All reviews for Perché essere felice quando puoi essere normale? (2012)
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This memoir covers a large portion of the writer Jeanette Winterson's life from around the time she was adopted until midlife when she meets her birth family. The narrative jumps back and forth in time in a way which did not seem logical to me, but I think this was an attempt to make the reader feel confusion just as Winterson did during large portions of her life. She discusses the many complex emotions she feels when she finally meets her birth family. Her adopted mother was a horrid individual, religiously rigid and definitely mentally ill, but the author is surprised that she feels grateful for the educational advantages she received in her adopted family compared to what she would have experienced had she grown up in her working class birth family.I don't think this would be a book that a lot of people would necessarily seek out, but if you enjoy memoirs, you will likely find this one difficult to put down for much of the book.
The UK Times reviews this book as "arguably the finest and most hopeful memoir to emerge in many years". The UK Times couldn't be more correct, this was one of the finest works of litreture that I have ever read. Having parents that support every choice I make and who tell me everyday how much I'm loved, I struggled to comprehend how Jeanette's mother could treat her daughter the way she does. My heart broke for Jeanette and I found myself wanting to hold Jeanette's hand and remind her that she was loved and wanted. A 5 star book that will have you crying and leave you feeling appreciated by your own family.
I have empathy for the author's life, but I struggled through this drudge of a book.