There are plenty of pop culture references to the dangers of a close mother-son relationship. From the myth of Oedipus to the movie Psycho, narrative after narrative harps on the idea that mothers can damage their sons, make them weak, awkward and dependent.
But for millions of men, the opposite has turned out to be true, author Kate Lombardi tells NPR’s Laura Sullivan. Lombardi — a mother herself — is the author of the new book, The Mama’s Boy Myth: Why Keeping Our Sons Close Makes Them Stronger.