Can white moms and Black moms ever truly be friends? Not just mom friends, but like really real friends? And does it matter? “Utterly addictive . . . Through her sharp wit and dynamic anecdotal storytelling, Helena Andrews-Dyer shines a light on the cultural differences that separate Black and white mothers.”—Tia Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June Helena Andrews-Dyer lives in a “hot” Washington, D.C., neighborhood, which means picturesque row houses and plenty of gentrification. After having her first child, she joined the local mom group—“the Mamas”—and quickly realized that being one of the only Black mothers in the mix was a mixed bag. The racial, cultural, and socioeconomic differences were made clear almost immediately. But spending time in what she calls “the Polly Pocket world of postracial parenting” was a welcome reprieve. Then George Floyd happened. A man was murdered, a man who called out for his mama. And suddenly, the Mamas hit different. Though they were alike in some ways—they want their kids to be safe; they think their husbands are lazy; they work too much and feel guilty about it—Andrews-Dyer realized she had an entirely different set of problems that her neighborhood mom friends could never truly understand. In The Mamas, Andrews-Dyer chronicles the particular challenges she faces in a group where systemic racism can be solved with an Excel spreadsheet and where she, a Black, professional, Ivy League–educated mom, is overcompensating with every move. Andrews-Dyer grapples with her own inner tensions, like “Why do I never leave the house with the baby and without my wedding ring?” and “Why did every name we considered for our kids have to pass the résumé test?” Throw in a global pandemic and a nationwide movement for social justice, and Andrews-Dyer ultimately tries to find out if moms from different backgrounds can truly understand one another. With sharp wit and refreshing honesty, The Mamas explores the contradictions and community of motherhood—white and Black and everything—against the backdrop of the rapidly changing world.

Based on genealogical records from one family, this story briefly recounts historical events as experienced by generations of mothers and the daughters they loved and cared for.

Lavishly illustrated and cinematic in scope, Go Where You Wanna Go is told from the points of view of not only the group members, but also from those of their friends, musical collegues, business associates, critics, and fans.

Michelle Phillips evokes the heady atmosphere of creativity and meteoric success, and the destructive, drug-filled lifestyle that characterized the West Coast music scene in the sixties

Illustrating the myriad ways that mothers provide for their children—piloting airplanes, washing floors, or dancing at a strip club—this book is the first to depict a sex-worker parent. It provides an expanded notion of working mothers and challenges the idea that only some jobs result in good parenting. We’re reminded that, while every mama’s work looks different, every mama works to make their baby’s world better.

Based on a true story, Mamas' Drama takes place from 1929 to 2004. It shares the experiences of four generations as they move through the "mama's baby, daddy's maybe" condition, which occurs when the identity of the father is questionable. This story begins in Harriman, Tennessee when main character, Josephine Stewart, is almost 8 years old. Josephine loves and cherishes her daddy, Thomas Sr. Her Mama, Millie, reveals to her that Thomas is not her biological father, and that she is born from an extramarital affair Millie had with the mayor of the small town. This revelation turns Josephine's world upside down, and she struggles with feelings that her daddy will not love her the same. The Stewart family migrates to Columbus, Ohio in 1934. Three years later, Josephine meets and eventually marries the love of her life; an older man named George Price. Their marriage is challenged by extramarital affairs. There are nine Price children in George and Josephine's family, including children born as a result of Josephine's indiscretions. Josephine chooses to keep their fathers' identities secret. Suzette, one of her daughters, feels she is a product of her mother's indiscretions, and seeks to find the truth about her biological father. Suzette's siblings taunt her about the identity of her father, and others tell her that she is not George's child. Suzette later determines to break the generational "mama's baby, daddy's maybe" condition. She marries and has a son, Devon, who becomes a single dad while in college. Mamas' Drama is a universal story, and is realistic historical fiction at its best. Compelling and inspiring, it weaves the actions and consequences of guilt and shame. Emotions are unbridled as this poignant, yet sometimes humorous book cries out stories most people only whisper. Healing, forgiveness, love and redemption lie within these pages, and those who are directly or indirectly affected by the "mama's baby, daddy's maybe" condition can relate to the words written in this book.