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The Many Lives of Mama Love

A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing

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The Many Lives of Mama Love

Written by: Lara Love Hardin
Narrated by: Lara Love Hardin
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About this listen

“Once you start reading, be prepared, because you won’t want to stop.” —Oprah Winfrey

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • New York Times bestselling author Lara Love Hardin recounts her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot caller and her unlikely comeback as a highly successful ghostwriter in this harrowing, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.

No one expects the police to knock on the door of the million-dollar two-story home of the perfect cul-de-sac housewife. But soccer mom Lara Love Hardin has been hiding a shady secret: she is funding her heroin addiction by stealing her neighbors’ credit cards.

Lara is convicted of thirty-two felonies and becomes inmate S32179. She finds that jail is a class system with a power structure that is somewhere between an adolescent sleepover party and Lord of the Flies. Furniture is made from tampon boxes, and Snickers bars are currency. But Lara quickly learns the rules and brings love and healing to her fellow inmates as she climbs the social ladder and acquires the nickname “Mama Love,” showing that jailhouse politics aren’t that different from the PTA meetings she used to attend.

When she’s released, she reinvents herself as a ghostwriter. Now, she’s legally co-opting other people’s identities and getting to meet Oprah, meditate with the Dalai Lama, and have dinner with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But the shadow of her past follows her. Shame is a poison worse than heroin—there is no way to detox. Lara must learn how to forgive herself and others, navigate life as a felon on probation, and prove to herself that she is more good than bad, among other essential lessons.

The Many Lives of Mama Love is a heartbreaking and tender journey from shame to redemption, despite a system that makes it almost impossible for us to move beyond the worst thing we have ever done.

©2023 Lara Love Hardin (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio
Parenting & Families Relationships True Crime Exciting Inspiring Witty Funny
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What listeners say about The Many Lives of Mama Love

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A Story of Redemption

This memoir was surprisingly so amazing. it's one of those books that hit you. AS a reader it's the kind of book that you are always looking for when YOU pick up a book to read. The first few chapters I was so angry at Mama Love and I didn't know if I was going to enjoy the book but that all turned around and it is such a glorious book of redemption. I learned many things about the criminal system and about drug addiction. I have a new empathy for people who are addicted to drugs and are living that life. I am so glad I read this book.

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Be grateful

This book taught me so much about gratitude and I am so thankful to Lara for opening her heart up like this.

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A must read

I loved this book. This story is heartbreaking and beautiful. Lara Love Hardin is open and raw and honest. I felt anger toward her and then anger toward “the system” and then felt sympathy and sadness. By the end, I was cheering her on! Please read.

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Realism!

Loved this book! Couldn't stop listening. The real life account of life with addiction and the reprocussions from this was incredibly hard but so interesting to read! Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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What a deep dive!

This book takes you on a ride with all the feels. This book was difficult and wonderful to read. A surprisingly relatable, inspiring and uniquely crafted memoir, brilliantly told, what talent. Loved this book!

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Brilliant writer

Lara is a gifted writer who tells her story in an engaging and honest way. We need more stories about forgiveness and second chances. Hopefully her book inspires more people to forgive and give second chances. As soon as I finished the book, I bought the book she co-wrote with Anthony Ray Hinton.

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Not Great

I really struggled listening to the first half of the book as the writer made so many poor, selfish decisions. While I appreciate this is supposed to be a story about redemption, the balance still felt like it focused on all about her. How brilliant she really is and the famous celebrities she meet that also thought she was amazing. I’m glad she is happy now but this didn’t achieve it’s goal for me.

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easy listening.

I enjoyed the flow of the story but I didn't find anything particularly special about her story. I'm surprised this was an Oprah pick.

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