To a little girl, there is magic in her mother's closet. It's a place to discover forbidden things, to glimpse what Erica Jong calls "the paraphernalia of femininity." And most of all, it can offer profound comfort in its smells and familiarity. In this appealing volume, writer and professional flutist Zukerman collects the words of more than 40 accomplished women, including herself, as they reminisce about their experiences in their mothers' closets. Most selections tap right into a child's view of the world, and not all are reverential; Carrie Fisher's humorous, loving piece, for example, mentions her fascination with her famous mother's "weird-ass giant underwear." Many names will be familiar to readers: Leslie Stahl, Judy Collins, Renee Fleming, and more. And the memories may be of particular interest to baby boomers, who will recognize much of the jewelry, clothing, and lifestyles mentioned. Best of all, these moving pieces capture those moments when girls realize that their mothers are mysterious, complicated people, not just parents.

Gillian Engberg