Ma Speaks Up

And a First-Generation Daughter Talks Back

By: Marianne Leone

Narrated by: Marianne Leone

Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The acclaimed actress and author of Jesse: A Mother's Story tells the "entertaining and moving" (Tom Perrotta) story of her outspoken, frequently outrageous Italian immigrant mother.

Marianne Leone's Ma is in many senses a larger-than-life character, one who might be capable, even from the afterlife, of shattering expectations. Born on a farm in Italy, Linda finds her way to the United States under dark circumstances, having escaped a forced marriage to a much older man, and marries a good Italian boy. She never has full command of English - especially when questioned by authorities - and when she is suddenly widowed with three young children, she has few options. To her daughter's horror and misery, she becomes the school lunch lady.

Ma Speaks Up is a record of growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, with the wrong family, in the wrong religion. Though Marianne's girlhood is flooded with shame, it's equally packed with adventure, love, great cooking, and, above all, humor. The extremely premature birth of Marianne's beloved son, Jesse, bonds mother and daughter in ways she couldn't have imagined. The stories she tells will speak to anyone who has struggled with outsider status in any form and, of course, to mothers and their blemished, cherished girls.

©2017 Marianne Leone (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"I can think of few writers, alive or dead, who can make us laugh out loud in one sentence only to wipe the tears off our cheeks in the next. Marianne Leone achieves this brilliantly in this enduring love song to her Italian mother, illuminating themes as wide ranging as social class, immigrant life, the Catholic Church, the agony of adolescence, marital and maternal and paternal love, and far more. And like all of the best memoirs, Ma Speaks Up carries us back to the fragmented and sometimes elusive beauty of our own lives. This is an exquisitely rendered book by an immensely gifted writer, and I cannot recommend it highly enough." (Andre Dubus III)

"In this entertaining and moving memoir, Marianne Leone has crafted an indelible portrait of her immigrant mother. Like her daughter, Ma is a formidable person - salty, tough-minded, funny, and full of unexpected wisdom." (Tom Perrotta, author of The Leftovers)

Searingly Funny

Hilarious and moving stories - not first generation, but I totally related to the simultaneously close and strained mother/daughter relationship.

Also: Marianne’s Ma was *hilarious*.

Ma Speaks Up

What a wonderful story and a plus to hear it read by "MA's" daughter. A great one to listen too.

Author's reading is incredible!

Would you consider the audio edition of Ma Speaks Up to be better than the print version?

Hearing the story read by Marianne Leone--an actress as well as an incredible writer--added to my experience.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ma! Hearing her expressions brought her to life.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Ma comments on Marianne's appearance, complimenting her by saying she 'looks like a prostitute."

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The relationship between Ma and Marianne's son, Jesse, when she holds him.

Rich, beautiful, honest portrait of fierce mom

As the daughter of a strong woman who guarded her past and had no understanding of her bookish, rebellious girl child, I was constantly identifying with scenes from Marianne's life. I have a copy of this book but loved the author's channeling the voices of her colorful relatives in this audio version. Listened straight through.

A fun, hilarious, raucous, read!

What did you love best about Ma Speaks Up?

A well written, lovingly told story about the mother/daughter bond and rift, healing and humorous. All so familiar!

What did you like best about this story?

A pitch perfect tale of the immigrant Italian experience and the tightness of family, community and the strenght of love.

What about Marianne Leone’s performance did you like?

No one else could have told this better. She hits each note with perfection!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It is hilarious, touching and true! I Loved it!!