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The Seasons of My Mother: A Memoir of Love, Family, and Flowers Audiobook
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In this lyrical and deeply moving memoir, one of America’s most revered actresses weaves stories of her adventures and travels with her mother, while reflecting on the beautiful spirit that persists even in the face of her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Marcia Gay Harden knew at a young age that her life would be anything but ordinary. One of five lively children born to two Texas natives—Beverly, a proper Dallas lady, and Thad, a young naval officer—she always had a knack for storytelling, role-playing, and adventure. As a military family, the Hardens moved often, and their travels eventually took them to Yokohama, off the coast of Japan, during the Vietnam War era. It was here that Beverly, amid the many challenges of raising her family abroad, found her own self-expression in ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging.
Using the philosophy of ikebana as her starting point, Marcia Gay Harden intertwines the seasons of her mother’s life with her own journey from precocious young girl to budding artist in New York City to Academy Award-winning actress. With a razor-sharp wit, as well as the kind of emotional honesty that has made her performances resonate with audiences worldwide, Marcia captures the joys and losses of life even as her precious mother gracefully strives to maintain her identity while coming to grips with Alzheimer’s disease.
Powerful and incredibly stirring, The Seasons of My Mother illustrates the unforgettable vulnerability and beauty of motherhood, as Marcia does what Beverly can no longer do: she remembers.
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“When Harden’s mother began to show signs of Alzheimer’s disease, Harden decided to try to capture her memories before they were gone. In this soulful memoir, she pays homage to the woman who raised her. She tells stories from her earliest childhood days to the present and emphasizes the beliefs and values her mother instilled in her…Praise, love, and honor all play roles in this respectful, highly affectionate memoir about a spirited mother-daughter relationship.”
— Kirkus Reviews
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“Honest, courageous, and often very funny, The Seasons of My Mother is an unforgettable testament to the unique endurance of the mother-daughter bond. I loved this book.”
— Rob Lowe, Emmy Award-winning actor and New York Times bestselling author -
“A fiercely loving and tender tribute to Marcia Gay Harden’s mother, remembering for her and for us what Alzheimer’s has stolen, filling those darkened holes with compassion, acceptance, beauty, and love. I savored every page and didn’t want it to end.”
— Lisa Genova, New York Times bestselling author -
“Marcia Gay Harden makes a literary statement with this moving story of her relationship with her mother, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“The devotion and heartbreak of a loving mother-daughter relationship are captured with affection and precision in this graceful memoir…Harden delivers a love letter to her mother, in which the extraordinary elements of her ordinary life shine through.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Poignant, beautiful…Replete with emotionally resonant scenes, humor, and tales of Harden’s own journey as an actor, The Seasons of My Mother is both inspirational and devastating, a touching tribute to a remarkable woman.”
— Booklist
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About Marcia Gay Harden
Marcia Gay Harden is an Academy Award and Tony Award–winning actress of film, stage, and television. She is also an author, an advocate for Alzheimer’s research, a gardener, and a potter. Her first mainstream film acting role was as a femme fatale in the Coen brothers’ Miller’s Crossing. She also had roles in Pollock, Mystic River, Mona Lisa Smile, and Meet Joe Black, among many others. She earned a BA in theater from the University of Texas and an MFA from the graduate acting program at New York University.