Recent Reviews for Carol D. O'Dell
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Mothering Mother (Book) - 4/24/2007 11:02:03 PM
5/5 Stars
New – Non-Fiction
A Wonderful, Heartfelt Memoir
Carol O’Dell, author of her debut memoir Mothering Mother, will make you laugh and cry. Her heartfelt chronicle about caring for her dying mother is an emotional tribute to self-sacrifice and a daughter’s unfailing love¯an adopted daughter’s love, to be more precise.
Carol’s mother adopted her late in life and raised her in a strict, religious environment. But it perhaps is their faith that kept them all together until the end. Although she has her faults and may seem somewhat cool at times, Mama did the best she could, and I think that is the realization that the author has come to. And certainly, it is what we all should hope to conclude at the end of our parents’ lives.
The author shows us her own strength and her weaknesses, baring her thoughts, her emotions, her decisions and her very soul in a way that takes more courage than many of us would have. A loving daughter with a mother who suffers from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, she takes her mother into her home, working around a husband and kids, and fighting the inevitable. Faced with the deteriorating health of a stubborn mother, Carol is faced with countless tasks in any given day or night, tasks that threaten to destroy her physically, mentally and spiritually. Many of the anecdotes are charming and hilarious, while others are heartbreakingly sad.
I recently bought a copy for my own mother¯for Mother’s Day¯even though my mom is healthy, still working and independent. And while this may seem a strange gift, I felt that Carol O’Dell’s book shows a glimmer of light at the end of what most people view as a dark tunnel. She shows that sometimes being prepared is half the battle. Perhaps then, many of us would not feel as though too many things were left undone, unsaid…unforgiven.
Mothering Mother is a beautiful story, a true story, of how love can conquer even death. I’ve never laughed and cried at the same time so much. It made me want to call my mom and tell her how much I love her. It made me talk to my daughter and tell her that if she ever had to care for me and felt that I was too much of a burden, that it was okay to look for alternate care.
I’ll be honest; I normally don’t read a lot of memoirs. I often find them hard to relate to. But I LOVED Mothering Mother! It is the type of book that everyone should read. It will stay with you long after you have put it down. And for those caring for aging or dying parents, it will give you hope and remind you that you are not alone¯someone else has traveled this path…and she survived. So can you.
Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of The River, Divine Intervention and Whale Song
http://www.whalesongbook.com
Mothering Mother (Book) - 7/9/2006 2:46:49 PM
Timely book that should help many caregivers. R
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 7/19/2009 2:12:48 PM
I love it when someone comes up with a story idea that's 'different'.. and this one is definitely different (and well written). Thanks for sharing it. It's the type of thing I'd expect to see on the old Alfred Hitchcock series.
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 5/15/2009 4:15:30 AM
Great story!
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 3/22/2009 4:48:30 PM
Carol - the story had me from the start and clearly to the end... A well worded piece of work and thanks for sharing...
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 7/20/2008 11:01:07 AM
Great memories here. A wonderful story. Can relate to it.
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 8/24/2007 8:25:07 AM
Wow. This is a really well done story! You took an unlikely subject and made it not only believable but a very fun read.
Larry H
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 6/19/2007 11:42:05 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 11/17/2006 7:48:09 PM
I found this story to be quite hilarious...and very well written. Yes, there is a creepy undertone, but then again, I've talked to dead people too....hehehe
All the best with your new book! Can't wait to read Mothering Mother!!
Cheryl
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 7/14/2006 9:07:54 AM
Creepy, but good! Well done! :)
Ashes, Ashes (Short Story) - 7/14/2006 7:50:20 AM
I agree with Bess...a little creepy...but also kinda nice at the same time! Thanks for sharing, April
Behind the White Line (Article) - 10/21/2007 8:37:20 AM
Poignant assessment ... the tree blooms. Thank you for the read. ...Cullen
Behind the White Line (Article) - 5/12/2007 4:33:10 AM
Loved this little story. It's hard to let your children go, but we have to. We can laways savor those good memories. I have some great memories too. Check me out on the den. I'm also a Florida girl, born in Daytona Beach. Keep in touch.
Carolyn
Behind the White Line (Article) - 3/2/2007 10:00:30 AM
Beautiful and real......Thank you for sharing Carol....
Peace,
Bill
Behind the White Line (Article) - 10/16/2006 6:54:16 AM
Carol,
This is such a beautiful, touching story. I can identify as I saw both of my children through this. I also was with my niece the day she got her license and I still remember that smile on her face as if it were yesterday. We get short bites of happiness in this world from time to time and we know when they happen. This was a very good write. God Bless.
Aubrey
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