For She Is the Tree of Life: Grandmothers Through the Eyes of Women Writers

This engaging collection of short pieces of autobiography, fiction and poetry, some published previously, deals with the grandmother-granddaughter relationship. According to Kack-Brice, a California clinical social worker, memories of grandmothers, whether positive or negative, are a powerful connection to childhood, and the exploration of these reminiscences can lead to deeper self-knowledge. Many of the selections, including the poetry of Marge Piercy and Linda Hogan and memoirs by Ethel Barrymore and Maya Angelou, evoke grandmothers as figures of strength and inspiration. Other contributors, such as M.F.K. Fisher and Stephanie Patterson, describe more troubled relationships with their grandmothers. A touching selection by Jewelle Gomez recalls how her grandmother accepted her lesbianism. Exercises for the reader who wants to write about her own grandmother are provided by the contributors. Photos not seen by PW. (Apr.)