The memoir of a Southern girl who grew up dirt poor as a hearing child of deaf parents. Her father was an extremely charismatic and fun loving man who also happened to be an abusive alcoholic criminal that ends up in federal prison. Crews works hard to reconcile the affectionate father she knew with the man he became over time, and also struggles to understand why her mother protected her father for so long and tried to hide the truth from the author and her brother even when their family reached a crisis point. Despite the heavy content, the tone of the book is conversational and often quite funny. The story jumps around a bit in time, which made it kind of hard for me to follow, but it had a lot of potential as a really fascinating and informative look into American deaf culture and also as the story of a family in poverty scratching by as best they can. I felt this person had a sad chilhood. She managed to find redeeming aspects of it and remembered the good parts with humor. I learned something new when she asked her father who was deaf what his thoughts were like. Domestic abuse is a universal crime and it is amazing how easily it can be ignored. One abuser can indirectly abuse the whole family. The book made me sad and angry in spite of the light moments. Kambri chose to become stronger from the difficult experiences and not let them destroy her. She always maintained a positive and forgiving attitude.
So moving, touching, riveting and made me realize how a "bad man" can still be a "good father."
—JosephB
'It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was': Anne Sexton
—prfms
Amazing autobiography! A must read. I couldn't put it down.
—SilviaSoares
sad/interesting. memoir by hearing daughter of deaf parents.
—richy
I really enjoyed this book!
—Niv
