A true riches-to-rags tale of a wealthy family who lost it all and the journey of a man coming to terms with his family’s deep flaws and his own long-buried truths.
Hamill’s honesty in questioning past choices and their consequences as well as his slow realization that he’s gay will emotionally engage readers as, telling unvarnished truths about his family, he provides a unique look into a world unknown to most of us. Recommend this memoir to fans of Wild Game (2019) by Adrienne Brodeur and A Forever Family (2018) by Rob Scheer.
Hamil is a keen observer of his particular family situation ... An engrossing family memoir to be read and enjoyed by those facing any number of life’s challenges.
As with many gay men before him, Hamill’s axis of identity/sexuality hinges on his relationship with his mother. And, whoa, did Wendy Hamill ever deliver as an archetype: a beacon of distant fabulosity coupled with deft microaggression. As written here, Wendy (who died surrounded by her sons) deserves placement in the gay canon ... Hamill’s memoir is about survival — and recovery: of his identity, memories and compassion for his mother ... These pages are steeped in gin. The collateral damage of a home with an alcoholic parent floats to the top.
