The Red Kitchen: A Memoir

(Paperback)

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Even the best mother-daughter relationship has its challenges. But take one thats not the best and add to it a secretive husband and father and a buried, dark memory, and you have the makings of The Red Kitchena memoir full of humor, grit, honesty, and adventure that culminates with reconciliation and the long-delayed coming-of-age of two women.

At the age of seven, Barbara witnesses a frightening incident between her parents. She goes on to spend much of her childhood toggling between the happy family she longs for and the unhappy one shes in but cant repair. Disturbed by the smell of rotting leaves and an uneasy feeling about her father, she will spend half her life trying to get to the bottom of the reasons why.

As an adult, a summer in Africa allows Barbara to live without labelswife, mother, daughter, sisterand become the woman she wants to be: funny, compassionate, complex, and often flawed. The Red Kitchen is the story of both Barbara and her mother, who, like many women, both spend much of their lives surrendering to societys expectation to be one thing while yearning to be another. Ultimately, both womenin very different wayscome of age, find the loving parts of their mother-daughter relationship, and start living their best lives.

The Red Kitchen is a lyrical and painful chronicle of a dysfunctionaland typicalAmerican family. It is also the story of a womans slow but steady shift from meeting everybody elses expectations toward striving to realize her own dreams. A vivid and well-written memoir.

Priscilla Long, author of Fire and Stone: Where Do We Come From What Are We Where Are We Going

Clarkes memoir contains a significant message: Take charge of your own lifeits not too late. . . . Her story can be an inspiration to other women to live their best lives within their own convictions.

Story Circle Reviews

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2020 CIBA Journey Book Awards 1st Place Winner

The Red Kitchen is a lyrical and painful chronicle of a dysfunctionaland typicalAmerican family. It is also the story of a womans slow but steady shift from meeting everybody elses expectations toward striving to realize her own dreams. A vivid and well-written memoir.
Priscilla Long, author of Fire and Stone: Where Do We Come From What Are We Where Are We Going

Clarkes memoir contains a significant message: Take charge of your own lifeits not too late. . . . Her story can be an inspiration to other women to live their best lives within their own convictions.
Story Circle Reviews

Author Bio

Barbara Clarke has received many labels through the years, some unwantedBest Body in the ninth grade and ex-wife twice. In midlife, she worked in Kenya; she later developed a career as an executive. She has moved more than sixty times. A mailperson once told her that she held the local record for the most forwarding labels of someone not fleeing the law: three. And most recently she was given a label she treasures, earned in a class developing this memoir: Most likely to start a forgiveness movement. You can find out more about her varied career as a writer and read her blog at www.barbaraclarke.net. She lives in Bellingham, WA.