Girlz 'n the Hood

A Memoir of Mama in South Central Los Angeles

By: Mary Hill-Wagner

Narrated by: Mary Hill-Wagner

Girlz 'n the Hood is the unsentimental, moving, and surprisingly humorous account of a girl and her 10 siblings who grew up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Mary’s mother was a fierce matriarch, a single mom who raised 11 children with the help of welfare checks and a firearm hidden in her bra.

Drugs, guns, and pregnancies were everyday occurrences, but Mary and her siblings took it all in stride, spying on the grown-ups, playing in the streets, and helping to take care of the new babies when they were born. The dubious yet colorful cast of characters that came into their lives (the Jehovah Witnesses, the whores, the addicts, the “fathers”), and the never-ending series of hardships (the jail terms, the knife fights, the mental illness, and homicides) couldn’t shake the core of the family. This is the story of Mary, but, even more so, it’s the story of her mother, a uniquely strong and extraordinary woman who was able to survive moments of pain and disappointment by laughing at the comedy of human missteps, miscalculations, and downright stupidity. This is also a story about race and of poverty and how, over time, it can wear you down and destroy you, because, although Mary got out okay, her sisters and brothers were not so lucky.

©2021 Mary Hill-Wagner (P)2021 Recorded Books

Inspiring story of pushing through adversity

Mary Hill- Wagner has persevered through a lot. And so did her mother, who struggled to provide for her children and teach them to love and help one another. Mama is a flawed character, as all humans are, but she is strong, principled and never gave up. It was a privilege to hear Mary’s story in her own voice.

Compton HS 82

Wow
It was a very good book, sadly my uncle’s death was mentioned in your story. I guess it really is six degrees of separation

The amazing thing is I grew up in Compton with a totally different life, I’m amazed at your resilience and dedication to greatness.