The Mask of Motherhood:

How Mothering Changes Everything and Why We Pretend It Doesn’t

reviewer: Felicity Chapman

month entered: 08/2007

author: Susan Maushart

year of publication: 1997

review:

Maushart's insightful look at the mask that mothers’ wear brings to light the complex social dynamics that exist in this post-feminist era around the experience of motherhood.  She paints a picture of the modern mother trying valiantly to deny that motherhood can be tough – creating a conspiracy of silence around identity crises, and the demands of raising children.  Maushart believes that minimising the challenges of motherhood, striving for perfection, and emphasising self-sufficiency ultimately serves to perpetuate the stigma around ‘telling it like it is’; making women even more vulnerable to feelings of failure if they break the silence.  I think she hits the spot, and with wit and finesse.

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