Sido

In _My Mother's House_ and _Sido_ , Colette plays fictional variations on the

themes of childhood, family, and, above all, her mother. Vividly alive, fond

of cities, music, theater, and books, Sido devoted herself to her village,

Saint-Saveur; to her garden, with its inhabitants and its animals; and,

especially, to her children, particularly her youngest, whom she called Minet-

Chéri. Unlike _Gigi_ and _Chéri_ , which focus largely on sexual love and its

repercussions, _My Mother's House_ and _Sido_ center on the compelling figure

of a powerful, nurturing woman in late-nineteenth-century rural France,

conveying the impact she had on her community and on her daughter -- who grew

up to be a great writer.