LOVED this one - one of the best memoirs I have ever read.
If you are a fan of memoirs or biographies, this is a must-read. Mikel Jollett’s life started out in unusual circumstances, as his parents were members of Synanon (a cult that was known for being dangerous). Children were taken away from their parents and raised at “The School”. Mikel’s mother decides that they have to leave when the cult leader becomes increasingly unstable and everything Mikel has ever known is thrown upside down as his family must reintegrate into society. Mikel’s life transforms many times as he deals with his relationships with his older brother Tony, (who has a drug and alcohol abuse problem), his mother (who has a narcissistic personality disorder and a difficult time with reality) and his father (who lives on the other side of the country). He navigates the difficulties in his life and shares this in elegant prose with the reader.
I have to highly recommend the audiobook for this book. @librofm gifted me a copy of the ALC (advanced listener’s copy) and it is easily the best audiobook I have ever listened to. It is read by Jollett himself in his melodic voice and you can feel his emotions as he reads his own memoir. The audio is layered with bits of his music from his band, The Airborne Toxic Event. His narratives are beautifully written with imagery and from the perspective of his current age in the memoir. The beginning of the story is told from a child’s perspective, making it more personal and full of memorable phrases as you feel with Mikel as he deals with poverty, trauma and neglect. An absolutely solid 5 star read for me!
I have to highly recommend the audiobook for this book. @librofm gifted me a copy of the ALC (advanced listener’s copy) and it is easily the best audiobook I have ever listened to. It is read by Jollett himself in his melodic voice and you can feel his emotions as he reads his own memoir. The audio is layered with bits of his music from his band, The Airborne Toxic Event. His narratives are beautifully written with imagery and from the perspective of his current age in the memoir. The beginning of the story is told from a child’s perspective, making it more personal and full of memorable phrases as you feel with Mikel as he deals with poverty, trauma and neglect. An absolutely solid 5 star read for me!