THROUGH MY MOTHER'S EYES

A daughter learns to see life through her mother’s eyes in this stunning photography book.

Sitting with her elderly mother, who was possibly suffering a stroke and couldn’t speak, author Johnson gazed into her mother’s eyes. “Suddenly,” Johnson realized, “those eyes spoke to me” as if they were saying everything about life, happiness, and motherhood. In this powerful “celebration of individuality” and “tribute to the common spirit of all mothers,” particularly Black mothers, Johnson, a professional actor and model, blends compelling photography with commentary from dozens of sons and daughters. The contributors—many are successful African American doctors, lawyers, and politicians—name the ways their mothers shaped their identities (e.g., “My mother would always say: ‘Nobody else is better than you,’ ” and “My mother has an impact on how I walk and relate to people”). These short entries appear with visually arresting, tender portraits of the matriarchs and their children; close-ups become landscapes of cheekbones and eyelashes and coruscating skin and irises. Mitchell’s loving photographs animate Johnson’s thesis that by looking into another’s eyes, “You see history, untold stories, and everyone in that person’s life who wants to be seen.” While the spare narrative forces readers to concentrate on the photographs, more context on the mothers’ specific lives, accomplishments, and stories would have made for a more satisfying read. Nevertheless, this book is an important reminder that, in the words of contributor Chelsea W. Sanders, a mother “is someone who heals others…but needs healing herself as well.” Through their effective use of subjects, color, font, formatting, and photography, Johnson and Mitchell have created an ideal and affecting coffee-table book.

A visually striking celebration of motherhood.