is lost and (not exactly) found. It tells a compelling story of a woman and her children and the guilt and sacrifice that follows a divorce. Another favorite was by Jennifer Baumgardner, the author of another one of my favorite books. Her story is about “All the Single Ladies.” The collection includes poetry that is easy to read, but layered and thoughtful. For example, Sage Cohen’s words: my “son made me an arrangement of flowers shredded with scissors” and Ana Castillo lines: “Love me when you’re bored—” gave me much to consider. I highly recommend this collection as a gift for “solo moms”—but really for any person who wants to reads stories of love and loss, pain and pride. A beautiful collection!
The voices in We Got This are touching, vulnerable, hilarious, insightful, bold, strong, resilient, and brilliant. Whether you are facing single motherhood, you are a single mom, or you love one, this book is a mirror to the special life experience of solo mothering ― and solo thriving.
We Got This is a terrific collection of voices of solo moms ― and their kids. The laments and triumphs of these mothers filled me with awe and laughter, and made me proud to belong to the human race.