Mother on Fire: A True Motherf%#$@ Story About Parenting!

I was happy to spend a few hours reading Sandra Tsing Lo's amusing opinions on public schools, friendship, scented soups and pathetic baby boomers because I am in a similar place in my life right now.

As an added plus, Loh also mentioned my hero, Richard Feynman, whose autobiographical books (Surely You Must Be Joking, What Do You Care What People Think, etc.) surreptitiously give excellent advice on how to encourage a child's curiosity.

Although I admire Loh's intelligence, honesty and rage, I didn't care for her sophomoric writing style and probably wouldn't buy her other books.

I have been reading Loh since her very frist book came out. Even dragged my husband to one of her shows in San Jose a while back, which I enjoyed emmensely. I have eagerly bought every one of her books. Why? because she is so right on, so without shame or pretense, about all aspects of her life. So without PCness. She is one of a kind. This particular book is so touching. Funny, witty, and honest.

Great book, really funny and fun to read. I am suggesting it to all my mom friends in LA.

Do not let the humor mask the importance of what Sandra Tsing Loh is saying here. There is a real distortion of reality developing on the part of many middle and upper class parents these days. She addresses this both from the inside and the outside arriving at a position that seems not that unusual but is indeed important for modern parents.
At a seminar for some high powered young people in NYC, the presenter maintained that the qualities that got them where they may not be available to their children because of the decisions they, their cohort, make. When asked how many went to public schools, most raised their hands. When asked how many send their children to public schools, none raised their hands. "That's why your grandkids will not still have what you accumulate in your lives." he said.
Maybe current economic times will change the trend. If so, this book is a pretty hopeful way to look at school for your kids. And it's so much more funny than reading Jonathan Kozol, great as he is.

The author is VERY funny and right on target when taking apart LAUSD and the LA scene which is extremely plastic and power focussed. Sandra not only thinks she has to solve her family's problems but lies awake at night trying to solve the whole world's problems while her husband, who grew up in So. Dakota peacefully sleeps. That is the angst one can have after growing up in Malibu and then living in Van Nuys. It is a laugh out loud book that needs to be savored in small doses because Sandra has so much to say that is thought provoking, especially about her generation's overly involved "parenting." That is my opinion as a person who brought up her children in the 70's when we stressed independence and self-reliance with lots of love. Actually, I was doing that while living across the street from Sandra and her family in Malibu. Buy the book, you will love reading it!