Her Mother's Daughter: A Memoir of the Mother I Never Knew and of My Daughter, Courtney Love Paperback – 9 Jan. 2007

I read many positive criticisms of this book, but was sadly disappointed. The title indicates that Carroll is aware of some of the major themes parallelled in her own and in her daughter's life, namely what she calls the "curse of the firstborn daughter" that runs in her family and which compels these women to lead extraordinary lives. The observation seems acute, but at the same time, there seems to be so many more themes parallelled in the lives of Linda and Courtney that she seems oblivious to.Courtney has become known for dramatic behaviour. And although Linda tries to portray herself as a calmer person than Courtney, which she might well be, this book is still full of over-dramatization. It reads as a novel, and one sometimes doubts if Linda's memory is as good as she claims or if she has embellished events. Her tendency to over-dramatisize becomes very apparent in her descriptions of Courtney.One shocking event in the book is when Linda describes a 2 year old Courtney playing with a puppy, who falls down and breaks its leg. Courtney did not understand the animal's pain, which Linda took as evidence that Courtney is inherently incapable of understanding other people's pain. That is absurd: most toddlers do not understand that other creatures may feel differently than they do at the moment, they have no insight. Every pedagogue knows that children must be explained a painful situation, before they can grasp it.Courtney may have been a difficult child, but her mother shows her no empathy.After Courtney's birth, Linda is swept away in newer and newer relationships, even spending her heritage and uprooting her children to move to New Zealand. In the process, Courtney is abandoned by her mother several times, living with a terapist, a friend, at bording school, her stepfather.Linda explains her actions by claiming that Courtney has an innate biochemical imbalance. I will not speculate about that, but it seems that whatever problems a child might have, it would be exasperated by abandonment and being ignored. I now see Courtney's attention-grabbing behaviour in a new light.Thus, the underlying patterns of behaviour that mother and daughter seem to share, also becomes clearer: both Linda and Courtney tried drugs. Both Linda and Courtney went from relationship to relationship. Both Linda and Courtney wanted to live "interesting" lives, instead of very conventional lives. And both Linda and Courtney have a tendency to portray things in an over-dramatized light.These themes may be more overt in Courtney's life, but perhaps it is not a stretch to say she got it from somewhere.

I'll keep this review short (because the other reviews already say it all) This book was a fascinating read that I could not put down. Linda's life story makes for compelling reading. I am not a fan of Courtney Love but I do think she is an interesting character and reading this book it gives a better understanding on why she has turned out the way she has. Read this book, you won't regret it.

I'am a huge fan of Courtney Love so i was intrigued by this book. I had read somewhere that Courtney wanted nothing to do with this book but i think if anybody needs to read it it should be her. i felt thats its almost an apology to her and how she feels she perhaps failed somehow. This book tells a great story the fact it has anything to do with Ms Love does not make it any more interesting. As with Madonna's brothers book the book does not reveal anything that as a fan i didn't already know about the celebrity but it is a great story of what its like to struggle being a mother and a daughter. I think Courtney needs to read this as she is no saint herself. We should give our parents a break. Its a hard job.

To be the only child left out of the dedication pretty much sums it up.

two sides to a coin but i will always go for heads (courtney, that it) but its amusing to see her try andjustify her behaviour (linda, that is)

Such an excellent book, so unlike what I expected with all the hype from USA. Linda Carroll has a fascinating story to tell and she tells it with a touching openness and wry and tender wit.She was adopted when she was born by rich people in San Francisco and raised in an affluent home but with little connection. She finds it though, with her nanny, Nellie, and her best friend Judy. Later, when her first baby is born Nellie comes into the hospital to see her (of course it's "THE" Courtney Love) and says "Isn't she her mother's daughter," which must be where the book title comes from.Judy is her best friend until her shocking death, but even in that she gives Linda a great gift. The book is the story of a woman finding her way through some of the turbulent era's of history and is full of courage and forgiveness.The best part is when she finds her birthmother, the author Paula Fox, and Paula welcomes her with open arms,Best read this year, wonder why it's so hard to find around London. (My friend ordered it through Amazon but when I recommended it to my other friends they couldn't find it in the stores.)I hope she writes another book.

I ordered this book last week but hadn't gotten around until I read about it in today's Observer. Then I couldn't put it down until I finished it. I thought Courtney's Mum was the opposite than the paper said, there was nothing in it but pure love and despair over helping her child who was obviously missing something from the beginning. I could never stand Courtney Love before, the ways she flaunts around the UK like she is some sort of royalty and the press follow her every move. But I see her different now, thinking of that sweet child her Mum talked about and how troubled she was from the start. The rest of the book was dazzling, she kept moving through decades and I never lost track of the characters and the times. I can't wait to give it to my mother who is her age and was adopted too, maybe she will try to find out her roots. Brilliant read.