The Seasons of My Mother ─ A Memoir of Love, Family, and Flowers

In this poetic and unconventional memoir, one of America’s most revered actresses uses the imagery of flowers to depict the singularly strong bond that she has had with her mother throughout the years—and how, together, they are facing her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Marcia Gay Harden knew at a young age that her life would be anything but ordinary. One of five rambunctious children born to two Texas natives—Beverly, a prim housewife, and Thad, an officer in the US Navy—she always had a knack for storytelling, role-playing, and mischief-making. As a military family, the Hardens moved from state to state, even abroad, including Japan. It was here that Beverly, amid the many challenges of raising a gaggle of youngsters, found solace in ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement.

Using the imagery of flowers as her starting point, Marcia Gay Harden takes us through the different seasons of her mother’s life, all the while weaving in the story of her own journey from precocious young girl to budding artist to Academy Award-winning actress. With a razor-sharp wit, as well as the kind of emotional honesty that has made her performances resonate with audiences worldwide, Marcia describes the family’s travels overseas, her flourishing career in New York and Hollywood, and, most poignantly, Beverly’s struggles today to maintain her identity as she tackles her greatest challenge yet: Alzheimer’s disease.

Featuring gorgeous ikebana arrangements created specially for this book, this memoir illustrates the uniqueness and beauty of this parent-child friendship, as Marcia does what Beverly can no longer do: she remembers. Like a cross between Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club and Lisa Genova’s Still Alice, this memoir is a lyrical, loving homage to one mother’s strength as reflected in the tenacity and artistry of her daughter.