You won't find horror stories of outrageous abuse in "Mean Mothers". But that's one of Peg Steep's clearest messages: that while the most sensational stories get the most attention in the media, little is said about those mothers who, despite their picket fences, relative affluence, and middle-class standing in society, are unable or unwilling to love the daughters they have given birth to. "Mean Mothers" demonstrates what happens to a daughter's formulation of self and her relationships when her mother is either emotionally absent or, worse, cruel and unloving. Based in the latest research as well as interviews with experts in many fields, the book draws on the real-life experiences of adult daughters, including those of the author herself, who have tried to come to terms with the emotional and psychological legacies their mothers bequeathed them. With its unflinching look at what can go wrong when a mother doesn't love her child, "Mean Mothers" can help every woman - even those blessed with loving mothers - better understand this most central of female relationships.