Motherhood is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks faced by human beings – without formal training, without explicit guidelines, without a map. As explored in this collection, motherhood is made viable, sustainable, and joyous when mothers find solace, support, and solidarity through friendship and community, near and far, formal and informal. In fact, it is friendship and community that makes us stronger, less alone, and open to the universalities of motherhood while being fully cognizant of the disparities and differences. My greatest wish is that this message reaches all mothers, everywhere. We need each other. Together, we are stronger.

- Michelann Parr is professor in the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing University and co-editor of Writing Mothers: Narrative Acts of Care, Redemption, and Transformation.

This book is a welcome, and absolutely, enjoyable Read! Through prose and poetry, the book tells stories of mothers, mothering, motherhood and community and transports the reader through, between and among the realms of the arduous journeys of mothering.
The book situates mothering work within socio-politically fraught contexts and takes the reader through the beautiful, challenging, traumatic, inspiring and transcendental experiences of mothers and mothering. Together, this eclectic collection of stories and voices open-up spaces of being, questioning and solidarity in ways that allow the reader to appreciate the world of mothers from across different planes and realms. As an ‘academic mama’, I enjoyed the intimacy of the stories shared; and especially the reminder of timeless traditions carried out sometimes without the support of the proverbial village in our globally interconnected -if also profoundly lonely world-. The book will appeal to varied audiences who will come to it, engage and leave it, from (and at) different entry points.

- Dr. Sylvia Bawa, Associate Professor of Sociology at York University

Editors Dannabang Kuwabong, Dorsía Smith Silva, and Essah Diaz present an international collection of essays from the United States, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Hungary, and Japan that heighten awareness of the universal need for mothers to have a network of friends and belong to a supportive community.

Mothering, Community, and Friendship addresses how “some mothers find strength in their communities and friendships, where others discuss their struggles with loneliness and emotional pain due to their lack of community and friendship.” Through poetry and prose, stories of the complexities of mothering and motherhood, told from a wide range of perspectives, are woven throughout the book—which itself could help foster a community for those who have not yet found their own. In search of community, mothers often look to others living in similar circumstances and similar backgrounds. This was the case for Mary King, Skye ChernichkyKarcher, and Jessica Pauly, whose essay, “Hiccups and Highlights of Academic Motherhood,” discusses how their friendship developed through different stages of their academic careers. During a virtual coffee date, common themes arose when each of them shared their individual stories, demonstrating that online friendships can be as strong as in-person ones. Other academics might resonate with their experiences, and with the assertion that “Mothers in academia need to develop a network of academic support to help manage the (sometimes conflicting) identities of mother and scholar.” Cultural backgrounds are an important factor that contribute to stronger connections, as pointed out in Catherine Ma’s essay, “Chinese Mothers Creating a Community of Maternal Support.” She shares that “in our tight-knit community of Chinese moms, we can vent about culturally relevant issues that only other Chinese moms can understand.” Ma concludes, “… to know that someone who has walked in your shoes can make the tribulations of motherhood more bearable and even fun at times. That is what true maternal friendships are all about.” Ma’s statement could apply to all mothers needing and valuing friendship and community on the basis of shared experience or cultural background. Mothering is hard. Having a community and a network of friends makes it easier.

- Christine Peets