Book Review of Mamaleh Knows Best: What Jewish Mothers Do to Raise Successful, Creative, Empathetic, Independent Children By Marjorie Ingall

I had my doubts when I first requested a free copy of Mamaleh Knows Best for review from Blogging For Books. I've read a few different books on the topic of Jewish mothers, and found them to range from sorely lacking (at best) to completely offensive and wildly off-base (at worst). So, to be honest, I was expecting the worst, but my fears were far from realized. I did not, however, love the cover design.

But, as I began reading, I was immediately impressed by Marjorie Ingall's cultural and aesthetic literacy, her breadth of knowledge about topics ranging from Jews in the context of World History to Yiddish, and the Talmud to jokes on sitcoms. Not only did I want to hear what she had to say about being raised by a Jewish mother and being one herself, but I enjoyed her take on pretty much everything from pop culture to the nosy motorcycle mechanic across the street. In fact, not only have I already made a mental note to seek out Ingall's other writing, what with a new subscription to Tablet Magazine becoming the late addition to my Hanukkah wishlist, but I also found myself wishing Marjorie had been in my Hebrew School class. ...and my cabin at Jewish sleepaway camp.

While many readers may pick up Mamaleh Knows Best because they are interested in parenting advice, it is worth noting that I fully enjoyed the book, and I don't have kids. It can also be read as an entertaining and informative look at Jewish history and culture, and it has certainly earned its place in my permanent collection!

Highly recommended.