I consider myself a very lucky person for the day Nancy McKeever stepped into my memoir writing course at Santa Monica College’s Emeritus Program. Each time she shared a story, her fellow classmates and I held our collective breath because we knew we were in for a treat. Her stories were so vivid and rich in detail, and the people she wrote about, particularly her mother, seemed to come to life before our eyes. It was not an easy life she was writing about—the family struggled for basic necessities in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—and yet even a story about the weekly killing of bedbugs, or the torturous straightening of hair of the four sisters, was told with such honesty, warmth, and humor that we listeners felt let into a world of love and care. Nancy’s talents as a writer were apparent early on, and as she continued to write, more and more stories emerged of her remarkable life.

It was Nancy’s dream to collect her stories into a book, and she asked for my help in editing it. It was a great honor and privilege. Sadly, Nancy passed away just days after receiving a copy of the book in her hands. It deserves a wide audience so that many others can come to cherish these extraordinary stories of a life lived with honesty, courage, and yes, love.

Praise for “My Mother’s Daughter”

“In sharp, keenly observed stories, Nancy McKeever paints a tender portrait of her family from 1940s Pittsburgh to present-day Los Angeles, a family who refuses to be beaten down by the daily indignities of poverty, who are each other’s hero when it counts, and who, despite each individual’s unique struggles, are bound together by loyalty, generosity, humor, and a deep love. I read these stories with tears in my eyes and renewed hope in my heart for how goodness and perseverance can overcome the deepest scars.” —Dorothy Chin, Ph.D., psychologist and author of the Psychology Today blog “A Different Lens”

“In this exquisitely written memoir, every story shines a new light on the power of a mother’s love. I am forever lifted by the truth, the grace, and the spirit of the author’s way with words.” —Kathleen Carey, former senior vice president, Sony Music Publishing

Available for purchase at Bookshop.org