This book is about the views and experiences of grandmothers, as told by grandmothers themselves. Their individual voices, perspectives and stories invite readers into both their day-to-day lives and their inner – often unspoken – thoughts. They talk about their love of spending time with their grandchildren, how being a grandmother is different from being a mother, and how becoming a grandmother affects the way they see themselves. They comment on how their grandchildren are being brought up, at the same time reminding them of their own abilities and failings as mothers. They note how being a grandmother has changed how they get on with their own grown-up children and their partners. The grandmothers range in age from mid-40s to late 80s and cover ten nationalities and differing social circumstances. The book is full of joy, wisdom and some sadness from those grandmothers with little access to their grandchildren due to distance or difficult family relationships. Although the book was not initially intended to offer advice, readers will take away many good ideas from what these grandmothers have to say.
The principal audience for this book will be grandmothers or older women hoping to be grandmothers soon. It may also strike a chord with grandfathers.
‘very interesting, and heart-warming’
Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall
author of Good Granny Guide: or how to be a modern grandmother
Ann Richardson is a writer and researcher. She has written two previous books in a narrative style: Wise Before their Time: People with AIDS and HIV talk about their lives and Life in a Hospice: reflections on caring for the dying, which was highly commended by the British Medical Association. She lives in London and is the grandmother of two boys.
I wrote this book because I found being a grandmother to be immensely fascinating and satisfying, yet there are few books that communicate this. The book is intended for grandmothers and makes a great gift for a new or not-so-new grandmother
'very interesting, and heart-warming' Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall author of The Good Granny Guide: or how to be a modern grandmother
'A fascinating analysis of what it feels like to be a grandmother today – from the joy and fulfilment to the disappointments and anxieties. It’s a book to warm your heart about being a grandparent, and also one to reassure you’re not alone when you experience new relationships and complex family patterns.' Virginia Ironside, agony aunt and novelist
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