"In this captivating poetic memoir, Louise Nicholas honours the memory of her mother, Dorothy, and her mother’s unfulfilled wish – until now – to be a published writer. Dorothy dances across these pages. Her sense of humour, her sparkle, and her love for her five children beam at us through her letters and partially written life story, and through Louise’s anecdotal flashback poems and recollections. This touching book is, in its way, a hymn to unsung mothers everywhere. As we read, we become aware that this was no ‘little, hearthrug-sized life’: Dorothy’s love ripples through the lives of her family, friends, and successors. As we read, this examined life reveals itself as extraordinary. is a moving introduction to Dorothy. I wish I’d had the privilege of knowing her." - Jennifer Liston