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Daddy Was a Punk Rocker
Adam just wants a conventional father. But his father hates convention, he would rather rebel. Adam wants a father who will sit by his bed and softly sing him lullabies. But his father is too busy snarling on stage alongside Joy Division and other angry young men. Adam, a budding goalkeeper, wants a father who will shoot balls at him in the park. But his father prefers to shoot heroin in dark rooms. Adam wants a father who is predictable, who is a provider, who is present. His father can never be any of those things. Because Daddy is a punk rocker.
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2013
5 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Adam Sharp
7 books163 followersAdam is originally from Manchester but
has also lived in London, Melbourne,
Sydney, Queensland, the Channel Islands,
the Canary Islands, Nashville, and
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (he’s not very good at
staying still).
Adam has had over thirty jobs (he’s not a very
loyal employee either). Some of the things
he’s been paid to do are as follows: teaching
sport in kindergartens, serving sandwiches in
casinos, catching footballs, juggling bottles,
washing dishes, reviewing music, changing
nappies, and walking on stilts.
has also lived in London, Melbourne,
Sydney, Queensland, the Channel Islands,
the Canary Islands, Nashville, and
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (he’s not very good at
staying still).
Adam has had over thirty jobs (he’s not a very
loyal employee either). Some of the things
he’s been paid to do are as follows: teaching
sport in kindergartens, serving sandwiches in
casinos, catching footballs, juggling bottles,
washing dishes, reviewing music, changing
nappies, and walking on stilts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 23, 2014
Opening Line: “I am torturing my father, Colin.”
I’ll be honest (based on the blurb) this wasn’t quite what I was expecting; yes there’s punk rock, heroin abuse and dysfunctional parents. But there’s also you Adam Sharp, and your life story is so much more than that.
Daddy Was a Punk Rocker is an inspiring, funny, horrific, surprisingly relatable and often sad memoir that at the core is a story about the child-parent relationship. This is little boy lost while he waits for his parents to get their shit together.
Adam takes us back to the very beginning with a mother who didn’t want him, refused to touch him or show him any form of kindness. His father Colin was a junkie, but more than that he was a disappointment, swearing that he wouldn’t abandon him yet continually doing just that. Subsequently raised by his grandfather and “Andrew” in Manchester England Adam grows up trying to be the bravest, smartest boy in the whole world so that his father will return and his mother Martine will visit more often and maybe not hit him as much. He tries not to cry, to lift the most weight in gym class, to never let a soccer ball into his net. Adam continually tries to prove himself while growing up. Eventually he comes to a sort of placidity about who his parents are and then it becomes all about escaping Manchester and who he is.
“His house smelled of cigarette smoke and violence.”
Throughout this Adam is always trying to escape; geographically from Manchester but mostly from himself. He relocates a lot; in Sydney, Melbourne, The Channel Islands, Spain, he recreates himself becoming funny and charming and successful and confident. It was kind of heartbreaking actually watching Adam try so hard to be someone else because he felt who he was wasn’t good enough.
I liked that this book followed Adam out of his childhood, I liked watching him attend college for a law degree he doesn’t want, meet girls, travel the world, be a stilt walker. I liked seeing him immigrate to Australia and live in a shed with spiders, be a “sexual experimenter” and then meet his wife Lee. I suffered with you while you bartended and served sandwiches in a casino. And attempted suicide. I watched you eventually find a relationship with your father and allow punk rock into your life. And the epilogue… the epilogue had me choking back tears. Oh No!
My only criticism would be that the beginning felt sort of repetitive, by putting us into the story in short form and then starting all over again with more detail. On the flip side there were certain sections of dialogue that were hilarious (like the nonsensical banter between Adam and his mates or when he first meets Lee at the wedding) I can only hope to read something along these lines in the future.
Thank you Adam Sharp for allowing me this intimate look into your life, what a brilliantly entertaining memoir you’ve put out there into the world.~4.5~
** A copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. 366jb45
I’ll be honest (based on the blurb) this wasn’t quite what I was expecting; yes there’s punk rock, heroin abuse and dysfunctional parents. But there’s also you Adam Sharp, and your life story is so much more than that.
Daddy Was a Punk Rocker is an inspiring, funny, horrific, surprisingly relatable and often sad memoir that at the core is a story about the child-parent relationship. This is little boy lost while he waits for his parents to get their shit together.
Adam takes us back to the very beginning with a mother who didn’t want him, refused to touch him or show him any form of kindness. His father Colin was a junkie, but more than that he was a disappointment, swearing that he wouldn’t abandon him yet continually doing just that. Subsequently raised by his grandfather and “Andrew” in Manchester England Adam grows up trying to be the bravest, smartest boy in the whole world so that his father will return and his mother Martine will visit more often and maybe not hit him as much. He tries not to cry, to lift the most weight in gym class, to never let a soccer ball into his net. Adam continually tries to prove himself while growing up. Eventually he comes to a sort of placidity about who his parents are and then it becomes all about escaping Manchester and who he is.
“His house smelled of cigarette smoke and violence.”
Throughout this Adam is always trying to escape; geographically from Manchester but mostly from himself. He relocates a lot; in Sydney, Melbourne, The Channel Islands, Spain, he recreates himself becoming funny and charming and successful and confident. It was kind of heartbreaking actually watching Adam try so hard to be someone else because he felt who he was wasn’t good enough.
I liked that this book followed Adam out of his childhood, I liked watching him attend college for a law degree he doesn’t want, meet girls, travel the world, be a stilt walker. I liked seeing him immigrate to Australia and live in a shed with spiders, be a “sexual experimenter” and then meet his wife Lee. I suffered with you while you bartended and served sandwiches in a casino. And attempted suicide. I watched you eventually find a relationship with your father and allow punk rock into your life. And the epilogue… the epilogue had me choking back tears. Oh No!
My only criticism would be that the beginning felt sort of repetitive, by putting us into the story in short form and then starting all over again with more detail. On the flip side there were certain sections of dialogue that were hilarious (like the nonsensical banter between Adam and his mates or when he first meets Lee at the wedding) I can only hope to read something along these lines in the future.
