Love Don't Call Me Mother? Readers share 100 books like Don't Call Me Mother...

By Linda Joy Myers,

Here are 100 books that Don't Call Me Mother fans have personally recommended if you like Don't Call Me Mother. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Educated: A Memoir

Laura Meer Barkley Author Of This Childhood of Mine

From my list on traumatic childhoods and dysfunctional families.

Why am I passionate about this?

My expertise and passion for these topics stem from my lived experiences. I never understood why I would be the only girl to suffer so much, but now, having written my memoir, I know it all had a purpose. Some people with similar backgrounds write to me, and I try to offer them compassion, encouragement, hope, and understanding. I advise them to write their own memoirs to shed light on different life issues and inspire meaningful conversations. I have been a platinum member of Audible since 2016 and have more than 1000 memoirs in my library—I hope this helped me to choose the best five memoirs for this list!

Laura's book list on traumatic childhoods and dysfunctional families

Laura Meer Barkley Why did Laura love this book?

I listened to this audiobook motionless, with my eyes closed, forgetting that I needed to sleep, drink, or do chores. It’s easy to forget who you are when you are so immersed in a book. Sometimes, I would catch myself in a horrible or elated mood and then realize that I was unable to separate myself from what I listened to or read in the morning.

That's how this book affected me. It was very easy to identify with this story, as it also centers on a dysfunctional family like mine. I also loved the transformative power of knowledge portrayed in this book. Having missed all my Elementary School myself—because of my dysfunctional family—and then having become a teacher as an adult, I hugely appreciate and celebrate Mrs. Westover’s fight for her education.

By Tara Westover,

Why should I read it?

30 authors picked Educated as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLER

Selected as a book of the year by AMAZON, THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, NEW YORK TIMES, ECONOMIST, NEW STATESMAN, VOGUE, IRISH TIMES, IRISH EXAMINER and RED MAGAZINE

'One of the best books I have ever read . . . unbelievably moving' Elizabeth Day
'An extraordinary story, beautifully told' Louise O'Neill
'A memoir to stand alongside the classics . . . compelling and joyous' Sunday Times

Tara Westover grew up preparing for the end of the world. She was never put in school, never taken to the doctor. She did not even have a birth certificate…


Book cover of Places We Left Behind: A Memoir-in-Miniature

Linda Murphy Marshall Author Of Ivy Lodge: A Memoir of Translation and Discovery

From my list on memoirs that touch upon something special.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the 1960s in the Midwest, in a male-dominated family, where appearances were highly important, where no one seemed to focus on anyone’s feelings or plans (particularly as a female member of the family). As a result, I’m drawn to books where the author explores this type of problematic relationship, of a protagonist trying to carve out her identity in the midst of often overwhelming obstacles. It also interests me to read about women who, like me, somehow managed to discover who they were (I use the word “translate” in my memoir), to carve out an identity that is separate from the idea that people around her erroneously hold to be true.

Linda's book list on memoirs that touch upon something special

Linda Murphy Marshall Why did Linda love this book?

Places We Left Behind is like nothing I’ve ever read before.

For one thing, the structure of the relatively short book is unusual, short vignettes and observations. The writing is beautiful, and it’s the story of the challenges of being part of an international couple. This is not my situation, but I have traveled extensively and know “mixed” couples, so much of Lang’s book resonated with me.

By Jennifer Lang,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Places We Left Behind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"For anyone who has ever loved deeply and been willing to take risks for the sake of love." Rachel Barenbaum author of Atomic Anna

When American-born Jennifer falls in love with French-born Philippe during the First Intifada in Israel, she understands their relationship isn't perfect.

Both 23, both Jewish, they lead very different lives: she's a secular tourist, he's an observant immigrant. Despite their opposing outlooks on two fundamental issues-country and religion-they are determined to make it work. For the next 20 years, they root and uproot their growing family, each longing for a singular place to call home.

