Before reading I knew nothing of Jollett; now I will never forget him.
Hollywood Park is beautifully written and touching memoir. Before reading this memoir, I knew nothing of Mikel Jollett, front man for Airborne Toxic Event; now I will never forget him.
Mikel and his brother were born in the Synanon cult, removed from their parents at six months old, and raised essentially in an orphanage. He had no real connection with his mom except for the occasional visit, until she fled the cult taking the boys with her.
Mikel’s ability to relate events as he perceived them when happening, was extraordinary. For example, when he describes standing the porch watching a fellow Synanon escapee get beaten to a pulp by cult enforcers, he does so with no adult filter or intellectualization about the long-term impact this may have on his psyche. This recounting style continues as he describes his mother’s inappropriate and dysfunctional actions and relationships. While the reader may put labels on her behavior and imagine the implications, Mikel refrains from doing so. The effect was hypnotic as the glacier of his perceptions of her behavior and understanding of his own inner demons, shift. When in a group therapy session, participants instantly size up the situation and assign labels, his illusions shatter, and my heart broke.
The greatest beauty of this book lies in his relationships with his father, Bonnie, his brother, his extended family, and Hollywood Park. It felt like a privilege to see how their relationships blossomed, despite the challenges they endured.
Along with an enthusiastic Five Star rating, Hollywood Park tops two of my reading lists: best title, and most powerful use of white space.
Thank you to Celadon Books and BookishFirst for an ARC of Hollywood Park in exchange for an honest review, and for Mikel Jollett for sharing his unforgettable story.
Mikel and his brother were born in the Synanon cult, removed from their parents at six months old, and raised essentially in an orphanage. He had no real connection with his mom except for the occasional visit, until she fled the cult taking the boys with her.
Mikel’s ability to relate events as he perceived them when happening, was extraordinary. For example, when he describes standing the porch watching a fellow Synanon escapee get beaten to a pulp by cult enforcers, he does so with no adult filter or intellectualization about the long-term impact this may have on his psyche. This recounting style continues as he describes his mother’s inappropriate and dysfunctional actions and relationships. While the reader may put labels on her behavior and imagine the implications, Mikel refrains from doing so. The effect was hypnotic as the glacier of his perceptions of her behavior and understanding of his own inner demons, shift. When in a group therapy session, participants instantly size up the situation and assign labels, his illusions shatter, and my heart broke.
The greatest beauty of this book lies in his relationships with his father, Bonnie, his brother, his extended family, and Hollywood Park. It felt like a privilege to see how their relationships blossomed, despite the challenges they endured.
Along with an enthusiastic Five Star rating, Hollywood Park tops two of my reading lists: best title, and most powerful use of white space.
Thank you to Celadon Books and BookishFirst for an ARC of Hollywood Park in exchange for an honest review, and for Mikel Jollett for sharing his unforgettable story.