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Motherwell

A Girlhood

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Motherwell

By: Deborah Orr
Narrated by: Gabriel Quigley
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Summary

 *THE NO.3 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*

'Raw, compelling, wise and tender' Dolly Alderton

'Motherwell is razor-sharp, fearless and wonderful' Adam Kay

'Utterly candid and staggeringly good, both as the history of a woman and the history of a place' India Knight

Just shy of 18, Deborah Orr left Motherwell - the town she both loved and hated - to go to university. It was a decision her mother railed against from the moment the idea was raised. Win had very little agency in the world, every choice was determined by the men in her life. And strangely, she wanted the same for her daughter. Attending university wasn't for the likes of the Orr family. Worse still, it would mean leaving Win behind - and Win wanted Deborah with her at all times, rather like she wanted her arm with her at all times. But while she managed to escape, Deborah's severing from her family was only superficial. She continued to travel back to Motherwell, fantasizing about the day that Win might come to accept her as good enough. Though of course it was never meant to be.

MOTHERWELL is a sharp, candid and often humorous memoir about the long shadow that can be cast when the core relationship in your life compromises every effort you make to become an individual. It is about what we inherit - the good and the very bad - and how a deeper understanding of the place and people you have come from can bring you towards redemption. Witty Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Funny
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Critic reviews

Searching, truthful, shocking (and timely) . . . with a reporter's skill, she shows the interior life of her people. In the present climate, this book should be given out on the NHS . . . a masterpiece (Andrew O'Hagan)
Sharply intelligent and utterly unsentimental, MOTHERWELL is a fitting legacy left by a blazing talent
Raw, compelling, wise and tender (DOLLY ALDERTON)
MOTHERWELL is razor-sharp, fearless and wonderful (ADAM KAY)
An outstanding memoir . . . The writing is powerful and muscular; the bitterness raw and furious . . . as a legacy, this book will stand at least as long as Ravenscraig
A fierce and tender reckoning: personal, political, and blazing with truth (MELISSA HARRISON)
Crammed with wit and intelligence . . . a clever, meticulous and intricate work. Although heart-rending at times, it is also surprisingly funny . . . has a generosity of tone that means as you read it you experience sudden flashes from your own past: slights, plights, triumphs, mad asides
Utterly candid and staggeringly good, both as the history of a woman and the history of a place (INDIA KNIGHT)
A poignant, beautiful and all-too-topical memoir. With the skill, delicacy and sharp wit her many fans know and love, Deborah Orr tells her tale of childhood: of class and mobility, of self-love and self-loathing, of dissatisfied mother and clever daughter, and of the dangerous, complex sacrifices which opportunity demands from a girl on the move in the late twentieth century. Are you a mother? Do/did you have a mother? Read it (LOUISA YOUNG)
If you have or had a difficult mother this is the book for you. Difficult doesn't have to mean abusive. You can have a happy childhood with a mother who drives you mad (LINDA GRANT)
Filled with observational brilliance and wit . . . beautiful. Brilliant . . . not just an intelligent and honest personal memoir, not just an examination of narcissism, interdependence and repression, but a conjuring of a time, a moment in British history, that may otherwise be lost entirely. It is also funny. As funny, it would seem from the obituaries, as the woman herself
Honest, at times harsh, but also deeply tender and very funny - this is a beautifully written memoir. It's my generation so evoked many unwanted memories including the three-day-week, boiled to death veg and masturbating skinheads. A great read for 'Common People' like me (KATHY BURKE)
MOTHERWELL is a story about a girl, a family, a time, a place. But so much more. Fearlessly Deborah Orr works out how she was formed as she unpicks everyday dysfunction. Full of glinting pain, brilliant one liners and utter clarity, the sliver of ice in her heart melts. Sheer humanity shines out. I was astonished (SUZANNE MOORE)
Deborah's honest and fearless spirit shines throughout MOTHERWELL. Her many struggles are told with wit and candour, but above all there is so much love in this book (COSEY FANNI TUTTI)
All stars
Most relevant
Fascinating listen about growing up in post war Scotland and commentary on mother daughter relationships.

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This is a touching and enthralling look at family life and how the actions of our parents shape who we are.. A truly unique and wonderful listen

Fantastic

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This is one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to, and that's saying a lot. Beautifully written, immaculately read. Laugh-out-loud, agonising - I'm of the age where I share a lot of these reminiscences and it's ALL here. Totally frank, poignant and unforgettable. I only wish Deborah Orr was still alive to appreciate how this work has struck a chord with her readers/reviewers. Wow. Absolutely amazing. And what a performance by the narrator. Super stuff.

Superbly written, superbly read

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A deep book that brought back a lot of memories of place and time.

Marvellous

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I enjoyed this memoir by Deborah Orr and the stressful relationship she had with her parents. It was clear that she adored her father and when he disapproved of her behavior it really hurt her. Her mother was at times very controlling and she could be very cruel, however Deborah did not paint herself as a victim. She openly admitted that some of her own behavior was self destructive. I have known families with this type of dynamic and it is sad that the genuine love gets buried underneath the insecurities and petty jealousies. So sad that Deborah and both her parents lost their lives to cancer, especially when it was painfully obvious that they all needed to express the love they felt for each other.

Family at War

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