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  • The Mother Wound

  • By: Amani Haydar
  • Narrated by: Amani Haydar
  • Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (107 ratings)

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The Mother Wound

By: Amani Haydar
Narrated by: Amani Haydar
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Publisher's Summary

'I am from a family of strong women.'

Amani Haydar suffered the unimaginable when she lost her mother in a brutal act of domestic violence perpetrated by her father. Five months pregnant at the time, her own perception of how she wanted to mother (and how she had been mothered) was shaped by this devastating murder.

After her mother's death, Amani began reassessing everything she knew of her parents' relationship. They had been unhappy for so long - should she have known that it would end like this? A lawyer by profession, she also saw the holes in the justice system for addressing and combating emotional abuse and coercive control.

Amani also had to reckon with the weight of familial and cultural context. Her parents were brought together in an arranged marriage, her mother thirteen years her father's junior. Her grandmother was brutally killed in the 2006 war in Lebanon, adding complex layers of intergenerational trauma.

Writing with grace and beauty, Amani has drawn from this a story of female resilience and the role of motherhood in the home and in the world. In The Mother Wound, she uses her own strength to help other survivors find their voices.  

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY AWARD 2022 MICHAEL CROUCH AWARD FOR A DEBUT WORK

WINNER OF THE VICTORIAN PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARD FOR NON-FICTION 2022

WINNER OF THE MATT RICHELL AWARD FOR NEW WRITER OF THE YEAR 2022

WINNER OF THE 2021 SYDNEY MUSIC, ARTS & CULTURE (SMAC) AWARDS

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ABIA BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR 2022

SHORTLISTED FOR THE NSW PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARDS THE DOUGLAS STEWART PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2022

SHORTLISTED FOR THE NSW PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARDS THE MULTICULTURAL NSW AWARD 2022

SHORTLISTED FOR THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST TRUE CRIME 2022

SHORTLISTED FOR THE QUEENSLAND LITERARY AWARDS 2022 NON-FICTION BOOK AWARD

LONGLISTED FOR THE WALKLEY BOOK AWARD 2021

©2021 Amani Haydar (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Critic Reviews

"A magnificent and devastating work of art. There is a raging anger here, and a deep sorrow, but at the core Haydar gives us truths about love. This is one of the most important books I've ever read." (Bri Lee)

"Shattering, unforgettable, beautifully told." (Randa Abdel-Fattah)

"Gripping, transcendent, tender and, at times, infuriating. With a daughter's heart and a lawyer's mind, Amani Haydar maps the territory that connects the wars we fight abroad to the wars we endure in our homes." (Jess Hill)

What listeners say about The Mother Wound

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amazing work

this book was an insightful listen it covered topics of feminism more domestic violence trauma and overall a story displaying resilience.

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Gripping, Heartfelt, Authentic and Honest

Finished easily in two days. The author made it feel as though she was speaking directly to me, I found myself nodding and laughing at times. Brilliant!

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Powerful, empowering, and important

I feel honoured to have been able to listen to the author's story. A powerfully presented memoir and one I will think about for a long time and remember always.

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Sad but excellent

Thank you for sharing your story. You are an amazing woman, mother, daughter!
Insightful and often hard to listen to what her lived experience was. Thank you for allowing us in and giving a voice to DFV victims both partner and children’s perspectives.
Important for all to ‘read’. Thank you for reading your story Amani.

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Raw, heartfelt and heartbreaking

Listening to Amani read the words about her mother’s murder and the circumstances preceding and surrounding it made this book even more compelling. So many nuances here. There’s so much insight into the migrant experience, domestic abuse, misogyny , racism, cultural expectations, Islamophobia and the list goes on. Being a second generation Australian myself I recognised so much of what Amani writes about. I loved this book so much and found myself wanting to go for a trip in the car to listen to it.

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Tragic yet beautiful account of Amani’s Story

Thank you for being so strong and vulnerable sharing your story, I cried, I laughed and even reflected on my own family’s history on domestic violence. Hearing your own voice through this audio made it so much for authentic and effective. I hope that there are many changes within our society and government that hopefully prevent tragic events like these happening again. Thank you again for sharing your story.

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Raw Inisght into domestic violence

This book provides the hard to hear truths about domestic violence, it’s profound inter generational impact and the legal system failing to understand and provide just process victims and survivors in Australia. The author has an incredible understanding of the issue with a clear depth of knowledge beyond that of her lived experience. I’m addition her deep self reflection which provides a rich and valuable insight into how damaging domestic violence is to individuals and society. Cannot recommend this audio book enough.

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Written a and spoken from the heart

Amani has written a deeply felt memoir of love and loss in tragic, violent circumstances. She addresses the root causes of domestic abuse. She provides warnings for others. Amani’s story should be essential reading for men and women. Yet Amani tells her story with deep love for her family and hope for her future. I hope her future is brighter and truly blessed

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From a mother.

loved it. surprised shocked. emotions scrambled. God be with you and all that helped you.

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Excellent Read

This is an excellent book which provides insight into Amani's world and through Amani's words, provides insight into her mum's world. The tragedy of domestic violence and how it forever changes lives and even ends lives, has been captured extremely well. Yes, it is a story filled with tragedy, but yet, there it is a book filled with hope as we see how Amani uses her pain fuel her advocacy for women and women's rights. I would highly recommend this book.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.