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The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone

Randy Susan Meyers
4.15/5 (250 ratings)
Read Now Download Now
“With realistic, hard-hitting prose and a well-researched and startling setting, Meyers delivers another deeply felt, beautiful novel.“—Booklist, American Library Association

“Meyers’ novel is a sensitive exploration of the idealism and dark realities of a turbulent era. The chapters alternate between Annabel and her daughter Ivy’s point of view, from the 1960s to 2020. Hearing both women’s sides of the story gives the reader a richer appreciation for their complex relationship and an understanding of the ripple effect of good intentions. The author takes her time creating fully believable, multifaceted characters, and the 56-year span of the book feels authentic, with each character gradually growing and changing as time passes. A must-read for those interested in intentional living communities and women’s stories.”
—Historical Novel Review

“Compelling…a timely reminder of the 1960s . . . Back we go to the years when young women read Ms. Magazine and protest marches were well attended, when switching sex partners was a topic that a group of adult friends might discuss as a valid option, and citizens could succeed at opposing highway expansion in a major American city. . . The premise is engaging, and the polished prose keeps us eagerly turning pages. —Washington Independent Review of Books

The Many Moth­ers of Ivy Pud­ding­stone sug­gests that hav­ing par­ents who want to save the world can be lone­ly. Some­times, a child must com­pete with that world for any­thing more than glanc­ing atten­tion. With a com­pas­sion­ate hand, Mey­ers explores the many man­i­fes­ta­tions of love in a flawed but eter­nal­ly hope­ful universe.
—Jewish Book Council

“Rarely has a novel touched me so deeply. . . . Meyers moves the story with urgency and grace between Freedom Summer and 9/11 and beyond, reminding the reader of the complicated political stew of race, class, and gender that has simmered in the past half-century.”
—MER Review, Ellen Meeropol



Seven Children. Five Mothers. One idyllic commune. What could go wrong?

Annabel Cooper wants to save the world. Her story begins in 1964 with her journey to Freedom Summer in Mississippi, where the disappearance of her first love ignites a lifelong fight for justice. Years later, she, her husband, and four other couples form a Boston political collective where they live together with their children in a rambling Boston house. As the era's social upheaval intensifies, they move their children to a Vermont Eden, where they can remain safe from the world's threats; their parents continue their political work, taking turns traveling to Vermont to care for the children.

But not all danger comes from the outside.

Annabel's daughter, Ivy, yearns for normalcy, not the patchouli-soaked, natural-food-laden confines of Vermont. But mostly, she longs for Annabel's attention-until a cataclysmic event alters the course of all their lives and she learns the limits of her many mothers and fathers.

The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone delves into the intricate and nuanced dance of familial love and communal ties through the lens of sociopolitical upheaval from the 1960s to the present day, examining which sacrifices are worth the price.
Format:
Pages:
pages
Publication:
Publisher:
Edition:
Language:
ISBN10:
ISBN13:
9798888245330
kindle Asin:
B0D6T6GXFL

The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone

Randy Susan Meyers
4.15/5 (250 ratings)
Read Download
“With realistic, hard-hitting prose and a well-researched and startling setting, Meyers delivers another deeply felt, beautiful novel.“—Booklist, American Library Association

“Meyers’ novel is a sensitive exploration of the idealism and dark realities of a turbulent era. The chapters alternate between Annabel and her daughter Ivy’s point of view, from the 1960s to 2020. Hearing both women’s sides of the story gives the reader a richer appreciation for their complex relationship and an understanding of the ripple effect of good intentions. The author takes her time creating fully believable, multifaceted characters, and the 56-year span of the book feels authentic, with each character gradually growing and changing as time passes. A must-read for those interested in intentional living communities and women’s stories.”
—Historical Novel Review

“Compelling…a timely reminder of the 1960s . . . Back we go to the years when young women read Ms. Magazine and protest marches were well attended, when switching sex partners was a topic that a group of adult friends might discuss as a valid option, and citizens could succeed at opposing highway expansion in a major American city. . . The premise is engaging, and the polished prose keeps us eagerly turning pages. —Washington Independent Review of Books

The Many Moth­ers of Ivy Pud­ding­stone sug­gests that hav­ing par­ents who want to save the world can be lone­ly. Some­times, a child must com­pete with that world for any­thing more than glanc­ing atten­tion. With a com­pas­sion­ate hand, Mey­ers explores the many man­i­fes­ta­tions of love in a flawed but eter­nal­ly hope­ful universe.
—Jewish Book Council

“Rarely has a novel touched me so deeply. . . . Meyers moves the story with urgency and grace between Freedom Summer and 9/11 and beyond, reminding the reader of the complicated political stew of race, class, and gender that has simmered in the past half-century.”
—MER Review, Ellen Meeropol



Seven Children. Five Mothers. One idyllic commune. What could go wrong?

Annabel Cooper wants to save the world. Her story begins in 1964 with her journey to Freedom Summer in Mississippi, where the disappearance of her first love ignites a lifelong fight for justice. Years later, she, her husband, and four other couples form a Boston political collective where they live together with their children in a rambling Boston house. As the era's social upheaval intensifies, they move their children to a Vermont Eden, where they can remain safe from the world's threats; their parents continue their political work, taking turns traveling to Vermont to care for the children.

But not all danger comes from the outside.

Annabel's daughter, Ivy, yearns for normalcy, not the patchouli-soaked, natural-food-laden confines of Vermont. But mostly, she longs for Annabel's attention-until a cataclysmic event alters the course of all their lives and she learns the limits of her many mothers and fathers.

The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone delves into the intricate and nuanced dance of familial love and communal ties through the lens of sociopolitical upheaval from the 1960s to the present day, examining which sacrifices are worth the price.
Format:
Pages:
pages
Publication:
Publisher:
Edition:
Language:
ISBN10:
ISBN13:
9798888245330
kindle Asin:
B0D6T6GXFL

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