I absolutely loved Affliction with all of my heart.
Laura beautifully tells the story of growing up with her father, Ralph, who in her adult years tells her he is gay. The book goes back and forth between Laura's childhood and the afternoon her father came out to her. Her writing goes so perfectly with the time she is portraying; it takes on the warm glow of wonderment and whimsy when she is writing about being a young child and the view becomes sharper and more uncomfortable as she ages.
You can tell how much she loved her parents and how through the years their relationship changed and morphed as they tend to do. We not only learn about Laura, but also her parent's existence before she came on the scene. Littered with pictures, this memoir really makes you feel like you know the Hall family.
Oftentimes tear jerking, but consistently compelling, Affliction captures how difficult is it was for Laura to learn that her father was a different person from who she thought and how different life could have been for Ralph if he lived his truth sooner.
Laura beautifully tells the story of growing up with her father, Ralph, who in her adult years tells her he is gay. The book goes back and forth between Laura's childhood and the afternoon her father came out to her. Her writing goes so perfectly with the time she is portraying; it takes on the warm glow of wonderment and whimsy when she is writing about being a young child and the view becomes sharper and more uncomfortable as she ages.
You can tell how much she loved her parents and how through the years their relationship changed and morphed as they tend to do. We not only learn about Laura, but also her parent's existence before she came on the scene. Littered with pictures, this memoir really makes you feel like you know the Hall family.
Oftentimes tear jerking, but consistently compelling, Affliction captures how difficult is it was for Laura to learn that her father was a different person from who she thought and how different life could have been for Ralph if he lived his truth sooner.