The Common Thread - by Martha Manning (Paperback)

About the Book

In this sensitive and thought-provoking work, Dr. Manning uses her experience as a clinical psychologist, mother, daughter, and "champion eavesdropper" to explore the all-important empathic bond between mothers and daughters.

From the Back Cover

No relationship is more fulfilling, infuriating, emotional, and problematic than that of mother and daughter. Now, in a work filled with truth, surprises, and humor, renowned psychologist and author Martha Manning offers mothers and daughters of all ages a new way to understand each other. Challenging the accepted premise that this powerful bond must be severed for emotional growth, Manning shows us why this precious attachment is never outgrown, how, if it is damaged, it can be healed, and what will enrich this lifelong commitment while fostering essential independence. The key is empathy, and Manning provides potent tools to help us build stronger ties and celebrate the crazy twists, joys, and secrets inherent in this most glorious of life connections.

Combining personal experiences and scrupulous research, The Common Thread helps each of us develop a mutually empowering relationship -- and laugh, too -- as we more deeply connect with and appreciate the mother or daughter we love.

Review Quotes

"Full of unexpected delights...honest, hilarious, full of hope." - Dallas Morning News
"Humor, candor, and a respect for the power of image and metaphor to heal." - Philadelphia Inquirer
"A moving and engaging journal....I found myself laughing out loud." - Washington Post
"A convincing testament to the inexorable cruelty of depression and a frightening reminder of its unprejudiced choice of victims." - New York Times Book Review
"An absolutely absorbing read." - USA Today
"Tales of her own struggles raising her daughter, the indignities of aging, and her relationship with her mother personalize her message about empathy as a bridge across generations." - Publishers Weekly
"Manning...brings humor and appreciation as well as professional insight to this examination of the complex relationship of mothers and daughters.... an insightful look at the mother-daughter relationship that will appeal to women of all ages." - Booklist
"An engaging look at how to become actively empathetic." - Kirkus Reviews