In…


Book cover of Foster

Linda Murphy Marshall Author Of Ivy Lodge: A Memoir of Translation and Discovery

From my list on memoirs that touch upon something special.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the 1960s in the Midwest, in a male-dominated family, where appearances were highly important, where no one seemed to focus on anyone’s feelings or plans (particularly as a female member of the family). As a result, I’m drawn to books where the author explores this type of problematic relationship, of a protagonist trying to carve out her identity in the midst of often overwhelming obstacles. It also interests me to read about women who, like me, somehow managed to discover who they were (I use the word “translate” in my memoir), to carve out an identity that is separate from the idea that people around her erroneously hold to be true.

Linda's book list on memoirs that touch upon something special

Linda Murphy Marshall Why did Linda love this book?

This book is not a memoir per se, but it reads like a memoir.

Such a short book, but so packed with emotion and beautiful writing, as the protagonist attempts to find her place in the world. Although our family situations couldn’t have been more different in terms of the countries in which we grew up, and our family structure, I deeply identified with the protagonist’s feeling that she didn’t belong, wasn’t really part of the family situation in which she found herself. I read it months ago and it has remained with me.

By Claire Keegan,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Foster as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

** Adapted into the Oscar-nominated film adaptation, An Cailin Ciuin / The Quiet Girl **

From the author of the Booker-shortlisted Small Things Like These, a heartbreaking, haunting story of childhood, loss and love by one of Ireland's most acclaimed writers.

'A real jewel.' Irish Independent

'A small miracle.' Sunday Times

'A thing of finely honed beauty.' Guardian

'Thrilling.' Richard Ford

'As good as Chekhov.' David Mitchell

It is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A girl is sent to live with foster parents on a farm, not knowing when she will return home. In the strangers' house, she finds…


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Book cover of Fourteen

Fourteen by Leslie Johansen Nack,

Fourteen is a coming-of-age adventure when, at the age of 14, Leslie and her two sisters have to batten down the hatches on their 45-foot sailboat to navigate the Pacific Ocean and French Polynesia, as well as the stormy temper of their larger-than-life Norwegian father.

Book cover of Poetic License: A Memoir

Linda Murphy Marshall Author Of Ivy Lodge: A Memoir of Translation and Discovery

From my list on memoirs that touch upon something special.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the 1960s in the Midwest, in a male-dominated family, where appearances were highly important, where no one seemed to focus on anyone’s feelings or plans (particularly as a female member of the family). As a result, I’m drawn to books where the author explores this type of problematic relationship, of a protagonist trying to carve out her identity in the midst of often overwhelming obstacles. It also interests me to read about women who, like me, somehow managed to discover who they were (I use the word “translate” in my memoir), to carve out an identity that is separate from the idea that people around her erroneously hold to be true.

Linda's book list on memoirs that touch upon something special

Linda Murphy Marshall Why did Linda love this book?

I highly recommend Poetic License for anyone who a) grew up in a patriarchy and b) had fathers who were larger than life.

Cherington’s father was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, and she had to live in his shadow for much of her life, and accommodate to a world which largely revolved around him.

It was fascinating to read about the notable literary figures who came to their home but, at the same time, having grown up in a patriarchy myself, with a larger-than-life father, I could easily imagine what life was life for the author, a life she describes in beautiful, lyrical language. 

By Gretchen Cherington,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Poetic License as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

At age forty, with two growing children and a new consulting company she'd recently founded, Gretchen Cherington, daughter of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Eberhart, faced a dilemma: Should she protect her parents' well-crafted family myths while continuing to silence her own voice? Or was it time to challenge those myths and speak her truth-even the unbearable truth that her generous and kind father had sexually violated her?

