Hollywood Park
I received the print galley copy of this book from Celadon Books and Bookish First Impressions in exchange for an unbiased review.
This memoir is told through the eyes of a young child as the years progress. It is expressed with all the confusion and misunderstanding that comes with immaturity.
“Our parents were like ghosts in Synanon, haunting us then disappearing again, leaving us to wonder what their connection to us was supposed to mean.”
Founded by Charles “Chuck” Dederich in 1958 in Santa Monica, CA, Synanon originated as a refuge to those seeking rehab from drugs and alcohol. It serves as an example of how “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It ultimately became a violent community where families were estranged and instilled with inappropriate coping skills through their group activities.
Mikel and his older brother Tony were whisked away one night with a woman they called, “mom” although they barely knew her. Gerredina “Gerry” realizes that she needs to leave Synanon, an experimental commune in California. The children of Synanon were raised to be independent and had minimal interaction with their parents. They are picked up and taken to live with their maternal grandparents, Freida and Frank. It isn’t long before his mother decides to move from one bad situation to another. As with most cults it is difficult to leave without consequences of retaliation.
Their escape from Synanon was the beginning of a long, difficult journey of discovering life outside the commune. Although dysfunctional, Mikel discovers he has family and isn’t alone in the world. It takes many years for him to acknowledge and confront the cycle of emotional manipulation by his mother. He abandons the vision of his father that his mother instilled as an uncaring, drug fiend.
This memoir is not a rags to riches type story. Far from it. Mikel grows up in poverty and confusion wondering who he can trust. He manages to attend Stanford on scholarship but that doesn’t guarantee him a successful career. It almost seems like a blip on his journey to find meaning in his life.
As I am more than half way through his story, I am starkly aware that most of these devastating experiences occurred before Mikel was 16 years old. He endured more than an average person would in a lifetime before he graduates from Stanford. He grapples with his life long demons and assumptions of his extensive family history of substance abuse and prison.
Eventually, Mikel discovers the life he was meant to live which may be considered unconventional. But, it’s his authentic, unconventional self that allows him to find success and happiness.
This memoir is told through the eyes of a young child as the years progress. It is expressed with all the confusion and misunderstanding that comes with immaturity.
“Our parents were like ghosts in Synanon, haunting us then disappearing again, leaving us to wonder what their connection to us was supposed to mean.”
Founded by Charles “Chuck” Dederich in 1958 in Santa Monica, CA, Synanon originated as a refuge to those seeking rehab from drugs and alcohol. It serves as an example of how “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It ultimately became a violent community where families were estranged and instilled with inappropriate coping skills through their group activities.
Mikel and his older brother Tony were whisked away one night with a woman they called, “mom” although they barely knew her. Gerredina “Gerry” realizes that she needs to leave Synanon, an experimental commune in California. The children of Synanon were raised to be independent and had minimal interaction with their parents. They are picked up and taken to live with their maternal grandparents, Freida and Frank. It isn’t long before his mother decides to move from one bad situation to another. As with most cults it is difficult to leave without consequences of retaliation.
Their escape from Synanon was the beginning of a long, difficult journey of discovering life outside the commune. Although dysfunctional, Mikel discovers he has family and isn’t alone in the world. It takes many years for him to acknowledge and confront the cycle of emotional manipulation by his mother. He abandons the vision of his father that his mother instilled as an uncaring, drug fiend.
This memoir is not a rags to riches type story. Far from it. Mikel grows up in poverty and confusion wondering who he can trust. He manages to attend Stanford on scholarship but that doesn’t guarantee him a successful career. It almost seems like a blip on his journey to find meaning in his life.
As I am more than half way through his story, I am starkly aware that most of these devastating experiences occurred before Mikel was 16 years old. He endured more than an average person would in a lifetime before he graduates from Stanford. He grapples with his life long demons and assumptions of his extensive family history of substance abuse and prison.
Eventually, Mikel discovers the life he was meant to live which may be considered unconventional. But, it’s his authentic, unconventional self that allows him to find success and happiness.