Thank you Adam Sharp for allowing me this intimate look into your life, what a brilliantly entertaining memoir you’ve put out there into the world.~4.5~
** A copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. 366jb45
September 21, 2013
This is a phenomenal read. I felt I was right there the entire time with this young man as he grew up and survived the many crises and challenges of his dysfunctional family, his less-than-ideal community, his solitude and isolation, his struggle to make sense of his life and define himself as a human being. The story is riveting, the writing always accessible, sometimes brilliant, this is better than any reality show. It's the real stuff of life delivered with both excitement and honesty.
February 27, 2014
This was my 'sauna' reading choice last week (I sometimes pick a book to read on my older Kindle while resting in my sauna before a shower) ---
I wanted to like this book. I loved the title! Yet --the writing and story mixed together --just felt 'messy'....(breaking my focus).
I am deeply sorry that Adam didn't have a stable family. I'm sad that when he was a child he didn't get the type of healthy nourishment he deserved ---(when he needed it most).
I did love Adam's heart -and passion!
He has a 'spunky' inspiring spirit about him! (never comes from victim).
The 'author' is a pretty 'cool-dud'! ---
I wanted to like this book. I loved the title! Yet --the writing and story mixed together --just felt 'messy'....(breaking my focus).
I am deeply sorry that Adam didn't have a stable family. I'm sad that when he was a child he didn't get the type of healthy nourishment he deserved ---(when he needed it most).
I did love Adam's heart -and passion!
He has a 'spunky' inspiring spirit about him! (never comes from victim).
The 'author' is a pretty 'cool-dud'! ---
November 27, 2017
Wow! What a heartbreaking, touching story, told with such...gentleness. I literally jumped up and cheered at some parts, became angry enough to punch somebody at others, and may have had tears at other parts.
August 27, 2013
Wouldn’t it be cool if your dad was a singer in a punk rock band??? As it turns out, no, not at all. I have to admit I was drawn to the book’s title because of my own love affair with all things punk rock, but this is no rehashing of those glory days of punk. This is a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking story of Adam Sharp’s love for his parents and his neverending quest to connect with his dad, on any level.
The author’s parents, Colin and Martine, are heroin addicts. Martine is appalled and devastated when she finds out she is pregnant. She does everything to try to get rid of this baby, including throwing herself down the stairs. Her attempts, of course, are unsuccessful. Baby Adam enters the world, surprisingly healthy.
Martine and Colin eventually split up, and Adam is shuffled between his grandfather (Martine’s father) and Colin, or Colin’s sister Maysie. Martine is incapable of and unwilling to take part in his upbringing.
Adam just wants a happy, loving home, and his father is too busy either shooting up heroin or otherwise preoccupied – with his music, with a new wife, with other obsessions or distractions – to be a real father to him or offer any kind of love or support or stability. Martine reappears every now and then just to spew venom and hatred, and she obviously has her own demons to deal with. She has not only a heroin problem but a drinking problem as well. His grandfather ultimately adopts him (and of course young Adam feels guilty about this and wonders if his father will ever want to see him again, feeling as if he “betrayed” him).
Even through all this, the author has a biting wit and sense of humor about life. He has a great way of pulling you right into his life in Manchester and Newcastle (and beyond) with his rich descriptions of the atmosphere and the people.
I found it heartening that, as the years went by, Martine softened somewhat and actually showed some real affection for her son in the end, even if she wasn’t able to pull herself out of her addictive behaviors.
The author’s parents, Colin and Martine, are heroin addicts. Martine is appalled and devastated when she finds out she is pregnant. She does everything to try to get rid of this baby, including throwing herself down the stairs. Her attempts, of course, are unsuccessful. Baby Adam enters the world, surprisingly healthy.
Martine and Colin eventually split up, and Adam is shuffled between his grandfather (Martine’s father) and Colin, or Colin’s sister Maysie. Martine is incapable of and unwilling to take part in his upbringing.
Adam just wants a happy, loving home, and his father is too busy either shooting up heroin or otherwise preoccupied – with his music, with a new wife, with other obsessions or distractions – to be a real father to him or offer any kind of love or support or stability. Martine reappears every now and then just to spew venom and hatred, and she obviously has her own demons to deal with. She has not only a heroin problem but a drinking problem as well. His grandfather ultimately adopts him (and of course young Adam feels guilty about this and wonders if his father will ever want to see him again, feeling as if he “betrayed” him).
Even through all this, the author has a biting wit and sense of humor about life. He has a great way of pulling you right into his life in Manchester and Newcastle (and beyond) with his rich descriptions of the atmosphere and the people.
I found it heartening that, as the years went by, Martine softened somewhat and actually showed some real affection for her son in the end, even if she wasn’t able to pull herself out of her addictive behaviors.
May 2, 2013
I'll always associate this book with 'When it's summer in Siam' by The Pogues.
First because this song was a fragment from my childhood that haunted me, spending many many years trying to identify it, for finally managing to do it like 2 years ago, putting an end not only to this torment, but also to my personal struggle to find myself and give a meaning to my life. So, in a way, It's like Adam's struggle to find himself, to accept the ugly parts, to integrate them in a better him, to learn from them and transform them in advantages instead of disadvantages; the struggle to find a common ground with his dad, which in the end you may say it was music.
And second because the book transmitted me the same emotions as the song: at times a huge sadness, melancholy, for that to be replaced with optimism, with a sort of new power: I'll make it anyway:
When it's summer in Siam/ And we go through many changes/ When it's summer in Siam/ Then all I really know/ Is that I truly am
There were some very emotional parts, that really brought tears to my eyes, but also a lot of loud laughs. And hey, you're wrong, Robbie Williams was pretty good back then!!!!! :p
First because this song was a fragment from my childhood that haunted me, spending many many years trying to identify it, for finally managing to do it like 2 years ago, putting an end not only to this torment, but also to my personal struggle to find myself and give a meaning to my life. So, in a way, It's like Adam's struggle to find himself, to accept the ugly parts, to integrate them in a better him, to learn from them and transform them in advantages instead of disadvantages; the struggle to find a common ground with his dad, which in the end you may say it was music.
