Spirals: A Woman's Journey Through Family Life

At once intensely personal and universal, Gould's book goes beyond the memorable pieces she has contributed to the New York Times ""Hers'' column. She describes her life as a daughter, wife, mother, widow and grandmother in prose that is exquisitely simple, unsentimental and powerfully moving. After 28 years of a loving marriage, her husband Martin succumbed to cancer and her life changed irrevocably; the ``spirals'' continued as her children grew up and she was no longer so necessary to them. Although Gould celebrates the frequent joys of her life's journey, it's clear that she has suffered wounds, particularly in the sterile relationship with her mother. The scenes between them convey a deep sense of loss. Trying to understand why her mother merely tolerates her, Gould concludes that mother love is a talent abundant in some women, denied others. It is a talent she herself possesses, along with the strength to live and work on her own. (April)