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Have Mother, Will Travel by Claire & Mia Fontaine

Have Mother, Will Travel

A Mother and Daughter Discover Themselves, Each Other, and the World

by Claire & Mia Fontaine

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  • Jul 2012, 288 pages
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There are currently 20 reader reviews for Have Mother, Will Travel
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Ann S. (Shenandoah, Iowa)

Opportunity of a lifetime
Perhaps some mothers would not give a thought to spending such a prolonged and concentrated time with their daughter; I would love it.

I found this memoir filled with honest observations and instances which touched my very soul. I would cherish even a few days of time with my daughter, away from our different lives. A longer time would be a dream.

It is not that Claire and Mia are always on the same page, but that they are not and yet respect and give credibility to each others' thoughts and opinions. Their descriptions of both the physical surroundings and incidents give the reader insight into their individuality. A great read!

I now plan to read their earlier book.
Janice C. (Hayward, CA)

Have Mother Will Travel
I truly enjoyed this book. It was honest and insightful.
I am not the daughter of a narcissistic mother nor do I believe I am a narcissistic mother myself. I do have a few friends who I know will benefit from reading this book. I will be sure to pass my copy on and recommend it to others. Because I did not consider this a self-help book, it was simply an excellent read.
Eileen L. (Danvers, MA)

A great journey
I LOVED this book, and I do not often say that. The relationship between mother and daughter is so finely drawn, and so natural, I felt as though I knew them. Having lost my mother young I could live through Mia as she grew to know her Mother as a person and a woman , as well as a Mom. Their shared experiences on their trip dovetailed perfectly with the journey they were on as a family. As they discover more and more about each other you can feel the relationship deepening and shifting. The writing is memorizing and the descriptions of the trip are so rich. Great , great read!
Margaret H. (Springfield, VA)

Have Mother will Travel
Continuing their joint memoir, Come Back, Claire and Mia travel to Asia with a scavenger hunt and then spend time in Avignon and Budapest, visiting old memories for both of them. Told in two voices this is a study of the connections between mothers and daughters. As they visit and talk about places together and their feelings, the reader learns why they react to events as they do. Humor and pathos share space in the book as Mia swims with elephants and Claire rides camels. It is when they travel to France that they begin to understand each other better and give each other the space and the support that they each need. This is a very moving account of their relationship as well as a guide for other mothers and daughters facing questions of their own.
Jennifer F. (Saratoga, CA)

Insightful journey with mother and daughter
Have Mother will Travel is a thoroughly enjoyable read, especially as a mother of an adult daughter myself. I found myself smiling as this mother daughter team negotiated through their travels and their relationship. The writing felt true and honest.
Terry D. (AMITYVILLE, NEW YORK)

DELIGHTFUL!
I choose this book because I have two grown daughters and I do love to travel. However, I never expected it to have such wisdom. Claire and Mia learn so much about themselves and each other that it was very inspiring.
Power Reviewer
Rebecca R. (Las Vegas, NV)

Enjoyable, Fun, and Realistic
I enjoyed this so much and think it will be a good movie.Now I am surprised that I had not read (or heard of) the Fontaine's first book, but I plan to go back and read it. Although I never had the problems that daughter Mia did, I could totally relate to the moments of frustration or even anger that can come with a trip with one's mother - no matter how good of friends a mother and daughter may be. Recently when I saw an online deal-of-the-day site offer an airline's around the world treasure hunt, I immediately thought: someone must've read or heard of this book. I have already emailed my book club members and girlfriends in many cities with advice to read this book when it is published. As much as I enjoyed this book, I have a feeling it is generally more of a woman's book than a man's although anyone will be touched by some of the visits like the orphanage in Nepal. Also, males or females will stop and reflect on the sentence (page 10) :"There are few things the world can throw at you that will cause you more grief than what you manage to throw at yourself." I am so glad I had the opportunity to preview this!
Power Reviewer
Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)

Have Mother, Will Travel
This book was outstanding. It was at times funny, at times insightful, at times a travel guide, and above all it was always a worthwhile reading experience. The mother/daughter team gave corresponding personal reflections not only on their relationship, but on life in general. Many of their observations really hit a true not with me, or else opened my eyes to something I have not thought about in regard to relationships, or life experiences. I recommend it to all women, even if (like me) you are not the mother of a daughter!
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