And second because the book transmitted me the same emotions as the song: at times a huge sadness, melancholy, for that to be replaced with optimism, with a sort of new power: I'll make it anyway:
When it's summer in Siam/ And we go through many changes/ When it's summer in Siam/ Then all I really know/ Is that I truly am
There were some very emotional parts, that really brought tears to my eyes, but also a lot of loud laughs. And hey, you're wrong, Robbie Williams was pretty good back then!!!!! :p
May 19, 2017
I really liked Adam. He had so much spunk and just kept trying in spite of his crappy parents but thank goodness for his granddad who did his best. Sometimes though the writing just seemed sluggish and slow.
July 3, 2013
Oh, Adam. This is a very brave book, and you have told quite a story.I am having trouble separating my appreciation of your honesty and fortitude in reliving all the painful details, from my expectations that you would make of this raw material something that would spark both recognition and hope in the heart of each of your readers.
In my case, reliving your trials proved a very heavy load, and the resolution in the final pages did not justify all the burden you put upon your Reader.
It is not fair to compare, and yet I can't help doing it. Autobiography presents a challenge: unlike the novel, whose author, no matter how much they tell us that their characters take on a life of their own, still have some agency and control over the plot.
With a "true story," it takes some alchemy to manipulate the moments into a result that rearranges the pieces into a coherent conclusion in which the Reader feels it has all taught him/her something, and she is glad she came along for the ride.
Some memoirs that achieve this happy alchemy include:
Barbara Sjoholm: INCOGNITO STREET, in which the author leaves an unhappy childhood behind by travelling through England, Paris, and Scandinavia during the hippie 60s, discovering her talent for languages while battling health problems, poverty, and the plight of being a young woman on her own. In the end, (somewhat like our Adam), it is being a writer that saves her.
Alison Bechdel's FUN HOME, in which a young girl survives a dysfunctional family where her closeted gay father and cold, literary mother emotionally neglect her, and yet, ironically, their love of literature has given her the keys to her own salvation.
There are other examples, but to be specific about DADDY WAS A PUNK ROCKER, first of all, the title is misleading. Daddy's punk rock days were over well before the bulk of this author's childhood horrors occurred. The central theme of this book was the author's desperate yearning to be loved and accepted by his parents, at any cost, because they were not focused on him as a child.
What this book achieves most achingly is the experience of how it feels to be an unloved child, and the author has communicated it to his Reader in the most persistent way, such that there is no solution, no resolution, no relief.
I wish I could say that the voice of the author achieves an artful depiction of the developmental growth of a child, as James Joyce did in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ("Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming
down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road
met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo..."
Or even the way Barbara Kingsolver positions each chapter of THE POISONWOOD BIBLE in the voice of a different child in the family, from the 4-year old, right up to the teenager.
I think perhaps Adam Sharp achieves a certain amount of this in his first chapter, although his omniscient author's voice purporting to represent how his mother felt while he was in the womb was not convincing to me. I heard the author's (understandable) resentment and judgment, and it overshadowed the story.
I think it is safe to say that the depiction of a child set adrift with parents who are heroin addicts, alcoholics, and self-focused to the exclusion of their parental responsibilities is a true horror story, and the later accounts of the inner emotional life of the adult child author are just as harrowing. This is a very sad, despairing story.
I am not sure what I wish the story had resolved into. I just know I did not find the conclusion satisfying, even though the author attempts to communicate some sort of balanced resolution.
The question is whether the personal value of truth-telling for the writer equates to a valuable experience for the reader.
I am not a person who has attempted suicide, self-harm, or escape from a tortured life. Perhaps someone of that description might find a certain amount of redemption in this account.
I can only say that I respect the author for his efforts to make sense of a life inflicted upon him, and his persistence in finding redemption and peace. But these efforts did not transport me into an awe of recognition, as a good story can.
I also look forward to the author's next effort, since life and art are certainly a continuum. Adam, thank you for this book, and I await your next offering.
In my case, reliving your trials proved a very heavy load, and the resolution in the final pages did not justify all the burden you put upon your Reader.
It is not fair to compare, and yet I can't help doing it. Autobiography presents a challenge: unlike the novel, whose author, no matter how much they tell us that their characters take on a life of their own, still have some agency and control over the plot.
With a "true story," it takes some alchemy to manipulate the moments into a result that rearranges the pieces into a coherent conclusion in which the Reader feels it has all taught him/her something, and she is glad she came along for the ride.
Some memoirs that achieve this happy alchemy include:
Barbara Sjoholm: INCOGNITO STREET, in which the author leaves an unhappy childhood behind by travelling through England, Paris, and Scandinavia during the hippie 60s, discovering her talent for languages while battling health problems, poverty, and the plight of being a young woman on her own. In the end, (somewhat like our Adam), it is being a writer that saves her.
Alison Bechdel's FUN HOME, in which a young girl survives a dysfunctional family where her closeted gay father and cold, literary mother emotionally neglect her, and yet, ironically, their love of literature has given her the keys to her own salvation.
There are other examples, but to be specific about DADDY WAS A PUNK ROCKER, first of all, the title is misleading. Daddy's punk rock days were over well before the bulk of this author's childhood horrors occurred. The central theme of this book was the author's desperate yearning to be loved and accepted by his parents, at any cost, because they were not focused on him as a child.
What this book achieves most achingly is the experience of how it feels to be an unloved child, and the author has communicated it to his Reader in the most persistent way, such that there is no solution, no resolution, no relief.
I wish I could say that the voice of the author achieves an artful depiction of the developmental growth of a child, as James Joyce did in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ("Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming
down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road
met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo..."
Or even the way Barbara Kingsolver positions each chapter of THE POISONWOOD BIBLE in the voice of a different child in the family, from the 4-year old, right up to the teenager.
I think perhaps Adam Sharp achieves a certain amount of this in his first chapter, although his omniscient author's voice purporting to represent how his mother felt while he was in the womb was not convincing to me. I heard the author's (understandable) resentment and judgment, and it overshadowed the story.
I think it is safe to say that the depiction of a child set adrift with parents who are heroin addicts, alcoholics, and self-focused to the exclusion of their parental responsibilities is a true horror story, and the later accounts of the inner emotional life of the adult child author are just as harrowing. This is a very sad, despairing story.
