Tayari's Blog: I Can't Believe I Read The Whole Thing

Posted by TayariJones on March 16, 2008 10:04 PM
Filed under Bookshelf

I can't believe that I gobbled down The Sky Isn't Visible From Here in a single afternoon. The idea was to read a few pages and then finish the laundry. I could not put it down.

I am sorry that the current memoir crisis had me looking at the author photo thinking, "Is this real? Is this the face of a former drug addict?" It's such a shame because there was nothing within the pages that struck me as false.

I did notice some eerie parallels between Felicia Sullivan's excellent memoir and the disgraced Love and Consequences. Both are stories of white (or at least white-looking) girls growing up in a urban jungle, around some really scary people of color. However, Sullivan's story doesn't have that smack of exploitation. There is no crazy "ghetto talk" and despite the sensational subject matter, she keeps the drama to a minimum. (Much of the memoir is about her own struggle to fit into the upper-class, all-white environment she found after college.)

I hate that I couldn't stop thinking about all the liars and cheaters when I was reading this book, pulling me out of the story even as I was enjoying it immensely. Even as I write this, I am hoping that the author doesn't make a fool of me. It's wrong and stupid for me to even worry about this. It's like I am letting the bad guys win. But I just can't help it.

Sigh.


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There are 6 comments on "I Can't Believe I Read The Whole Thing". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.

Comment #1, by Niche [TypeKey Profile Page]

Tayari,

Felicia's book is great and it is all true. I also read it less than a day! I am not biased just because she is a good friend, but because she brought chocolate pumpkin bread over to my house for Thanksgiving. :)

March 17, 2008 03:05 PM

Comment #2, by Jackie [TypeKey Profile Page]

Based entirely on your recommendation, I went to the library, located this book and started reading it. I agree. It's a compelling read. She also has a website called Small Spiral Notebook that I "stumbled upon" a while back, not knowing she had written a book. On her website is a short story called This Brother, That Brother, also worth reading.

http://www.smallspiralnotebook.com


March 18, 2008 08:00 AM

Comment #3, by felicia c. sullivan [TypeKey Profile Page]

Tayari,

Thank you for your kind words about Sky! I have been an ardent admirer of your work for quite some time, and your praise literally made my day.

I completely understand where you're coming from in terms of the unfortunate trend in memoirists being exposed as fakes. It's unfortunate for writers like me because not only does it reduce our experience, but it creates a climate of guilty until proven innocent. It's unfortunate that a few proverbial rotten apples (pardon the lame metaphor) have to ruin it for the folks who seek to make art out of their life.

And I think you touched on something that was very dear and important to me when writing this book (and oh, were there many drafts) - it needed to not be sensationalized, the drama needed to be at a minimum because all that noise would distract you from the core story (my painful and complicated relationship with my mother and the kind of women I became because of that relationship) and all of its quieter themes (race, identity, drug abuse, emotional stability and growth).

Anyway, apologies for prattling on! I'm so delighted that you enjoyed my book!!

Cheers, Felicia

March 18, 2008 10:37 AM

Comment #4, by Michael Fischer [TypeKey Profile Page]

Felicia,

I've been meaning to read your book; heard a lot of good things! I'm going to read it this summer.

Since we're on the topic of memoir, has anyone read "Hope's Boy." Just finished it--great stuff.


March 18, 2008 11:36 PM

Comment #5, by felicia c. sullivan [TypeKey Profile Page]

Michael,
Thank you! I hope you enjoy Sky :)!
And I too have heard wonderful things about "Hope's Boy" - I just bought it. More to come.
Warmly, Felicia

March 20, 2008 08:34 AM

Comment #6, by felicia c. sullivan [TypeKey Profile Page]

Michael,
Thank you! I hope you enjoy Sky :)!
And I too have heard wonderful things about "Hope's Boy" - I just bought it. More to come.
Warmly, Felicia

March 20, 2008 08:37 AM

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