At the narrow waist of the world : a memoir

“With sensitivity and candor, Baraf examines mental illness, immigration, forgiveness, and community—all framed within the precocity of her life’s circumstances.” — Ms. Magazine “ At the Narrow Waist of the World is a compelling account of what it is like to live through turbulence and come out on the other side.” — Foreword Clarion Review “Deftly written, impressively candid, insightfully presented, At the Narrow Waist of the World is an extraordinary and memorable read.” — Midwest Book Review “By the end of At the Narrow Waist of the World, we have come to know, admire and even cherish its author in a way few memoirists manage to achieve . . . . ” — Jewish Journal Raised by a lively family of Spanish Jews in tropical and Catholic Panama of the 1950s and 1960s, Marlena depends on her many tíos and tías for refuge from the difficulties of life, including the frequent absences of her troubled mother. As a teenager, she pulls away from this centered world—crossing borders—and begins a life in the United States very different from the one she has known. This lyrical coming-of-age memoir explores the intense and profound relationship between mothers and daughters and highlights the importance of community and the beauty of a large Latin American family. It also explores the vital issues of mental illness and healing, forgiveness and acceptance. At the Narrow Waist of the World examines the author's gradual integration into a new culture, even as she understands that her home is still—and always will be—rooted in another place. Growing up in the steamy tropics of Catholic Panama in the 1950s and '60s, Marlena is raised by a lively family of Spanish Jews, her many tíos and tías providing her with a loving refuge from the difficulties of life, including the frequent absences of her mentally ill mother. But at fifteen, Marlena must pull away from her troubled parent, leave the center of her world and enter an entirely new one--crossing borders--to begin the difficult and exciting transition to life in the US. In this lyrical coming-of-age memoir, Marlena Baraf explores the intense and profound relationship between mothers and daughters. She highlights the importance of community and the beauty of a large Latin American family. She contemplates her gradual integration into a new culture, even as she understands that her home is still--and always will be--rooted in another place