In this powerful memoir, aided by her father's extensive archives at Dartmouth College and interviews with some of her father's best friends, Cherington candidly and courageously retraces her past to make sense of…


Book cover of The Fourth Quarter of Your Life: Embracing What Matters Most

Sharon Ricardi Author Of The Future of Alzheimer's

From my list on deepen your understanding of life past age fifty.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about aging in America. I was honored to be in health care for over 40 years; I was a leader in home care and hospital systems and was there at the birth of the assisted living movement, now so respected. I specialized in Alzheimer’s as it is the least understood common disease of seniors, one that evokes misery if not handled properly. I started the first Alzheimer’s training for homecare aides in the 90’s. In positions such as Senior Vice President of Northbridge Companies and President of Northbridge Advisory Services, I became an advocate for dementia education, advanced care, and programs for the financially challenged. 

Sharon's book list on deepen your understanding of life past age fifty

Sharon Ricardi Why did Sharon love this book?

While I am not quite into the fourth quarter of my life, I am not far, and as a baby boomer and one in the senior living field, the topic of aging comes up all the time with similarly aged friends, coworkers, and relatives.

We all feel the same way—we don’t want to be helpless bystanders in determining how the last 25 years of our lives will look. We all know people in their 70’s and 80’s who are remarkable; mentally and physically fit, with active, happy, purposeful lives. We also know many who seem so much older than their actual age and who represent our worst fears of aging. But there are so many charlatans looking for desperate or gullible people to spend their money on anti-aging trends that may as well be snake oil for all of their worth.

This is the book I was thrilled to finally…

By Allen R. Hunt, Matthew Kelly,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Fourth Quarter of Your Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Whether you are in the fourth quarter of life or not, this book will change the way you live the rest of your life.

Intentionality is the key to successful fourth quarter living. People don’t accidentally age gracefully. People don’t accidentally die peacefully. And people don’t accidentally leave behind legacies of hope, love, and encouragement. These all require the intentionality this book will help you develop.

The purpose of this practical guide is to help you...

Live the fourth quarter based on proven life principles Clearly establish meaning and direction for your life Develop the clarity necessary to make good…


Book cover of Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era

Erica J. Ryan Author Of When the World Broke in Two: The Roaring Twenties and the Dawn of America's Culture Wars

From my list on culture’s role in shaping race, class, and gender in modern America.

Why am I passionate about this?

How do ideas about gender, sexuality, and race show up in our political culture? And how do people’s political needs play a role in constructions of race, sex, and gender? I’ve been researching the intersections between ideas about gender, sexuality, and political culture in the modern United States for almost twenty years. And I think history can show us the ways ideas about sex, gender, and race suffuse political culture, revealing hierarchies of power that often discriminate, alienate, and silence. By reading books like the ones on this list we can understand how this power works, we can recognize it more clearly in the present, and we can find ways to dismantle it.

Erica's book list on culture’s role in shaping race, class, and gender in modern America

Erica J. Ryan Why did Erica love this book?

I am recommending this book because Elaine Tyler May offered one of the earliest analyses of gender and sex tied directly to the dictates and needs of political culture. She insightfully delineates “domestic containment,” a component of Cold War culture which paralleled the foreign policy initiative to contain communism and nuclear arms throughout the world. But in this case the sphere of influence was the home. By excavating Cold War culture (for example, Life Magazine’s coverage of a couple honeymooning in a bomb shelter) and some fascinating longitudinal data May demonstrates the way domestic containment sought to keep women and men in their proscribed domestic roles, and she reveals the difficulty many families had living up to the ideal.  Her history illuminates our long-lasting nostalgia for the “traditional” family and remains so relevant today.

By Elaine Tyler May,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Homeward Bound as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Homeward Bound first appeared in 1988, it forever changed the way we understand Cold War America. Previously, scholars understood the post-World War II era as a time when Americans turned away from politics to enjoy the fruits of peace and prosperity after decades of depression and war, while their leaders remained preoccupied with the Soviet threat and the dangers of the Atomic Age. Homeward Bound challenged the idea of an apolitical private arena, demonstrating that the Atomic Age and the Cold War were not merely the concerns of experts and policy makers, but infused American life on every level,…


Book cover of The $10 Trillion Opportunity: Designing Successful Exit Strategies for Middle Market Business Owners

John F. Dini Author Of Your Exit Map: Navigating the Boomer Bust

From my list on business owners planning a transition.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been a coach to business owners for the last 25 years, with a concentration on exit planning for the last twelve. During that time I have personally worked with over 500 owners. I’ve written 4 books on the subject, two of which were award winners. I’ve seen so many owners who built excellent businesses, but are stymied by how to leave them without deserting their employees and customers. Almost two-thirds of business owners over 60 years old have no plan for the transition of their businesses. I am on a mission to fix that.

