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  • Listen Mama by M. S. P. Williams book cover
  • Listen Mama by M. S. P. Williams book cover
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Listen Mama

by M. S. P. Williams

A young life shaped by caregiving and hardship

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Awards & Recognition

  • Award recognition

    2022 Audie Awards finalist — Best Audiobook Memoir

    Finalist for Best Audiobook Memoir in the 2022 Audie Awards.

  • Critical praise

    Midwest Book Review: “a thoroughly absorbing story”

    The review says the story will be absorbing for young adult and adult readers.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A young life shaped by caregiving and hardship

Told through a series of letters, *Listen Mama* recounts Manny’s adolescence in 1990s Houston, where he takes on responsibility for his mother, who lives with mental illness, and his four younger siblings. The memoir connects family caregiving with the effects of poverty, bullying, and abuse, including Manny’s struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts. Its account also traces his search for love and a sense of place, bringing together loss, faith, and family responsibility in a coming-of-age story.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in young adult memoirs about family caregiving and growing up under difficult circumstances.
  • Readers seeking nonfiction that addresses mental illness, abuse, depression, and anxiety.
  • Readers interested in stories of sibling responsibility, faith, and the search for love.

Themes

Family caregivingMental illnessPoverty and abuseComing of ageFaith and love

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Finalist for Best Audiobook Memoir --2022 Audie Awards

 

Finalist for Best Memoir --2022 BookLife/Publishers Weekly Selfies US Book Award

 

Finalist for Best Memoir --2022 Eric Hoffer Award

 

Finalist for Best African American Literary Nonfiction --2022 Indie Book Awards

"As dramatic as it is heartbreaking." --Kirkus Reviews

 

"Warmly likable man doing his utmost to struggle through more tragedy and bad luck than any human being should be handed." --BookLife/Publishers Weekly Review

 

"Young adult (and many an adult) readers will find LISTEN MAMA a thoroughly absorbing story."--Midwest Book Review

"His descriptive writing has humor and heart..."--AudioFile Magazine

 

"Even though the book has heartbreak, it has happiness and humor. YA readers will love this moving memoir."--ReaderViews, Reviewer's Choice Silver Award

"LISTEN MAMA authentically details the sliding scale of hopes and frustration."--IndieReader, Starred review

 

 

Through a series of letters at times heart-breaking, poetic, and unexpectedly humorous, come explore this true teen and young adult journey of a lost soul searching for the love of his mentally ill mother. While facing seemingly insurmountable odds, Manny ultimately becomes her caretaker and guardian while also parenting his four younger siblings in 1990's Houston, Texas.

 

Witness his transformation in this coming-of-age story of a forgotten and disfigured black child, born into spirit-crushing poverty, and thrust into adult life all too soon. Manny's teen years are spent battling the silent and treacherous enemy of mental illness in his mother's erratic and terrifying behavior. Years of bullying and abuse finally take their toll, and Manny soon finds himself at war with his own demons of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts as he struggles to find his place in the world, and the true meaning of unconditional love.

 

Experience this inspirational story of loss, faith, love, and redemption that is guaranteed to bring forth both tears and laughter, heartache and happiness, as it captures your imagination, ignites your soul, and soon has you racing from page to page, breathlessly waiting to discover what happens next...

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

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Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

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