Matriarch

OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK - A revealing personal life story like no other-enlightening, entertaining, surprising, empowering-and a testament to the world-making power of Black motherhood

"A fascinating memoir of Tina Knowles's journey to become the global figure she is today."-Oprah Winfrey

"You are Celestine," she said. She squatted to push the hair off my face and pull leaves off my pajama legs. "Like my sister and my grandmother." And there, under the pecan tree, as she did countless times, that day my mother told me stories of the mothers and daughters that went before me.

Tina Knowles, the mother of iconic singer-songwriters Beyonce Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles, and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, is known the world over as a Matriarch with a capital M: a determined, self-possessed, self-aware, and wise woman who raised and inspired some of the great artists of our time. But this story is about so much more than that.

Matriarch begins with a precocious, if unruly, little girl growing up in 1950s Galveston, the youngest of seven. She is in love with her world, with extended family on every other porch and the sounds of Motown and the lapping beach always within earshot. But as the realities of race and the limitations of girlhood set in, she begins to dream of a more grandiose world. Her instincts and impulsive nature drive her far beyond the shores of Texas to discover the life awaiting her on the other side of childhood.

That life's journey-through grief and tragedy, creative and romantic risks and turmoil, the nurturing of superstar offspring and of her own special gifts-is the remarkable story she shares with readers here. This is a page-turning chronicle of family love and heartbreak, of loss and perseverance, and of the kind of creativity, audacity, and will it takes for a girl from Galveston to change the world. It's one brilliant woman's intimate and revealing story, and a multigenerational family saga that carries within it the story of America-and the wisdom that women pass on to one another, mothers to daughters, across generations.

Penguin Random House | Apr 22, 2025 | ISBN 9780593597408 | 432 paages

1. How does Tina Knowles see the role of a matriarch? What are some ways she shows that role in her own family?

2. How does Tina's upbringing influence how she raises her daughters and helps them with their careers? In what ways do her life experiences and values shape the lessons she teaches and the opportunities she encourages them to go after?

3. What messages about motherhood and mentorship does Tina convey, and how do these insights extend beyond her own family to influence others?

4. How does her approach to motherhood foster empathy and responsibility in her children?

5. What qualities of motherhood does Tina emphasize in her mentorship, and how do they influence others in her community?

6. How does Tina promote diversity and originality among emerging designers?

7. How does Tina's creativity reflect her principles and aspirations in the fashion world and her community?

8. Tina discusses relationships, divorce, and finding love again. How does her experience challenge or reinforce traditional ideas about love and family?

9. Which moments in Tina's personal journey captured your attention the most, and what was it about them that resonated with you?

10. Tina's daughters frequently receive messages, both directly and indirectly, that suggest they are inferior. How does Tina address this situation?

11. What role does mutual support and personal growth play in Tina and Johnny's relationship?

12. Tina discusses love, the end of her marriage, and finding love again. How does her journey challenge or support traditional ideas about romance and family.

13. How does Tina's meeting with the oncologist relate to the main themes of resilience and self-reinvention in the book?

14. After reading Matriarch, what do you think are the key qualities of leadership within a family or community?

"A fascinating memoir of Tina Knowles's journey to become the global figure she is today. We learn how the strength and wisdom of the women who came before her fueled Tina's passion to achieve and gave her the ability to nurture her own daughters into the incredible women they are today."-Oprah Winfrey

"Both her great-grandmother and grandmother fought to keep their children from being sold away or otherwise separated in slavery. How remains a mystery. Matriarchs, Knowles writes, 'are filled with the most enduring and ferocious love.'"-The New York Times

"As a fan of the Knowles family music empire, I was not expecting to uncover information I did not already know, but Knowles proved wrong. She delves deeper into her own backstory than ever before."-The Washington Post

"A great story of a singular American life."-Kirkus Reviews About Tina Knowles