The Joys of Motherhood (Hardcover)

from rmostman

Nnu Ego, the daughter of a fiercely independent woman and a powerful man. I thought the most fascinating part of the book were the chapters describing Nnu Ego's mother who refused to be sub-ordinate to any man. Nnu Ego makes the transition of a rural family-oriented society to an urban "white" ci...

from Lukerik

This is a fine novel. I wouldn't be surprised if it popped up on a school syllabus at some point. It's just packed full of themes, especially feminism, and she's such a sensitive and subtle writer, nothing's laboured, she just gives you enough to get you thinking. I loved the wry humour and the s...

from froxgirl

The irony of the title cannot be lost on any followers of this "lost" Nigerian novelist from the 1970s. Emecheta chronicles the unhappy lot and difficult lives of Ibo women in Nigeria in the 1940s. Considered worthless unless they have birthed boys, the wives struggle to wrest their children's li...

from Mimiyoyo

I think this a fantastic book. I found no slow spots in the story; every bit of it was interesting. The way the women in the story were treated was quite depressing, but I guess it's a fairly accurate depiction of what Nigerian women went through at that time. Overall, this is a very engaging book.

from g9rocks64

This novel tackles post-colonial Africa, feminism and motherhood in one fell swoop. The novel begins with an introduction to Nnu Ego, our protagonist, as she dashes through the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, in an attempt to throw herself from the Carter Bridge, then turns to a flashback to Nnu's mot...