Pure Flame: On Mothers and Daughters

Pure Flame is a book by Michelle Orange that explores the meaning of maternal legacy, tracing the forces that have transformed the world and what a woman might expect from it. It combines memoir, social history, and cultural criticism to explore the impact of feminism on the mother-daughter bond.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2021
Publisher: Vintage Publishing

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldman is a captivating book that delves into the depths of human existence, exploring themes of selfhood, freedom, mortality, storytelling, and the complex relationship between mothers and daughters. In a revealing text exchange with her mother during the early stages of their relationship, my mother mentioned the existence of a person named Janis Jerome. This intriguing revelation sets the stage for Michelle Orange's extraordinary exploration into the maternal legacy, both within her own family and across a century of seismic change.

Jerome, as my mother discovers, is just one of her mother's many alter egos, a name used in a case study that was eventually sold to the Harvard Business Review. This study documented her midlife decision to leave her husband and children to pursue career opportunities in a larger city, marking a significant turning point in their lives.

The decision to leave her family forms the central focus of Pure Flame, a book that employs a blend of memoir, social history, and cultural criticism to delve into the profound impact of feminism on the often overlooked narrative of the mother-daughter bond. Through a series of personal, intellectual, and collective inheritances, Orange traces the forces that have shaped the world and explores what a woman can expect from it in this changing landscape.

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. offers a profound and moving exploration of the complexities of human relationships, challenging readers to reflect on their own experiences and the legacies passed down from generation to generation. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring significance of the mother-daughter bond.

Weight: 442g
Dimension: 147 x 223 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781911215974