Book cover of Marjorie Morningstar

Book description

"I read it and I thought, 'Oh, God, this is me.'" - Scarlet Johansson

Now hailed as a "proto-feminist classic" (Vulture), Pulitzer Prize winner Herman Wouk's powerful coming-of-age novel about an ambitious young woman pursuing her artistic dreams in New York City has been a perennial favourite since it was…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Marjorie Morningstar as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

One of my favorite novels is Herman Wouk’s Marjorie Morningstar, a coming of age story of Marjorie and Mrs Morgenster, a/k/a the original helicopter mom.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning author was male but managed to get into the head of both teenage girl and indomitable mother–and the results are funny and poignant. There’s all kinds of bonus detail about 1930s-1940s NYC: college, dating, and theater scenes.

As someone who is fascinated by mom culture, I like to recommend mother-daughter stories that illustrate how parenting styles and family relationships have changed over time. While it all started with Marmee, Louisa May Alcott…

From Stephanie's list on mom culture.

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Book cover of The Guest From Johannesburg

The Guest From Johannesburg by Donald McPhail,

The Guest From Johannesburg is constructed from colorful threads that form a unique tapestry.

Stories of cruelty, resilience, and hope are crafted from incidents that occurred within the span of forty years—from the brutal days leading to the Second World War, to the chaotic mess of Vietnam. They are woven…

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