I am not sure what I wish the story had resolved into. I just know I did not find the conclusion satisfying, even though the author attempts to communicate some sort of balanced resolution.
The question is whether the personal value of truth-telling for the writer equates to a valuable experience for the reader.
I am not a person who has attempted suicide, self-harm, or escape from a tortured life. Perhaps someone of that description might find a certain amount of redemption in this account.
I can only say that I respect the author for his efforts to make sense of a life inflicted upon him, and his persistence in finding redemption and peace. But these efforts did not transport me into an awe of recognition, as a good story can.
I also look forward to the author's next effort, since life and art are certainly a continuum. Adam, thank you for this book, and I await your next offering.
September 20, 2014
Daddy Was a Punk Rocker was brought to my attention from the publicist of this book. I happily accepted to read and review on this book, & I am so glad I did. I wasn't quite familiar with e-books, but it actually wasn't quite bad. So blessed to be given a chance to read this amazing memoir.
First off, this book is about Adam Sharps life and everything he went through. He wasn't exactly "wanted" by neither of his birth parents considering his mother (Martine) was a complete heroin addict and tried everything she could to keep Adam from living, literally, and his father (Colin) was unpleasable. He was later adopted by his grandfather, but still fought to be associated in his father's and mother's life as well.
At times it's very sad, funny, and quite interesting. I loved the part where he said exactly what was on his mind about his fathers new girlfriend, Nancy. It was quite rude, but hilarious!! His father had many, many girlfriends but Adam only approved of one, and her name was Kathy. She was the only one who actually acted like she cared about him, other than the other girls.
Adam's always thinking of what his family thinks of him and that his family will leave him if he does anything bad. He feels like he has to act like a complete angel in order for any of them to actually "keep" him. It's so terrifying for him and so sad to read! He shouldn't feel that way, I don't think anyone should! He cares about his family, and also being popular or fitting in at school. He talks about some tough battles he went through, throughout this book. Adam has had a hard life to live, even before he was born. Reading this book just makes me feel blessed with what I have.. Not everyone has a easy life. Adam Sharp is a strong man, I give him props!
Adam keeps trying to change himself to live up to his parents and grandpa's expectations. He feels like he should pay his grandpa back for all that he's done for him. Feeding him, gave him a home, and legally claimed Adam and became his guardian- for life. Adam starts to then fantasize his parent's and grandfather's death, thinking that if they die, he could be who he wants to without feeling like any of them are dissapointed in him. He thinks he would love that attention- feeling like a lost boy, people on the streets would ask him "Why do you look so sad?" He thinks about that so badly, that he ends up comparing himself to his friends chicken; who gets beaten up by Adams friend pretty much everyday.
Daddy Was a Punk Rocker is a story that will pull you in. You'll never want to put it down.. Adam did so much throughout his journey of life and experienced a lot! It's so interesting to me how other people live their life's.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy memoirs like I do. If you have never read a memoir, you defiantly should consider trying it out! It will amaze you how even successful people struggle through out life but they still have hope and break through whatever it is trying to stop them. It gives you hope as a reader and shows you that anything is possible. You just have to really want it and I think reading a memoir of somebody who has been through a lot (like Adam Sharp) will encourage anyone to make their goal in life, come true.
I give Daddy Was a Punk Rocker 4 stars out of 5 because I really enjoyed this read. This book is so unforgettable and the last chapter made me tear up because I am so proud of him. I know that sounds corny, but Adam Sharp is really a remarkable man.. & I know, you gotta be a strong person to be able to do what all he did. Fight for his life, even when the odds weren't always in his favor.
First off, this book is about Adam Sharps life and everything he went through. He wasn't exactly "wanted" by neither of his birth parents considering his mother (Martine) was a complete heroin addict and tried everything she could to keep Adam from living, literally, and his father (Colin) was unpleasable. He was later adopted by his grandfather, but still fought to be associated in his father's and mother's life as well.
At times it's very sad, funny, and quite interesting. I loved the part where he said exactly what was on his mind about his fathers new girlfriend, Nancy. It was quite rude, but hilarious!! His father had many, many girlfriends but Adam only approved of one, and her name was Kathy. She was the only one who actually acted like she cared about him, other than the other girls.
Adam's always thinking of what his family thinks of him and that his family will leave him if he does anything bad. He feels like he has to act like a complete angel in order for any of them to actually "keep" him. It's so terrifying for him and so sad to read! He shouldn't feel that way, I don't think anyone should! He cares about his family, and also being popular or fitting in at school. He talks about some tough battles he went through, throughout this book. Adam has had a hard life to live, even before he was born. Reading this book just makes me feel blessed with what I have.. Not everyone has a easy life. Adam Sharp is a strong man, I give him props!
Adam keeps trying to change himself to live up to his parents and grandpa's expectations. He feels like he should pay his grandpa back for all that he's done for him. Feeding him, gave him a home, and legally claimed Adam and became his guardian- for life. Adam starts to then fantasize his parent's and grandfather's death, thinking that if they die, he could be who he wants to without feeling like any of them are dissapointed in him. He thinks he would love that attention- feeling like a lost boy, people on the streets would ask him "Why do you look so sad?" He thinks about that so badly, that he ends up comparing himself to his friends chicken; who gets beaten up by Adams friend pretty much everyday.
Daddy Was a Punk Rocker is a story that will pull you in. You'll never want to put it down.. Adam did so much throughout his journey of life and experienced a lot! It's so interesting to me how other people live their life's.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy memoirs like I do. If you have never read a memoir, you defiantly should consider trying it out! It will amaze you how even successful people struggle through out life but they still have hope and break through whatever it is trying to stop them. It gives you hope as a reader and shows you that anything is possible. You just have to really want it and I think reading a memoir of somebody who has been through a lot (like Adam Sharp) will encourage anyone to make their goal in life, come true.
I give Daddy Was a Punk Rocker 4 stars out of 5 because I really enjoyed this read. This book is so unforgettable and the last chapter made me tear up because I am so proud of him. I know that sounds corny, but Adam Sharp is really a remarkable man.. & I know, you gotta be a strong person to be able to do what all he did. Fight for his life, even when the odds weren't always in his favor.