John's book list on business owners planning a transition

John F. Dini Why did John love this book?

I don’t know Richard Jackim, but Peter Christman is the founder of EPI, and this book is often described as “Where exit planning for business owners began.” It was the first to outline exit planning as a process that requires a team. It discusses tax and legal strategies, coordinating with estate planning, and developing a plan for due diligence. Written mostly for advisors, the focus is on the M&A process for middle market companies, but no list of exit planning books would be complete without it.

By Richard E. Jackim, Peter G. Christman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The $10 Trillion Opportunity as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The $10 Trillion Opportunity shows business advisors how to develop comprehensive, integrated exit plans for business owners. With the baby boomer generation approaching retirement age, exit planning has become one of the hottest topics for business advisors. Exit planning is a process that asks and answers all of the personal, business, financial, legal, estate and tax issues involved in selling or exiting from a privately held business. The $10 Trillion Opportunity is a logically structured book with a no-nonsense approach to exploring and addressing a topic that is often misunderstood and at times overwhelming for business owners and their advisors…


Book cover of Passed Over and Pissed Off: The Overlooked Leadership Talents of Generation X

Jamil Hasan Author Of Re-Generation X: How Generation X Can Leverage Blockchain Technology to Save Themselves and Rebuild America

From my list on help gen x close the ‘analog to digital’ divide.

Why am I passionate about this?

Excluding every day since my birth, my Gen X studies started in earnest in 2016, when Fortune 100 companies aggressively laid off my Gen X peers across the board. I was an early entrepreneur in the crypto industry and saw firsthand how people in remote reaches of the world used Bitcoin to pull themselves out of poverty. Since 2021, I have been a podcast host, interviewing founders and entrepreneurs about the benefits of technology and how to bring the next billion people across the digital divide. Most of my nearly 600 podcasts discuss how to empower people, especially my age, to live better lives by embracing the new digital economy.

Jamil's book list on help gen x close the ‘analog to digital’ divide

Jamil Hasan Why did Jamil love this book?

I loved this book because I related to it in so many ways. During 2017, I stood at the crossroads of uncertainty as corporate layoffs reverberated through the U.S. economy. The weight of being laid off was heavy on me and my peers. For seven years afterward, I submitted tens of thousands of applications without receiving an interview. After a short while, each rejection took an emotional and psychological toll on me. But I am relieved this author knew exactly what I went through. Over time, I saw myself not as a corporate mid-level employee but as a resilient innovator who can navigate a rapidly changing world. 

I, too, believe we Gen Xers have been often overlooked but are rich with untapped potential. The world has changed dramatically. The COVID-19 pandemic, a divisive political environment, and rapid technological advancements have forced my fellow Gen Xers and me to adapt to…

By Mia Mulrennan, Terry Bly,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Passed Over and Pissed Off as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Passed Over and Pissed Off, Dr. Mia Mulrennan reveals that Generation X is fed up and frustrated. Corporate America has turned a deaf ear for too long. Baby Boomers have retained their positions of power longer than anyone anticipated, and are now focusing their attention on grooming the Millennials in order to “leave a legacy” before they retire. Sandwiched between two behemoth generations, the members of Generation X are the outnumbered, seldom-mentioned, underdog generation. Many Gen Xers are tired of patiently waiting for their turn to lead, languishing in non-leadership roles, nose to the grindstone, doing everything right, but…


