Don’t let the harsh title fool you;
this memoir is truly a work of art.  Nick Flynn’s writing style is beautifully
poetic, insightful and creative.  His approach to writing is refreshing and
unique.  The reader is taken on the chaotic journey of Flynn’s life, a life
that seems to change with the seasons.  Nick is at once adrift when tragically,
his mother commits suicide while he is away at college.  He is unable to return
to school, and ends up working various jobs before finding a job as a counselor
at a homeless shelter in Boston.  In the summer, he lives on a boat far from
the craziness of the shelter.  At times, it leaves one with a feeling of
complete freedom as we witness him drift from one location to the next, yet at
the same time there is a lingering emptiness that often accompanies this way of
life.  Flynn abruptly alternates between talking about his life to talking
about what was occurring in the life of his father.  Their relationship, near
non-existent, yet their paths come so close at times that it’s a wonder they
manage to avoid each other.  Ironically, he would one day come face to face
with his homeless father in need of a place to stay.  Flynn was aware that his
father was homeless, he often saw him around the city, but never offered him
help.  Nick didn’t know much about his father growing up, but as an adult, he
knew that he lived in a nearby boarding house and that he drove a cab. 
Jonathan, his father, was a writer, a con man, a convict, a drunk, and
eventually a father.  His journey to becoming a father to Nick is a long and
rather interesting one.  When Nick writes about his father he is noticeably
emotionless, and quite matter-of-fact about it.  One might conclude that he is
a cold person, yet it is apparent when he writes about his mother that this is
not the case.  His father was a stranger to him, and the tone of the writing
reflects that.  Nick’s voice through out the book is authentic and he maintains
a sense of humor amongst the difficult situations he finds himself in. 
Eventually Nick realizes that he can no longer work in the homeless shelter,
and decides to go back to college to finish his undergraduate degree.  Later,
he moves to New York to study poetry in graduate school.  His father thought of
himself as a writer, so when Nick presented him with a book of poetry that he
had written it was interesting to see that in spite of everything, they shared
this passion, and talent for writing.  Flynn’s life is interesting and chaotic
enough on its own, but the creative approach he takes to writing about it makes
it all the more remarkable.  It would perhaps be of special interest to
fledgling writers in need of inspiration, but I would recommend it to all.

© 2006 Courtney
Young

Courtney
Young lives on Long Island and is pursuing a master’s degree to teach fine
art. 

Categories: Memoirs