April 26, 2013
Memory is a funny thing. I remember my third birthday with clarity. I remember when we sold our house that same year, the couple who bought it were the Radcliffes and he asked what colour the carpet was then explained apologetically that he was colour blind. It was a nice house. I hope they enjoyed living there. I remember digging over the garden myself, in as much as a toddler could dig, before the turf was laid. I also remember why the house was sold and the turmoil that followed.
It took me a long time to resolve my feelings too and Daddy Was A Punk Rocker makes me realise a lot about why, even though I was old beyond my years, it took me a long time to grow up.
From the beginning, I was reminded of Philip Larkin’s This Be The Verse. I can’t quote it here because it uses ‘naughty words’. Look it up!
You don’t have to come from a broken or even dysfunctional family to benefit from Daddy Was A Punk Rocker. You maybe don’t even need to be human provided at some point you were born. Through a careful recounting and analysis of Adam’s life, we receive numerous powerful messages, primarily this: Parents don’t often realise how much they define us and we don’t in turn realise how much guilt parents carry for what they do that does define us. We blame our parents for messing us up, but you know what? We mess them up too.
His parents' drug abuse and subsequent alcohol abuse are, by my reading, not really the crux of Adam’s issues. Abandonment, having the rug pulled out from under his feet time and again and the mistaken, learned belief that you can escape somehow from yourself form the basis of his struggles. It’s clear that in retrospect, used needles on the floor and his baby clothes used as blood rags are traumatic. However to baby Adam, these were normal and inconsequential. What mattered was the attention, the relationship he craved.
His daddy was a punk rocker, yes. That isn’t synonymous with heroin addiction of course. That happens to people no matter what their musical predilections might be. It is synonymous with a belief held onto by Adam that music was the only way for him to reconnect with his father; that if they could share a passion it would give them a basis beyond blood for a relationship.
Most poignant to me and very much key to resolving all those issues is the image of child Adam, clutching his teddy bear, waiting for the father who never shows up. There begins a cycle of pushing away anyone that might let him down, anyone that might cause him to remember so much hurt.
Daddy Was A Punk Rocker is so well written, so illustrative, at times you forget this is not a novel. At times very funny, at times painful, it was an important read for me. Well done, Adam, for putting it down on paper.
It took me a long time to resolve my feelings too and Daddy Was A Punk Rocker makes me realise a lot about why, even though I was old beyond my years, it took me a long time to grow up.
From the beginning, I was reminded of Philip Larkin’s This Be The Verse. I can’t quote it here because it uses ‘naughty words’. Look it up!
You don’t have to come from a broken or even dysfunctional family to benefit from Daddy Was A Punk Rocker. You maybe don’t even need to be human provided at some point you were born. Through a careful recounting and analysis of Adam’s life, we receive numerous powerful messages, primarily this: Parents don’t often realise how much they define us and we don’t in turn realise how much guilt parents carry for what they do that does define us. We blame our parents for messing us up, but you know what? We mess them up too.
His parents' drug abuse and subsequent alcohol abuse are, by my reading, not really the crux of Adam’s issues. Abandonment, having the rug pulled out from under his feet time and again and the mistaken, learned belief that you can escape somehow from yourself form the basis of his struggles. It’s clear that in retrospect, used needles on the floor and his baby clothes used as blood rags are traumatic. However to baby Adam, these were normal and inconsequential. What mattered was the attention, the relationship he craved.
His daddy was a punk rocker, yes. That isn’t synonymous with heroin addiction of course. That happens to people no matter what their musical predilections might be. It is synonymous with a belief held onto by Adam that music was the only way for him to reconnect with his father; that if they could share a passion it would give them a basis beyond blood for a relationship.
Most poignant to me and very much key to resolving all those issues is the image of child Adam, clutching his teddy bear, waiting for the father who never shows up. There begins a cycle of pushing away anyone that might let him down, anyone that might cause him to remember so much hurt.
Daddy Was A Punk Rocker is so well written, so illustrative, at times you forget this is not a novel. At times very funny, at times painful, it was an important read for me. Well done, Adam, for putting it down on paper.
May 19, 2013
I wasn't overly keen on the tense it was written in.
When the author was writing about events that are at best hearsay and by that I do not mean his own memories or experiences but rather events he knows about only via third parties, I would have liked to known the sources.
Specifically I am talking about the intrauterine events in relation to his parents actions, especially his mother. How does he know she did those things and who told him? If he was told by a third party then that person was relating them through their own frame of reference.
I have to say it is one of the events in the book that I kept going back to, how his mother tried to kill him (the foetus/baby) by throwing herself down the stairs or punching herself in the stomach. The author never states who told him these things and I have to say if it was his father or grandfather then that was pure spite on their part. There are things a person does not need to know. If it was his mother then I would wager the comment that she wasn't trying to kill him 'Adam' because at that point he didn't exist as Adam or as a child. She was trying to get rid of a foetus/baby and not him the person.
Reading any autobiographical material that delves into abuse or neglect is always hard and even more so for the person who has written and then published it.
What is really evident throughout is that even after all those years all the author really wanted, despite all the neglect and abuse, was for either one of his parents to just want him. To love him unconditionally for the person he is.
One of the hardest lessons in life is realising that parents are nothing more than mere mortals and they make mistakes, often lots of them. When a person is capable of stepping away from that vicious cycle of mistakes and makes a conscious decision to not be part of that cycle anymore, that is the first step in the right direction.
You can't change the past and you can't change another person, you can only change yourself.
Unfortunately we also don't always have to the chance for closure. People die and cheat you of the chance to get that one thing you want the most. The reality is that it probably never would have happened the way you imagine it in your dreams.
You can probably tell by the way I am rattling on that the story made some sort of impact on me. I didn't like the tense, it could have been written in a less stocato way but.....
The raw emotion is there just beneath the surface. It simmers for a while and then takes a bite now and again. The fact that I could feel his anger, his pain, his disappointment and inevitably his sorrow, is what will make me remember this story, despite the odd thing I didn't like about it.
I received a free copy of this book for my review.
When the author was writing about events that are at best hearsay and by that I do not mean his own memories or experiences but rather events he knows about only via third parties, I would have liked to known the sources.
