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This deeply personal memoir begins with one woman's recollection of a life-defining moment with her father, affectionately known as the Voice of America. The author recalls "growing up unconventionally," raised by "the best and the worst father in the world." The story unfolds, taking a dark turn as the author recalls her father's "indiscretions and abuses over the years." Eventually, the author returns to her mother in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. A new life and a new school in Canada presents its own hardships and trials. The author recounts many days of seeing her mother passed out, drunk, and resenting her responsibilities and duties as a mother. Other domestic disasters shape the author's existence and outlook on life, as well as her future relationships with men. Nonetheless, the experiences the author shares are a testament to the power of self-determination and an unwillingness to ever lose hope.
This book, too, serves as a witness to the healing role that memoir writing can play in one's life. As the book concludes, the author states, "The hardest thing I've done lately has been to face myself in writing this memoir." However, the detail with which the author writes, as well as the evident honesty in what she shares, proves how memoir writing serves as a cathartic outlet for those who have survived abuse and addiction. Other stories, such as how the author arrived at the doors of New Beginnings and found hope, renewal, and a gateway to a new, more positive life, testify to the necessity of community in one's life. The author recounts how numerous people stepped in to help her—sometimes as a surrogate father, other times as a wise voice offering sound advice on how to change her life.
One of the book's most significant moments is when the author recalls her father's death after a horrific plane crash. The chapters discussing the event are poignant and direct, especially in their portrayal of the strange relief that washes over the author at his death. At first, the author thinks, "He could handle everything. Dad was great in an emergency—invincible, indestructible. He could never die. Besides, he was the luckiest guy ever." Later, she describes a moment of walking into a Mexican bar and feeling "free of Dad and his judgments and criticisms." These thoughts show the complex, juxtapositional relationship the author truly had with her father, which eventually led her to an even more complex state of grief as she navigates dealing with family and collecting her father's belongings.
More and more people are sharing their stories about abuse and addiction in order to help others and inspire them to embark on a new path. This book is an important contribution to that emerging swath of memoirs. It also arrives at an important time in society and publishing, as more and more individuals and institutions are discussing these issues and working together to build supportive communities that help people during their recovery and sobriety. This book is truly emotional and unforgettable. The author's openness, honesty, and vulnerability make this an engaging, interesting, and heart-wrenching book.