Some of my more mature students come to class with a desire to write a memoir. My question follows –what memoirs have you read? I recently put one down, The End of Boys by Peter Brown Hoffmeister that was filled with gripping and disturbing anecdotes from his past, including being asked by his mother to kill a neighborhood cat to perpetually participating in fights, drug-use, and mischief.
In the book, Hoffmeister demonstrates not only the strength of his writing but also his fearlessness when confronting the trauma of his childhood. With sobering honesty and gripping narrative, Hoffmeister has created a riveting memoir, one that will leave you shocked at its content while thankful for a story that can turn such pain into something beautiful.
The cover alone immediately demonstrates the perilous state of his childhood. The family photograph is a striking image of two young, blond boys–Peter inhaling a cigarette with deep concentration while his brother looks on, completely mesmerized. And one need not question where their parents are– their mother, an artist is the supplier of the cigarette, as a way to make them artists like Picasso, she claims.
His parents, both educated don't apply intellect or common sense into their home lives. I found myself thinking– why do people assume they can parent just because they can reproduce? An unconscious animal can procreate but only a conscious living being can parent.
This memoir captures such a lonely story and it's not an easy read but when you put it down, I think it will make you a better parent.
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