Book Review

Mama Mia: A Memoir of Mistakes, Magazines and Motherhood
Mia Freedman

I love to read (my partner can attest to this fact) however I have never been one for the 'real life story' stuff. One might say I love to live in the world of Fiction. Mostly Fiction where girl meets boy, blah blah blah blah, live happily ever after. A few tears thrown in for good measure and that is my idea of a good book.

So when I heard that Mia Freedman was going to be writing a book about her life up until now I was intreged. I had started to read her blog mammia.com.au and was really enjoying her perspective on issues around Australia and the world. I picked up a copy as soon as it was possible and started to read, what turned out to be an inspiring and life changing book.

Freedman dissects the magazine world which she was a part of for nearly 20 years and enlightens the reader with some home truths. Freedman is so honest and open about the mistakes and successes she had working for ACP Magazines you can't but like her more as a person. I cried for hours after reading despair when trying to conceive for the second time and when she felt like she was nothing. It was so raw and real - there is not fluff to help try and escape the position she and her partner were in you just have to keep on reading and hope for the best.

I finished the book with a new perspective on life knowing that I can be an independent driven women and still be a wonderful mother in the future and enjoy a rewarding marriage. It made me reevaluate my view on life and made me aware of how greatful I should be with my current situation. There is more to life than work and even if your job is glamorous everything else can be falling apart around you. There needs to be a balance.