Specifically I am talking about the intrauterine events in relation to his parents actions, especially his mother. How does he know she did those things and who told him? If he was told by a third party then that person was relating them through their own frame of reference.
I have to say it is one of the events in the book that I kept going back to, how his mother tried to kill him (the foetus/baby) by throwing herself down the stairs or punching herself in the stomach. The author never states who told him these things and I have to say if it was his father or grandfather then that was pure spite on their part. There are things a person does not need to know. If it was his mother then I would wager the comment that she wasn't trying to kill him 'Adam' because at that point he didn't exist as Adam or as a child. She was trying to get rid of a foetus/baby and not him the person.
Reading any autobiographical material that delves into abuse or neglect is always hard and even more so for the person who has written and then published it.
What is really evident throughout is that even after all those years all the author really wanted, despite all the neglect and abuse, was for either one of his parents to just want him. To love him unconditionally for the person he is.
One of the hardest lessons in life is realising that parents are nothing more than mere mortals and they make mistakes, often lots of them. When a person is capable of stepping away from that vicious cycle of mistakes and makes a conscious decision to not be part of that cycle anymore, that is the first step in the right direction.
You can't change the past and you can't change another person, you can only change yourself.
Unfortunately we also don't always have to the chance for closure. People die and cheat you of the chance to get that one thing you want the most. The reality is that it probably never would have happened the way you imagine it in your dreams.
You can probably tell by the way I am rattling on that the story made some sort of impact on me. I didn't like the tense, it could have been written in a less stocato way but.....
The raw emotion is there just beneath the surface. It simmers for a while and then takes a bite now and again. The fact that I could feel his anger, his pain, his disappointment and inevitably his sorrow, is what will make me remember this story, despite the odd thing I didn't like about it.
I received a free copy of this book for my review.
August 22, 2013
Daddy Was a Punk Rocker is the deeply moving memoir written by Adam Sharp, who tells the story of his amazing life, but often difficult and troubled upbringing. Been an unwanted son of a heroin addict mother (Martine) and a punk rock father (Colin), Adam’s young life was plagued with violence and abandonment. In addition, moving from households in Manchester and Newcastle made Adam question who he was as he struggled to create an identity. However, because of his spirit, determination and the belief that his father will always come good, Adam goes on to become a successful but troubled young man.
It’s hard to give a review of what happens in this novel because I don’t want to give too much away. What I think you guys should know is that this book is truly well written and moving. I loved how honest Sharp was in the novel, which must have been really hard because it’s his own life he's talking about! Nevertheless, I think it’s great that he holds nothing back as it makes his story so much more grittier and real. It also makes his memoir extremely sad. This is because throughout his childhood and adolescence, Adam clings to the idea that one day his father will be like any other Dad and return drug free and ready to whisk Adam away to a home where they can listen to punk music together. To try and speed along this dream, Adam constantly pushes himself to be stronger, smarter or faster in the hope that his personal achievements will impress his father.
However, by putting his Dad on this pedestal, Adam continually sets himself up for a fall when Colin breaks his promises by not showing up to their meetings or by returning to his drug addiction. I thought this was so sad because in the mind of a child this must be devastating- to do all that you can to impress someone in the hope they will love you and care for you and then to have it totally ignored must have been heart breaking! You can see why Adam does some of things he does in the novel. Of course, there are some happier moments in the novel too but again I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything!
All in all this book was a great read about a father and son who both wanted to share their lives together but unfortunately couldn’t. I got so addicted to Adam’s story that I was reading it on my iPhone at work because I just could not get enough! I’d suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a novel that’s a little bit different but that’s also immensely honest and entertaining to read! Plus, at the minute the e-book is only 79p on Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain so make sure to go and buy it!
For more book reviews check out http://adam-p-reviews.blogspot.co.uk/
It’s hard to give a review of what happens in this novel because I don’t want to give too much away. What I think you guys should know is that this book is truly well written and moving. I loved how honest Sharp was in the novel, which must have been really hard because it’s his own life he's talking about! Nevertheless, I think it’s great that he holds nothing back as it makes his story so much more grittier and real. It also makes his memoir extremely sad. This is because throughout his childhood and adolescence, Adam clings to the idea that one day his father will be like any other Dad and return drug free and ready to whisk Adam away to a home where they can listen to punk music together. To try and speed along this dream, Adam constantly pushes himself to be stronger, smarter or faster in the hope that his personal achievements will impress his father.
However, by putting his Dad on this pedestal, Adam continually sets himself up for a fall when Colin breaks his promises by not showing up to their meetings or by returning to his drug addiction. I thought this was so sad because in the mind of a child this must be devastating- to do all that you can to impress someone in the hope they will love you and care for you and then to have it totally ignored must have been heart breaking! You can see why Adam does some of things he does in the novel. Of course, there are some happier moments in the novel too but again I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything!
All in all this book was a great read about a father and son who both wanted to share their lives together but unfortunately couldn’t. I got so addicted to Adam’s story that I was reading it on my iPhone at work because I just could not get enough! I’d suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a novel that’s a little bit different but that’s also immensely honest and entertaining to read! Plus, at the minute the e-book is only 79p on Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain so make sure to go and buy it!
For more book reviews check out http://adam-p-reviews.blogspot.co.uk/
November 25, 2014
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I received a digital copy of this memoir from Sharp's publicity team, and am so pleased that they were able to send me a copy. I don't often read memoirs and biographies, preferring to read fiction and literature, and am very glad I picked up this book for a change of scenery. Adam Sharp wrote a phenomenal story, and I felt as though I was with him throughout the many trials and tribulations of his life. Daddy was a Punk Rocker earns 4 out of 5 stars for being so entertaining, inspiring, and well-written.
