6 Memoirs
That Explore the
Mother-Daughter Bond
BY BABETTE DUNKELGRÜN
I n Season 2 of the Hulu comedy “Shrill,” based on the book by Lindy West, there’s
a restaurant scene in which the central character’s mom closely monitors her
daughter’s food intake. It’s clear the tendency is familiar — even in their
relationship as adults, the mother discloses her almost political stance against dessert
and bread baskets.

Aft er the episode, I messaged my friends to see if their tension spoke to them, too.

What had been so recognizable?
One friend related to the dinner scene, saying, “My mother said the word ‘fat’ like it
was dirty porn.”
Another commented, “Mine marched me into Weight Watchers the day before
Th anksgiving.”
Illustration: Malte Mueller/Getty Images via JTA.org
See Bond, Page 28
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MAY 14, 2020
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