A somber but beautiful collection of letters that teach profound lessons in a delicate way.
A stirring collection of letters written by a grieving father to his late son, who died of a drug overdose.
Debut author Dison’s son James died in 2005 at the age of 34 after struggling with substance abuse for most of his adult life. After sharing the details of that tragic day, the author steps back in time to James’ childhood, reflecting on the tender moments that they shared as he raised him as a single parent. Then came the “stormy times” of James’ adolescence: “As you drifted further in to the drug culture, I drifted into despair and helplessness. You and I drifted further and further apart.” In James’ adulthood, a combination of drug addiction and mental illness gripped him time and time again. Despite this, Dison writes, his son always “kept looking for and finding ways…to climb out of that deep hole” by repeatedly seeking treatment until he could do so no longer. Throughout the author’s reflections, there’s a persistent longing for connection with his son, both to reaffirm the affectionate ties they’d developed over a lifetime and also to make amends for past regrets. But Dison also carefully considers his audience, turning his highly personal reflections into a straightforward chronological and thematic storyline. His words subtly implore readers to cherish their own loved ones, and his statements of regret often serve as admonitions to those facing similar circumstances: “I wish so much that I had displayed more compassion for you, and less judgment based on my limited understanding.” Readers will be touched by the author’s authenticity, which often shines through: “I was challenged by you, proud of you, pleased by you, exasperated by you, thrilled by you, annoyed by you, energized by you, exhausted by you, and the list could go on and on.”
A somber but beautiful collection of letters that teach profound lessons in a delicate way.Pub Date: April 27, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4787-8205-6
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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