Mama

Rating:
Summary: Mama is a GREAT book!
Review: Mama was a great book. Mildred the main character in the book was a example of a strong black lady. She triumphed over the biggest feats like rape and domestic abuse. The only thing I didn't like in the book is how she was so mean to Fredda her oldest daughter. She treated her wrongly and not helping her. She did that to all her kids. She left them to fend out in the world by themselves. She was supposed to be an adult but instead the kids were more of adults. Mildred was two faced. She didn't help her children but inspected of her children to help her. Overall it is good that Mildred got back her sense to not to be cold and heartless and learn to show her feelings. I think this book was great

Rating:
Summary: Mama was a GREAT book
Review: Mama is a great book to read. Mildred showed how you can still succeed even if you struggled through poverty. She showed a strong black woman. I felt it was a very deep book. It was a same that Mildred had to go through domestic abuse.
The only thing that made Mildred weak was the fact that she was cold and heartless. She didn't have any feelings. She left her kids to fend out in the world alone. She was also two faced. She didn't want to help her kids but expected her kids to help her. I think she selfish. She was lucky she had kids that loved her so much

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Summary: Gritty, Real, Great! That from a white girl...
Review: This is my third Terry McMillan novel and once again, I am a huge fan. Her books are REAL, lively, and full of life's lessons and hurts. And although I am white, this family story resonates in my head as my own.

Mama, the mother of five, is a struggling black woman who's lived in near poverty her entire life. She is strong, opinionated, bossy, with a grit that only comes from living life the hard way, but also has the character to 'want a back yard', shine the windows and keep her babies polite, hard workers and knowin' they got some good in this life. All of that while she put up with thier Daddy, a boozer and abuser, who Mildred (Mama) finally cuts loose.

The story goes on for a couple of decades, with each of her babies lives opening like a flower. All the while, Mildred is growing and then wilting, on and on...

This story is real! NO family has happy or unhappy endings. We are all on a journey that doesn't stop... and Terry McMillan knows how to display this more than any other modern writer I've experienced!

Awesome, excellent, terrific!!

Rating:
Summary: MAMA
Review: I THOUGHT THE BOOK WAS GOOD. THE MORE I READ IT, THE MORE I WAS DRAWN INTO, LIKE A MOTH TO A FLAME. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. THE BOOK WAS GOOD I READ IT IN LESS THAN 10 HOURS. THEN I REREAD IT. I HAVE ALSO READ DISSAPPEARING ACTS, THAT IS ONE BOOK THAT I CAN RELATE TOO. IT WAS LIKE READING ABOUT MY LIFE EXPERIENCES WITH A MAN. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK, MAMA AND DISSAPPEARING ACTS. I HAVE YET TO READ THE OTHER TITLES WRITTEN BY TERRY MCMILLAN.

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Summary: Mama mirrored segments of my life.
Review: Terry McMillan put much of my life into words with Mama. This book helped me realize there is a purpose for everyone, and sometimes our problems are not so unique. It helps you get over yourself and start to look for your own answers, instead of snuggling up with your all-too-familiar problems. Viscious circles will allow you to fester and die, not far from where you began, but a straight path from here will at least get you somewhere else. Although, Waiting to Exhale, is not a "sequel" it does seem to progress to the next phase of life for young black women, therefore, I would begin the Terry McMillan experience with Mama, and then read Waiting to Exhale, following with either How Stella Got Grove Back or Disappearing Acts. In all honesty, I was disappointed in the movie Waiting to Exhale, it does not substitute for the book. Each woman is more evolved in the book, however Angela Bassett did handle her business!

Rating:
Summary: Why so cold?
Review: I really believe the main character in the story was very cold to her children and everyone else around her. She is very heartless, has no feelings and no empathy to her children, especially to her son, Money. No wonder he turned out the way he did! When her oldest daughter was raped she did not offer her one hug, no reassurance or anything like that. She was basically left to finch for herself. I am shocked that they did not come to hate her. I do not think she is a good example of a "Mama".

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: This is the first book I read by Terry Mcmillan and it definitely made me anticipate all the other books that followed. She is one of the best writers ever. If youve read the other books and havent read this one you are definitely missing out!

Rating:
Summary: Not her best work
Review: Goodness, how I love Terry McMillan's books. She is by far my favorite author - I will buy anything she comes out with without even caring to hear a thing about it. I read this book a year & a half ago & remember thinking how depressing it was. I just remember what scumbags all of the characters were, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever!

I have read all of Terry McMillan's books, & in fact, I just finished "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" & loved it. I was so disappointed in this one.

Rating:
Summary: the review of mama
Review: The book of mama is verey interesting as I readed the book and studed my mom and granne wich are the back bone of my familey just like mama in the story thay thout like her and reaked the same way she did . Thay all had to put up with the same love life like diffent man ,the same problems with there kids in and out trobl with boyfrinend, girlfriend and with the laws moving in and out of house

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Summary: Really Reality? or Misrepresentation?
Review: Okay, I have to be honest, I've read this book several times. First, because I enjoyed it and secondly because of the dynamics of Fredda's character, and her love-hate relationship she has with her mother.

In spite of McMillan entitling this book "Mama" freda is clearly the focus [of the story]. Still, I did over-stand Mildred Peacock [Mama]. Mildred was a disparate woman surrounded by the narrow-minded expectations and demands of a small town in Michican during a time where there was little opportunities offered to women of color -- especially one with five children and no husband. So, like many women, Mildred did what she deemed necessary, to survive. Admirable in light of her also surviving spousal abuse. Okay, so Mildred was no nun, and she used everyman that took a fancy to her and justified her every mistake. But her redeeming quality is she wanted more for her children and pushed them toward the bigger picture.

Altough Terry McMillian's first novel, I thought it showed more promise than most of her current works available. Now don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of McMillian's. But, Mama was an exception, it's a superb reminder [in my oppinion] of so many LOUD, good intentioned, Sistas (mothers) raising kids in the hood during my own childhood. So placing one face on her was an almost impossible task.

Was this book realistic? Absolutely, I honestly knew Mildred. When the moral of the story is "life's tough" and "Sometimes, you hurt the one's you love" and even (and especially in the case of "Money," Mildred's wayward son) "It's never to late to change"...Now I ask you: Which of that isn't true to life?

... The truth is, [at least in my case] I can still look out the window and point out a Mildred, and look in the Mirror to see Fredda(smile).