The relationship between mothers and sons has been explored for ages. From "Oedipus" to Al Brooks' " Mother," we are fascinated by the familial bond between a mother and her son. This groundbreaking work looks at many untouched areas of the mother-son relationship including race, sexuality and ability. The contributors to this collection speak from the heart and explore how the institution of motherhood oppresses women, impedes mother-son identification and fosters sexism. The impact of the feminist movement on the mother-son relationship, which has been previously neglected in literature, is explored in-depth in "Mothers and Sons" _ . These deeply personal reflections includes stories of lesbian mothers identifying challenges in raising sons in our heterosexist culture as well as black mothers and sons and Jewish mothers. For all with an interest in family issues, gender issues, or a new perspective on mothering, this book is a must read.

INTRODUCTION, Andrea O'Reilly; Part 1 MOTHERING AND MOTHERHOOD; Chapter 1 WHO ARE WE THIS TIME? AN EXCERPT FROM AMERICAN MOM, Mary Kay Blakely; Chapter 2 MOTHERING SONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ONE PEACEMAKER'S CHALLENGE, Jacqueline Haessly; Chapter 3 MASCULINITY, MATRIARCHY, AND MYTH A BLACK FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE, Claudette Lee, Ethel Hill Williams; Chapter 4 MOTHERS, SONS, AND THE ART OF PEACEBUILDING, Linda Rennie Forcey; Chapter 5 IN BLACK AND WHITE ANGLO-AMERICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES ON MOTHERS AND SONS, Andrea O'Reilly; Part 2 MEN AND MASCULINITIES; Chapter 6 SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE FEMINISTS' ACCOUNTS OF MOTHERING SONS, Alison M. Thomas; Chapter 7 FEMINIST ACADEMIC MOTHERS' INFLUENCES ON THEIR SONS' MASCULINITY, Sharon Abbey; Chapter 8 LESBIANS RAISING SONS BRINGING UP A NEW BREED OF MEN, Jess Wells; Chapter 9 CAN BOYS GROW INTO MOTHERS? MATERNAL THINKING AND FATHERS' REFLECTIONS, Andrea Doucet; Part 3 MOTHERS AND SONS: CONNECTIONS AND DISCONNECTIONS; Chapter 10 RAISING RELATIONAL BOYS, Cate Dooley, Nikki Fedele; Chapter 11 ATTACHMENT AND LOSS, Janet Sayers; Chapter 12 MOTHER-SON RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SHADOW OF WAR, Amia Lieblich; Chapter 13 THIS IS LEAVE-TAKING MOTHERS,SIGNATURES, AND COUNTERMEMORY, Douglas Sadao Aoki;