The determination of Aileen (Alice Hartsuyker's mother), to raise three children as a single parent during a time when raising children with two parents was difficult enough, is a testament to the strength of women during that time, or just of one remarkable lady. Regardless, Aileen's attitudes, superstitions, and fierce love of her children render her distinct, as described by Alice throughout these stories.
Moreover, the book is liberally peppered with historical photographs of various parts of the neighborhood, of people and places similar to those described in the book, and of the family itself. As if the dynamic prose and compelling tapestry of the stories weren't enough, the pictures help the reader truly grasp the sense of reality.
My Mother's Daughter is a wonderful mix of
struggle and triumph,
myth, truth, and tall tale enough to saturate the imagination. I highly
recommend it.
Reminiscences of childhood rarely involve the reader to the extent that does this well-written memoir of a young girl growing up on the Lower East Side of New York of the 1930's.
With accurate and careful attention to detail, Alice Hartsuyker brings us into the family she honors with wit, charm and love as they experience the rich ethnic mix of the era.
"My Mother's Daughter" is a valuable historical account of a time and place many will identify with as well as providing a glimpse into and longing for our own childhood. A beautiful book you will cherish, read and re-read.
Her mother was known as Aileen O'Mahony. It is
the struggles, superstitions, adventures and high-spiritness of the
O'Mahony clan that fills most of this richly sentimental memoir of
Hartsuyker's life during the Depression years. Hartsuyker's memories of
her aging, time-worn, and grimy immigrant neighborhood are suffused
with pleasant recollections of the Yiddish culture which surrounded her
and for which for awhile even include her as a "Shabbos Goy". For
Jewish readers, these essays open a window upon Irish immigrant life
through which we can also see a mirror in which our own immigrant roots
are reflected. We come away from the book convinced that whatever
trauma her mother's marriage had suffered she did a remarkably good job
raising her children. This book of warm essays is well worth having.
The original review can be found in its full context on the blog
called "Jewish
Sightseeing".
Visit to
Henry Street Settlement
On April 13, 2005 Alice visited the Henry
Street Settlement, a place that figures so promenently in a number
of the stories
found in "My Mother's Daughter". During that visit she was able
to give a broader historical picture to the staff of this fine
institution. Follow the link below for a more detailed
description of this visit, along with a photo album compiled by the
staff from that day
Visit
to Henry Street Settlement