The closest you'll ever get to seeing someone actually wear their heart on their sleeve is in Texas, every fall, at the local high school homecoming game.
They're called homecoming mums.
They are as bodacious as football, as irresistible as a juicy rumor, and as deep as a mama's love.
“I grew up in Texas, where mum-mania seems normal, so I wondered if the book would tell me anything I didn't already know... but I couldn't put MUMENTOUS down!”
— Laura S.
What's a Mum?
What's a Mum?
If you’re not from Texas, you’re gonna need a little background.
Visit the blog.
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mum·en·tous / məmˈen(t)əs / adjective
1. (derived from “momentous”) of great importance or significance, especially in its bearing on the future
2. a complex portmanteau suggesting that “what the mums meant to us” was, in fact, momentous
Over a hundred years ago when the custom began, mum was short for chrysanthemum, a typical corsage that boys gave to girls before taking them to the big football game. But through the decades, mum went from a simple abbreviation to a complicated shorthand for an eye-popping tradition that’s as ingrained in the culture as it is confounding to outsiders.
Through her original photography and collection of stories from across and beyond the Lone Star State, Amy J. Schultz takes us deep in the heart of mum country. You’ll meet kids who wear them, parents who buy them, and critics who decry them as just another example of consumerism gone wild. But mostly, you’ll discover that just like every ritual which stands the test of time, someone is keeping the tradition alive.
Someone like Mom.
Awards & Independent Reviews
MUMENTOUS is a winner! The Literary Titan Silver Award is “bestowed on books that expertly deliver complex characters, intricate worlds, and thought provoking themes. The ease with which the story is told is a reflection of the author’s talent in exercising fluent, powerful, and appropriate language. Our honorees astound and amaze us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. ”
— Literary Titan, Silver Award
“Author and award-winning photographer Schultz offers an intriguing guide to the world of homecoming mums, bringing together history and fantastical stories to paint a vivid picture of the tradition in her marvelous book. From homecoming custom, the history of homecoming mums, their significance to their transformation from a simple abbreviation to a complicated shorthand for an eye-popping tradition ingrained deeply in the culture, Schultz explores every aspect of the process in this appealing and compelling narration…. (click for full review)”
— BookView Review, Gold Level Recommendation
“An entertaining, brilliantly shot look at a Texas high school tradition. Both seasoned Texas home-comers and readers completely unfamiliar with the tradition will be equally charmed by this beguiling quirk of Americana.”
— Kirkus Reviews and Kirkus magazine, June 2023
Discover more reviews of MUMENTOUS throughout the website.
Three Cheers for Mumentous:
Book Reviews
“MUMENTOUS is a rich and complex narrative that is more than a look into a homecoming tradition. It’s a tribute to legacies that connect generations, and an ode to mothers and daughters. Written with compassion and curiosity with rich photography, Schultz gets past the glitter and ribbon to what matters most. Community.”
— Kimberly Packard, award-winning author,
Dire's Club, Phoenix trilogy, The Crazy Yates, and Vortex, kimberlypackard.com
“Schultz focusses on the role that mothers play in creating and elevating the production and meaning of mums in the culture, and she graciously offers both history information as well as interviews with the people who create these bounteous displays. What I appreciated was the depth of writing that allowed me, a non-Texan and non-mom, to understand the history and economics that creating these decorations has become. As a ‘Yankee,’ I thought I wouldn’t connect with the culture behind the imagery in Schultz’s book, but her images and writing allowed me a deep look into the lives of the (mostly) women who create and keep the tradition growing.”
— Amrita Rose, author
No Plaid Suits: How not to have a boring, normal life, anunstoppablelife.com
"MUMENTOUS shows just how deep Texas roots go and what love of community is. Schultz's superb writing dives deep, then goes deeper to uncover the meaning of a heartfelt tradition dating back decades. The tradition may be place-specific, but the themes are universal."
— Kendall B. Quirk, Director of Exhibitions,
Arlington Museum of Art, arlingtonmuseum.org