Extraordinary Mothers and Daughters
Stories of Ambition, Resilience, and Unstoppable Love
by Emily Freidenrich
Pub Date 29 Mar 2022
Chronicle Books
Biographies & Memoirs | Nonfiction (Adult) | Parenting & Families



I am reviewing a copy of Extraordinary Mothers and Daughters through Chronicle Books and Netgalley:



What do Minnie Riperton and Maya Rudolph. Judy Garland and Liza Minelli. Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, and Billie Lourd all have in common? These women are all inspirations to us as individuals, but they also embody the complex and special connections between generations. Mothers often imagine their daughters will follow in their footsteps. But if your mom is a beloved star of stage or screen, how do you live up to her spectacular example? And when your daughters are major icons in music or sports, how do you cultivate your own dreams?



The women in this book have lived exceptional lives, but their joys and struggles as families ring true for all of us. Whether supporting each other through rough patches, pursuing greatness hand in hand, or breaking free to forge their own destinies, these women show us the manifold ways a mom-daughter relationship can bloom. This keepsake volume features collaged portraits of the iconic women by contemporary artist Natasha Cunningham. It will be a touchstone for anyone navigating motherhood or daughterhood.




I give Extraordinary Mothers and Daughters five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This is an interesting book about famous mother and daughters with short stories about their relationships and includes photos. This would make a good gift for mothers day.

The stories are easy to get through but lack depth. This is a good book for teenage girls and younger women to help them appreciate the older, female influences in their lives. It isn't interesting enough that I would buy it. No particular story stood out. It also feels like the kind of stories you would get from a celebrity/influencer's instagram feed.

This book was enjoyable, informative and inspirational. Having a close relationship with my own mother I found many of the stories very relatable and endearing. I had no idea so many mother/daughter duos there were in the entertainment industry and some of the singer/actresses detailed I did not know where related!

I liked the themes of each chapter and how each duo in each chapter tied to that theme. It was nice that the author conveyed not all mother/daughter relationships are the same and that we all give and take differently in our relationships. The artwork was also gorgeous!

The only thing that was a little rough to get through were the fonts. Some were too small and others were too hard of a style to read clearly.

Overall, this was a great read!

This is a lovely book and one that is certain to be (deservedly) popular. It would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift or a gift for a new mother who could derive inspiration from those who became moms before her. This title will also be of interest to those who are fascinated by women’s life stories and/or by women in the arts.

Some of the mother-daughter pairings include Ingrid Bergman and Isabella Rosselini; Diana Ross and Tracee Ellis Ross; Phoebe Eprhron and Nora Ephron; Tina Knowles Lawson and her daughters Solange and Beyonce; Nina Simone and Lia Simone Kelly, and many more. For each there is a photo, biographical information and thoughts that the family members have about their relative. Throughout, there are also some floral illustrations.

The pair’s stories are organized into sections. Some of these include

Like Mother, Like Daughter: Following in her footsteps and in her embrace

Side by Side: Mothers and daughters as peers and costars, best friends and biggest fans

To Thine own Self: Reconciling your shadows and finding the light of your own way, and several other chapters as well.

This book is so well designed and a pleasure to read. Go in order or dip in randomly. Readers will enjoy the experience either way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This title will be published on 29 Mar 2022.

Extraordinary Mothers and daughters, by Emily Freidenrich, is a beautiful celebration of the unique bonds between Moms and daughters. I loved reading the different stories about Minnie Riperton and Maya Rudolph. Judy Garland and Liza Minelli. Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, and Billie Lourd, among so many others. I also learned some really cool things that I never knew. I never realized that Maya's mom was not only a singer but sang the beautiful, now-classic, "Loving You". She even found such a sweet way to "sneak" Maya's name in at the end of the song. This truly is a perfect gift for the mother(s) in your life.
Seeing the more personal side of these icons is just a lovely reminder that many of the trials and triumphs, between mothers and daughters, are pretty much universal.

Extraordinary Mothers and Daughters is a good gift to give to moms who are movie buffs. The book covers various aspects of relationships between famous mothers and daughters, who made a name in the movie and fashion industry (and a few authors). It was interesting to see the name of South Indian actress Sridevi between Hollywood names. In a few sections of the book, the font could have been better, especially when new chapters are introduced, the font could be bolder for better readability. Also, it helps to have some key sentences in bold so that it is easy to take away the key points of each mother and daughter relationship.

A quick read about a complication of mother-daughter, sometimes even granddaughter relationships. Each duo is a quick snapshot of their lives with a full page picture, often two different pictures sutured together. Some of the duos are more renowned than others.
It’s a nice testament to mother-daughter combos. It’s also a reminder to cherish our moms.