It didn't take much for me to be pulled right into this story, feeling so strongly for Adam as he struggled to be accepted by his family, classmates, and the people he encounters throughout life. While I certainly did not have the same life experiences, I definitely understand trying to be accepted, and struggling with self-identity and self-confidence at such transitional moments in life. A refreshingly honest and insightful memoir, I was riveted by the story and couldn't stop cheering Adam on as I turned the (digital) pages of his memoir. All Adam wanted was a conventional father with whom to practice soccer, listen to music, and have a traditional father-son relationship. What he had, however, was a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with his punk rocker father who struggled with heroin use and whom Adam at times tried to be close with, or tried to get as far away from as possible. I found this book to be filled with melancholy and dark humor, but regardless of what Adam describes in his book, he does so without bitterness or resentment, a remarkable personality trait that truly lends itself to the readability and satisfaction I found with Daddy was a Punk Rocker. I was very pleased with this memoir, and look forward to seeing what else comes from the mind (and pen) of Adam Sharp.
I received a digital copy of this memoir from Sharp's publicity team, and am so pleased that they were able to send me a copy. I don't often read memoirs and biographies, preferring to read fiction and literature, and am very glad I picked up this book for a change of scenery. Adam Sharp wrote a phenomenal story, and I felt as though I was with him throughout the many trials and tribulations of his life. Daddy was a Punk Rocker earns 4 out of 5 stars for being so entertaining, inspiring, and well-written.
It didn't take much for me to be pulled right into this story, feeling so strongly for Adam as he struggled to be accepted by his family, classmates, and the people he encounters throughout life. While I certainly did not have the same life experiences, I definitely understand trying to be accepted, and struggling with self-identity and self-confidence at such transitional moments in life. A refreshingly honest and insightful memoir, I was riveted by the story and couldn't stop cheering Adam on as I turned the (digital) pages of his memoir. All Adam wanted was a conventional father with whom to practice soccer, listen to music, and have a traditional father-son relationship. What he had, however, was a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with his punk rocker father who struggled with heroin use and whom Adam at times tried to be close with, or tried to get as far away from as possible. I found this book to be filled with melancholy and dark humor, but regardless of what Adam describes in his book, he does so without bitterness or resentment, a remarkable personality trait that truly lends itself to the readability and satisfaction I found with Daddy was a Punk Rocker. I was very pleased with this memoir, and look forward to seeing what else comes from the mind (and pen) of Adam Sharp.
September 16, 2014
This book really brought to light a child's thoughts in a dysfunctional family. The author wrote many times about how he felt his actions were to blame for his parents faults. If only he had not cried his father would have stuck around, if only he could prove he was strong his mom would love him, etc. It is sad, but a reality of so many children that come from broken homes. He constantly felt that he was not good enough and to blame for others choices. I found that very real and emotional part of the book.
As a whole, this book was well written. It was funny, engaging, and very truthful, as well as insightful. The last chapter was thought provoking and emotional. While it is true that his dads day as a punk rocker are over by the time Adam tells his story, you can tell the choices his dad, and mom made during those days, had a very long standing impact on his life.
I found it interesting that the one person he really wanted to care for him and make him a priority never really did. There was some closure there, but his mom, who never wanted a child in the first place, came much more full circle in loving her son than the dad did. It makes me wonder how his relationship was with his two daughters, since he was there throughout their life. The author, despite only having one good friend at a time, showed a lot of love and forgiveness towards people that betrayed him often. That is a character trait not many people have, and I liked how in the end he realized the relationship he had with his dad may not be his dream relationship, but it was still a relationship, and he was okay with that.
I gave this book three stars instead of three simply because I felt that the reflection and change came a little late in the book. The last chapter was great, but I wish that those thoughts and feelings would have encompassed a little more of the book.
As a whole, this book was well written. It was funny, engaging, and very truthful, as well as insightful. The last chapter was thought provoking and emotional. While it is true that his dads day as a punk rocker are over by the time Adam tells his story, you can tell the choices his dad, and mom made during those days, had a very long standing impact on his life.
I found it interesting that the one person he really wanted to care for him and make him a priority never really did. There was some closure there, but his mom, who never wanted a child in the first place, came much more full circle in loving her son than the dad did. It makes me wonder how his relationship was with his two daughters, since he was there throughout their life. The author, despite only having one good friend at a time, showed a lot of love and forgiveness towards people that betrayed him often. That is a character trait not many people have, and I liked how in the end he realized the relationship he had with his dad may not be his dream relationship, but it was still a relationship, and he was okay with that.
I gave this book three stars instead of three simply because I felt that the reflection and change came a little late in the book. The last chapter was great, but I wish that those thoughts and feelings would have encompassed a little more of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2013
This is a terrific first book but the title and the blurb are misleading. They give the false impression that we are about to experience a light-hearted, nostalgic romp through a sunny English childhood but DWPR is not light-hearted – though it tries to be - but transparently candid and solemn, a painful tale of neglect, rejection and alienation. The sprinkling of humour somehow makes it all the more poignant, like someone making one-legged jokes through tears and gritted teeth, after an amputation. These are not criticisms but merely observations. If I have any criticisms I feel that the choice of tense (as noted elsewhere), the rather sparing prose and the jerky structure (like a poorly edited film) don’t entirely do this melancholy memoir justice. And despite, or rather because of, the rather generic popular musical tastes of his dad, there is little sense of period, or for that matter place, other than city names But these are minor flaws. The overall impression is one of a powerful and accomplished piece of work.
This is plainly a cathartic book and I hope that it worked for the author as he has poured his heart out without bitterness and it makes quite unhappy reading at times, though it is so well paced (apart from the occasional jerkiness) and neatly written that it never becomes tedious and certainly never cloying and that is admirable. Make no mistake; candour is not easy when writing about life experiences, painful or otherwise. My own attempt was anything but candid. In the end, though, it is all so deeply personal. Having got the obligatory quasi-autobiographical first book successfully completed and out there, it is, for a writer of this quality, time to dip his toes in other less murky waters.
This is plainly a cathartic book and I hope that it worked for the author as he has poured his heart out without bitterness and it makes quite unhappy reading at times, though it is so well paced (apart from the occasional jerkiness) and neatly written that it never becomes tedious and certainly never cloying and that is admirable. Make no mistake; candour is not easy when writing about life experiences, painful or otherwise. My own attempt was anything but candid. In the end, though, it is all so deeply personal. Having got the obligatory quasi-autobiographical first book successfully completed and out there, it is, for a writer of this quality, time to dip his toes in other less murky waters.
