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From Marmee to Vivi

By MARGO HAMMOND, Times Books Editor
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 9, 2002

Books are always a good gift choice. New books ideal for Mother's Day were featured on Sunday in the Times' book pages. Check them out on www.sptimes.com. Moms with a taste for the tried and true might appreciate these suggestions:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Marmee is the perfect Mother: the patient and calm matriarch who showers love with equal generosity on all her little women -- even one as difficult as Jo, the budding writer. Give this to your Mom if she is the picture of perfection (or if you want to nudge her in that direction).   photo

Mommie Dearest by Christina Crawford

Joan Crawford was the ultimate anti-Mom: the hysterical and self-absorbed parent who makes therapy sessions so rich. If your mom has doubts about her parenting skills, give her this memoir with a note attached: See, Mom? You're doing great!   photo

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Although your mama may not have had a past that was as wild as Vivi's, I'll bet she has a few divine secrets of her own. And, like narrator Siddalee, you probably could be more understanding about what she has had to face in her life. Give this tale of mother-daughter reconciliation, a favorite choice of reading groups, to your mama along with a promise to take her to the movie version, due out in June.   photo

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Here the four traditional women who play mah-jongg together are Chinese, but their sometimes exasperating, always loving ties to their more modern daughters find echoes in Jewish, Italian, African-American and other ethnic groups as well. Give this to your mother if she drives you crazy and you want her to know that you love her anyway.   photo

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This Weekend

Cover
  • The mother of all gift lists
  • Mother's Day specials
  • From Marmee to Vivi
  • Moms with attitude
  • Catch a movie with mom

  • Film
  • Unthrilling, unfulfilling
  • Impressive stunts, not much story
  • Family movie guide
  • Top 5 movies

  • Video
  • Video: The Rat Pack revisited

  • Stage
  • Songs from women's souls
  • Stage: auditions
  • Stage: hot ticket
  • Stage: down the road

  • Dine
  • Little dishes pack big flavor

  • Pop
  • Pop: ticket window
  • Pop: hot ticket

  • Getaway
  • A new zoo walkabout
  • Getaway: hot ticket

  • Art
  • Art: hot ticket
  • Art: upcoming events