My Mama's Waltz

The Story

'We spent our childhoods and teen years waltzing psychologically with our alcoholic mothers, fearfully taking whatever symbolic steps were necessary to keep from accidentally stepping on their toes....' With stunning honesty, 'My Mama's Waltz' brings to light the painful legacy of daughters of alcoholic mothers -- in the first book to focus solely on this fractured relationship. Eleanor Agnew and Sharon Robideaux share their own personal accounts along with the memories and experiences of hundreds of women, from all ages and backgrounds, in an intimate and powerful narrative journey. Individually, their voices are courageous and unforgettable; together, they rise in a resounding chorus of support and compassion, confirming that women who deal with the remnants of a childhood cut short by an alcoholic mother are not alone. The outpouring of emotion expressed in 'My Mama's Waltz' reflects how daughters, more so than sons, are forced to tend to a drunken mother, care for younger siblings, and endure a mother's abuse or abandonment. We may see ourselves or women close to us in the common outlooks, the obstacles and personal difficulties faced by adult daughters, or in the wellspring of conflicted emotion released by an alcoholic mother's death. We may recognize the shattered mother-daughter dynamic whose grip is felt into adulthood, or relate to the childhood fantasy, never completely lost, to have come from a 'perfect' family. But through these common bonds come hope, understanding, and the ability to reconcile the past. Ultimately, 'My Mama's Waltz' offers tremendous emotional support to those wishing to overcome the alcoholic mother's destructive influences andcreate a happy, fulfilled life. The brave women heard here affirm that the pain can be healed...and a daughter's heart made whole at last.