All Souls: A Family Story From Southie (2000) - Plot & Excerpts
All Souls written by, Michael Patrick MacDonald, is an autobiography about his life and the many experiences he had living in South Boston. It begins with MacDonald giving a tour to a reporter. He brought him to all of the famous corner stores, bars, and hangouts. He described specific events that occurred there, like suicides, robberies, and murders. Everything that was described to the reporter seemed normal to MacDonald because they were part of his life style, but the reporter was astonished. A major focus in All Souls was the moods and personalities of the families that lived in South Boston. The moods and personalities were backed up by personal experiences which I found interesting and helpful. By MacDonald including actual experiences gave an explanation for why people living in South Boston feel and act the way they do. Most of the stories were about drugs, drinking, or violence. These things were very common. Even though they brought hardships, no one did anything about this behavior because everyone has become so accustomed to it.One major event that MacDonald included was the integration of Roxbury and South Boston Schools. The people of South Boston considered this as a major crisis and did everything they could to make it stop because they thought only more violence would be brought to South Boston. They thought the solution to all of this was to boycott school, protest, and be violent towards the children coming from Roxbury. But some of the children did not even bother going back to school. Most of them dropped out and became even more involved with drugs and drinking which only hurt South Boston. MacDonald also talked about poverty and lack of father figures in most of the homes. I think this played a major role in South Boston’s personality. All of these small factors or experiences explained were very much necessary because if set the mood for the entire book. Some of them may not seem like a big deal, but when they are brought together it forms the culture that was originated in South Boston. MacDonald described every detail, down to what the person was wearing and made it feel like you were there. He was also there during everything, and did not get his information from outsiders. He lived in these conditions, and through these experiences which was beneficial to me because you knew exactly what.MacDonald did not want to make South Boston sound like a bad place, but he did not make it sound like a good place either. That did not mean he did not love it there because he did, he said it was "the best place in the world". At many points it sounded like MacDonald was trying to give South Boston a bad name, but that is the exact opposite of what he wanted to do. He told things how they were, and did not sugarcoat them. He felt like the truth was necessary and the best way to tell the story.All Souls taught me about many things living in South Boston in the 1960’s-1980’s. The only thing I knew about South Boston was that there was a great number of Irish people living there. I did not realize the drugs, violence, and conditions many families lived in. Life was extremely difficult and the people during that time period did anything they could to survive, if they wanted too. There were people frequently committing suicide, because they could not take the environment, and that only made it worse. It hurt families, ruined relationships and home life. Children would run away, or turn to drugs, alcohol and violence. This gave a bad reputation for South Boston, and the people that lived there. Many stereotypes were given to the people from South Boston. It came to the point were they had to lie about where they lived, which was hard for them to do because they loved it there. This book gives a great understanding of not only American history, but Irish history, and African American history as well, and how everything is connected. One event that happens in the past can affect everything, and All Souls showed many examples of them. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It may seem graphic and depressing at times but the stories behind the people of South Boston were interesting, and most importantly they were real. I enjoy books like this especially if they come from someone who has gone through the experiences. Luckily I have not had hardships like many of the people of South Boston have gone through, but after reading All Souls it helps me understand what it feels like and gives me an insight on different perspectives. I am always interested in learning about other people's backgrounds and try to relate them with my own. All Souls provided detailed stories that I found enjoyable.
