I just finished two books, both about parents. Well... about parents, but the books are very different. Bettyville is a memoir written by George Hodgman, who leaves New
York City to return to his hometown, Paris, Missouri, to take care of his aging
mother. Hodgman, a gay man, has never
felt like he belonged in Paris (Missouri) and his relationship with his mother
is at times awkward, funny, and glorious. Bettyville is about growing up, about how our parents raise us, and how
they can be as imperfect as we are. You will fall in love with Betty. And her son, too. It’s a beautiful book. If you’re on Facebook, check out George
Hodgman’s author page.
Stalin’s
Daughter: The Extraordinary and Tumultuous Life of Svetlana Alliluyeva by Rosemary
Sullivan is also about a parent... if your parent happens to be Joseph Stalin. Look at the cover of the
book, do you feel a chill? What would it be like to grow up with Stalin
as your father? Svetlana Alliluyeva's life
wasn’t easy (not exactly a shock), she had several marriages, she defected and came to the United States, then went back to
Russia – yes, extraordinary and tumultuous. And Stalin as a parent? Controlling, remote, abusive, although you realize that there were moments where he did love his daughter. As Svetlana Alliluyeva grows up, she becomes more and more aware of who her father is and it's a horrible realization. But in spite of everything, she survived.
