About the book
“Theroux possesses a fabulously nasty sense of humor.” — Stephen King, New York Times Book Review
To those in her Cape Cod town, Mother is an exemplar of piety, frugality, and hard work. To her husband and seven children, she is a selfish, petty tyrant. She excels at playing her offspring against each other. Her favorite, Angela, died in childbirth; only Angela really understands her, she tells the others. The others include the officious lawyer, Fred; the uproarious professor, Floyd; a pair of inseparable sisters whose devotion to Mother has consumed their lives; and JP, the narrator, a successful writer whose work she disparages. As she lives well past the age of one hundred, her brood struggles with and among themselves to shed her viselike hold on them.
Mother Land is a piercing portrait of how a parent’s narcissism impacts a family. While the particulars of his tale are unique, Paul Theroux encapsulates with acute clarity and wisdom a circumstance that is familiar to millions of readers.
“Paul Theroux ladles a steaming cup of dysfunctional-family chowder in Mother Land.” — Vanity Fair
“An engrossing, emotionally tangled and often merciless examination of family and self . . . Mother Land is a bittersweet, brutally frank family saga that offers enough redemption to make the journey worth it.” — Shelf Awareness
Editions of Mother Land
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781328915825
- EBook
- ISBN 9781328664105
Read an Excerpt
“Theroux possesses a fabulously nasty sense of humor.” — Stephen King, New York Times Book Review
To those in her Cape Cod town, Mother is an exemplar of piety, frugality, and hard work. To her husband and seven children, she is a selfish, petty tyrant. She excels at playing her offspring against each other. Her favorite, Angela, died in childbirth; only Angela really understands her, she tells the others. The others include the officious lawyer, Fred; the uproarious professor, Floyd; a pair of inseparable sisters whose devotion to Mother has consumed their lives; and JP, the narrator, a successful writer whose work she disparages. As she lives well past the age of one hundred, her brood struggles with and among themselves to shed her viselike hold on them.
Mother Land is a piercing portrait of how a parent’s narcissism impacts a family. While the particulars of his tale are unique, Paul Theroux encapsulates with acute clarity and wisdom a circumstance that is familiar to millions of readers.
“Paul Theroux ladles a steaming cup of dysfunctional-family chowder in Mother Land.” — Vanity Fair
“An engrossing, emotionally tangled and often merciless examination of family and self . . . Mother Land is a bittersweet, brutally frank family saga that offers enough redemption to make the journey worth it.” — Shelf Awareness
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mother Land about?
“Theroux possesses a fabulously nasty sense of humor.” — Stephen King, New York Times Book Review
To those in her Cape Cod town, Mother is an exemplar of piety, frugality, and hard work. To her husband and seven children, she is a selfish, petty tyrant. She excels at playing her offspring against each other. Her favorite, Angela, died in childbirth; only Angela really understands her, she tells the others. The others include the officious lawyer, Fred; the uproarious professor, Floyd; a pair of inseparable sisters whose devotion to Mother has consumed their lives; and JP, the narrator, a successful writer whose work she disparages. As she lives well past the age of one hundred, her brood struggles with and among themselves to shed her viselike hold on them.
Mother Land is a piercing portrait of how a parent’s narcissism impacts a family. While the particulars of his tale are unique, Paul Theroux encapsulates with acute clarity and wisdom a circumstance that is familiar to millions of readers.
“Paul Theroux ladles a steaming cup of dysfunctional-family chowder in Mother Land.” — Vanity Fair
“An engrossing, emotionally tangled and often merciless examination of family and self . . . Mother Land is a bittersweet, brutally frank family saga that offers enough redemption to make the journey worth it.” — Shelf Awareness
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Mother Land?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Anthologies
Where can I read a sample of Mother Land?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781328915825
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Mother Land?
Paul Theroux
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Mother Land is available as paperback(ISBN 9781328915825) and ebook(ISBN 9781328664105)
Where can I buy Mother Land online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Mother Land from below
Where can I buy Mother Land?