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A review by jeanstehle
The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Lara Love Hardin
5.0
This was a powerful read! Author Lara Love Hardin chronicles her path from suburban soccer mom to a hard-core drug user who steals from her neighbors to pay for her heroin addiction. What appears to be a grim and depressing story offers unexpected opportunities of hope and joy and we see Lara pull herself up from rock-bottom and go on to pursue a career in writing, including ghostwriting for the late Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama.
With that, there are some inarguable depressing parts of the book including: the inhuman living conditions of inmates (Lara wrote she was only given one cup of water a day), the all too common stories of the incarcerated women (abusive relationships, victims of gang rape) and the gripping hold drugs have on those most vulnerable. One of the most frustrating parts of the book was the reminder of the justice system's inequities and the near blatant disregard of rehabilitation.
Lara's indefatigable mission to do unto others the way she wished was done unto her in the last part of the book is an inspiration.
With that, there are some inarguable depressing parts of the book including: the inhuman living conditions of inmates (Lara wrote she was only given one cup of water a day), the all too common stories of the incarcerated women (abusive relationships, victims of gang rape) and the gripping hold drugs have on those most vulnerable. One of the most frustrating parts of the book was the reminder of the justice system's inequities and the near blatant disregard of rehabilitation.
Lara's indefatigable mission to do unto others the way she wished was done unto her in the last part of the book is an inspiration.