Book cover of World War II History for Teens: Understanding the Major Battles, Military Strategy, and Arc of War

Becky Van Vleet Author Of Unintended Hero

From my list on our greatest generation: heroes from World War II.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m passionate about sharing our family stories for the next generations. Everyone has a story. They are powerful and we bond through them. As a baby boomer, I’m especially ardent about preserving WWII stories. So much so that I wrote a book, Unintended Hero, about my father’s experiences and battles aboard his ship, the USS Denver, in WWII. These first-hand account stories, not found in classroom history books, must be preserved. I believe we owe a debt of gratitude to the Greatest Generation, whose sacrifices have made our nation what it is today, and I enjoy speaking to high school students about the Greatest Generation’s zealous patriotism.

Becky's book list on our greatest generation: heroes from World War II

Becky Van Vleet Why did Becky love this book?

Although the title of this non-fiction book suggests the level is for teenagers, as a baby boomer, I thoroughly appreciated the author’s portrayal of the historical arc of the war.

Hands down, it’s a great book for adults as well. Mack-Jackson’s timelines and descriptions of the major battles and military strategies, including the prelude to World War II, are very well researched and written for easy comprehension of a worldwide war.

The allegiance to country and sacrifices to a cause beyond self of the Greatest Generation American soldiers, pilots, and sailors can never be doubted after reading this book.

By Benjamin Mack-Jackson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked World War II History for Teens as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

Explore WWII from the front lines in this teen history book

Help history come alive in a way that's easy for teens to connect with and enjoy. World War II History for Teens dives deep into the major battles, providing a core, compelling framework that allows teens to better understand what really happened during the war. From the conquest of Europe all the way through the end of the Pacific Theater, they'll get an up-close look at the course of the Second World War and learn how it created the world they live in today.

World War II History for…


Book cover of Gap Year Girl: A Baby Boomer Adventure Across 21 Countries

Marianne C. Bohr Author Of The Twenty: One Woman's Trek Across Corsica on the GR20 Trail

From my list on by women about outdoor adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

I married my high school sweetheart and travel partner, and followed my own advice to do graduate work, and started my career working for the French National Railroad in New York City, mapping itineraries for travelers to Europe. Travel means the world to me, and if I don’t have a trip on the horizon, I feel aimless and untethered. I worked in book publishing for 30 years and dropped out of the corporate rat race to take a gap year abroad. I wrote about our “Senior year abroad” in my first book Gap Year Girl. I returned to the US to teach middle school French and organize student trips to France. 

Marianne's book list on by women about outdoor adventure

Marianne C. Bohr Why did Marianne love this book?

For readers with wanderlust who long to hit the road, Gap Year Girl is a pleasure to read.

It is the author’s travel adventure memoir about how she and her husband, late Baby Boomers, retraced their backpacking travels abroad from much earlier years. Bohr describes what it’s like to kiss your job goodbye, sell your possessions, pack your bags, and take off on a quest for adventure.

Readers will be intrigued and inspired by this account of a couple’s experiences on an unconventional, past-the-blush-of-youth quest. Bohr blends the details of travel, culture, and history with humor and the intimacy of her life.

She shares that seven weeks into their journey, homesickness hit them hard in a cold, ancient village in southwestern France, but they rallied and went on to continue their adventure. 

By Marianne C. Bohr,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gap Year Girl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the 1960s and '70s, thousands of baby boomers strapped packs to their backs and flocked to Europe, wandering the continent on missions of self-discovery. Many of these boomers still dream of "going back"-of once again cutting themselves free and revisiting the places they encountered in their youth, recapturing what was, and creating fresh memories along the way. Marianne Bohr and her husband, Joe, did just that.

In Gap Year Girl, Bohr describes what it's like to kiss your job good-bye, sell your worldly possessions, pack your bags, and take off on a quest for adventure. Page by page, she…


Book cover of Educated: A Memoir
Book cover of Places We Left Behind: A Memoir-in-Miniature
Book cover of Foster

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