I was born and raised in New England and I have heard at one point that Southie is pretty tough, but I never really cared enough to think about it. It was usually mentioned by guys that bragged about being from that area and I just don't find violence impressive. I think it is great that Michael MacDonald overcame so many obstacles to have found a positive role in such an ugly place. He's well educated and an activist for safety in Boston suburbs. While I'm all about anti violence I think people seem to miss the bigger picture when it comes to guns. Programs for people to relinquish possession of their weapons is not going to solve anything. We as citizens have the right to own firearms. The example given in the book related to gun violence was Tommy Viens. A teenaged boy was playing with a gun and accidentally shot himself. There are rarely parents around in situations like these. These kids grew up in a neighborhood where they didn't snitch on anyone, had their actions dictated by the Mafia of Whitey Bulger, and basically raised themselves. In the entirety of this book I couldn't find an instance where there was a completely reliable adult present. At all. Especially out of all the parents. Michael seemed to be the only one who had maintained situational awareness and caught on to what was really going on. I also disagreed with other readers about what a good parent Helen King was. There were so many references in the story that made her out to be a completely shallow bimbo who believed her kids should raise each other. Her character infuriated me. She had two teenaged children that had already dropped out of school, younger kids that were abusing drugs with their friends in the apartment they all lived in and she was nowhere to be found.Later on she lost three of her older children to suicide and violence. Helen King was so street smart, she wouldn't take no for an answer, and she stood up for her convictions, yet she couldn't get her kids out of Southie, such a dangerous and scary place, long before her youngest child became a teenager? Before another one of her children was murdered? Why, when she couldn't afford to feed or clothe her children, was she continuing to get pregnant? Her children were walking on the mattresses that they slept on thrown all over a floor, walking in to find their mother beating up a new boyfriend in self defense. Their apartment was infested with cockroaches, they didn't always have food, and she still wouldn't get a job.I read this book for the political and social issues that South Boston experienced in the 60's and 70's; the forced busing, racism, and the Mafia ties. Instead I got one of the saddest, but not uncommon, stories I've read in a long time. A story about a bunch of children who needed guidance, support, love, and attention and clearly got the short end of the stick. I understand what poverty is, but I also know what people will do to avoid situations that these poor kids were exposed to. If Helen King put more effort into raising her children and looking at her situation logically, instead of focusing on her appearance, boyfriends, or her popularity among her peers then maybe her kids might have had a fighting chance at better lives.
What do You think about All Souls: A Family Story From Southie (2000)?
It's a tough, mean story and not dissimilar to other public housing tales of large metropolis urban poor from my own experience in Marquette Park, Garfield Ridge, Ashburn areas of Chicago. And in nearly similar years, as well. It's told in a rather strange mood, IMHO, by Michael Patrick. But it does thoroughly grab your throat with the overall staggering loss and the ever present turmoil and chaos. It's his personal history. The story of his birth family- his Mother and 9 siblings. There is a nearly frenetic quality to the telling. With a strange distance in the relaying- a sense of numbness in the voice. So it tends to play out within a jumpy prose style. Execution of this progression is as dire as the real life outcomes at points in this book. Yet in overall result? It tells more about the author himself, than the actual event record (biography list within the first pages) does. For me it did, anyway. And what it does say is telling. Trust in being safe or secure from the more powerful on the steps? Glibness or stealth rewarded? Dependable structure, kindness, physical safety, security to an everyday sameness? No, none of those things are givens in reality, not even within any possible perception outside of "Brady Bunch" T.V.
—Jeanette
This was one of those books that you ought to read if you are from South Boston ("Southie") and that you should read if you are not from Southie. A touching memoir, at times sad, horrific, and even traumatizing but ultimately leaving the reader with hope for the future. I had to read this book for school so it was the first non-Chick Lit book I've read in a long while. As you mihgt imagine, what a change! It actually took me a little bit to get into this book; I think mostly because this book was so traumatic and heavy that it was almost difficult for me to want to read and hear about such tragedy. But the writer of this novel, a native of Southie, wrote so eloquently that I, like many who've read it before, was so drawn into the lives of his family that I quickly couldn't turn away from it.There is one chapter in the book, especially, when it just doesn't seem like the trauma is going to end but sure enough Michael comes out on the other side full of hope and a plan to bring the community back to life. Higfhly recommended.
—Cathy
So many people told me I was going to love this book. Most of them were amazed that I had never read it, having taught at Boston Collegiate Charter School, which was founded in the late 90's as a response to the alarming death rate among Southie teens. Most of my Collegiate students were from Southie, and they had Southie pride, through and through. I think that, in many ways, we misunderstood each other -- and I did most of the misunderstanding. I had only an inkling of an idea why my students hesitated to welcome me into their community. Now that I have read All Souls, I am so much more aware of why we didn't click -- and much of that has to do with me not fully grasping what it means to grow up in Southie. All Souls is the astounding memoir of Michael Patrick MacDonald, born in Southie in the late 60's. He tells his story in a style that is both conversational and intimate. MacDonald is candid about Southie and his upbringing. He reveals his family’s involvement in the race riots around busing, the drug and violence epidemic, and Whitey Bulger's mob. He also writes about the loss of four of his siblings to tragedies such as suicide and murder. MacDonald imbues his memoir with stark emotions: love, hate, pride, and shame. I found myself getting caught up in these emotions, empathizing with MacDonald every step of the way.Everyone who recommended All Souls to me was right. I did love this book, and I cannot think of anyone who would not benefit from reading it.
—Tasha