June 21, 2014
This book really got to me. When I first read the blurb about it, I wrote to Adam and told him a little bit about my experiences, having been a punk rock Mom, married to a musician dad who got strung out on heroin and left us. My kids are only a couple of years younger than Adam. When I read the book, what I thought I'd put behind me, what I'd been chalking up to all water under the bridge came rushing back at me. I have to say, that while my boys suffered some similar experiences, waiting eagerly for their dad to show up, wanting nothing more than to mean something to him, and always coming last...they still had an easier time than Adam. I really enjoy Adam's writing style, and there is enough humor in the book to keep you from wanting to hang yourself. He doesn't write full of self pity. I think Adam is going to do fine. I think he's managed to take his upbringing and understand it, and know that however hard it was to get to where he is now, he got there. He has skills and I think now he's figured out how to put them to good use, and all his experiences, bad or good are serving him well. For myself, I picked my husband, that's on me. I wish I'd been able to give my kids a more stable home, but, on the other hand, they aren't spoiled kids that don't know how to wipe their own asses...they will always land on their feet.
August 23, 2014
This book was a find. I have only read a few memoirs and usually stroll past them because I would prefer spending my time reading fiction and not about someone else's bad day.
What I personally have found with books like this one is that people have it much harder than I do.
Daddy was a Punk Rocker made me think and reflect on darker times I have had and currently still struggle with. There are no solutions given in this book but sometimes knowing others share the same "numb" feelings and times of misery where nothing can make things better, can sometimes ... make things better.
Adams story is a tough one with neglect, violence, emotional and physical destruction. The book is not for everyone, and I think Adam knows that. Most people seem to live in bliss and are oblivious to how sad and lonely a person really can be. Sadly it can take a persons whole life to come to realizations about who they care about and who they have hurt or left behind along the way. So many stories that I found myself smiling or near tears to. Life is tough.
This book is one to reflect on.
Unless you have lived a genuinely happy life or something.. then it might not even register or make sense.
All in all a wonderfully written account of a life that is not so perfect. It is a shame it was such a hard and brutal one. Very glad that I read it and look forward to more work from Mr. Sharp
What I personally have found with books like this one is that people have it much harder than I do.
Daddy was a Punk Rocker made me think and reflect on darker times I have had and currently still struggle with. There are no solutions given in this book but sometimes knowing others share the same "numb" feelings and times of misery where nothing can make things better, can sometimes ... make things better.
Adams story is a tough one with neglect, violence, emotional and physical destruction. The book is not for everyone, and I think Adam knows that. Most people seem to live in bliss and are oblivious to how sad and lonely a person really can be. Sadly it can take a persons whole life to come to realizations about who they care about and who they have hurt or left behind along the way. So many stories that I found myself smiling or near tears to. Life is tough.
This book is one to reflect on.
Unless you have lived a genuinely happy life or something.. then it might not even register or make sense.
All in all a wonderfully written account of a life that is not so perfect. It is a shame it was such a hard and brutal one. Very glad that I read it and look forward to more work from Mr. Sharp
Read
July 12, 2014Unlike most of the reviewers here, I've never had much interest in punk (though it's interesting that I've finished this on the night Facebook is exploding with news of Tommy Ramone's death). But while some readers might have made more of the musical references, I connected deeply with Adam's aimlessness, his need to constantly reinvent himself, his alternating rejection of/desire to connect to his father and all he associated with him. This story will seem uncomfortably familiar to anyone who grew up with emotionally distant (and/or largely missing) parents...especially the fantasies about finally winning the elusive approval of same. Someone here commented that the storytelling was "messy," but that seems entirely consistent with how we remember childhood...not as a linear story, but a series of moments that we keep replaying/processing in the search for meaning and identity. Also, it reflects the very nature of Adam's relationship with his father, which itself was episodic in nature.
As unique as the specific details of Adam's life are, the struggle to find one's place without a solid family anchor is universal. I recently became a mother, and I know elements of Adam's story will stick with me, as I reflect on how I want my son's life to be.
As unique as the specific details of Adam's life are, the struggle to find one's place without a solid family anchor is universal. I recently became a mother, and I know elements of Adam's story will stick with me, as I reflect on how I want my son's life to be.
April 27, 2013
Brilliant Characterisation. Explores the reality of self-centred art and its damaging impact on a child who is constantly off loaded because family doesn't rate alongside MUSIC. Within the book, it was the raw , selfish relationships of using music as an excuse for not parenting which impacted on me.As a reader who knew nothing about the history of punk rock, 'Daddy Was a Punk Rocker' was an emotive story for the candid child-parent relationship and creative collaborations.Even without knowing the names of the musicians , nor their reputations (for music or behaviour) the story stays with you. That's the test of a good writer. Brilliant characterisation even of dislikeable musicians with/out talent and an insight into punk rock music world of the period, by a child, now man, who was there.And as a writer Adam Sharp seems to have retained the best aspects of the creative childhood, despite the damage, as the humour is well paced within this poignant story.
September 13, 2013
I picked this up on Amazon for Kindle because it looked like the memoir of the child of a punk rocker. It was, but it wasn't a star I had whose music I knew. I expected issues, but it really could have been the memoir of any relatively poor kid growing up in London in the 80s. Having said that, it wasn't terrible. The story is sad at times, funny at times and moves along quickly. All in all, not terrible. I just expected some punk rock!
If you enjoyed the "Perks of Being A Wallflower" or other angst infused teen memoirs, this one was inexpensive for Kindle and worth a look. I liked it and the price is right for Kindle. It was also relatively short at about 200 pages. Again, heavy on the angst, short on the punk rock.
If you enjoyed the "Perks of Being A Wallflower" or other angst infused teen memoirs, this one was inexpensive for Kindle and worth a look. I liked it and the price is right for Kindle. It was also relatively short at about 200 pages. Again, heavy on the angst, short on the punk rock.
November 18, 2013
My Review: I actually found this memoir touching and as I watched this young man arrive into himself in spite of the or maybe because of his upbringing. Unfortunately too many of our young people of today are products of this type of emotional abuse as youngsters. Parents too busy fighting and losing battles with their own demons to be able to nurture their young. Grandparents are left to try to bring some semblance of normalcy to a young ones life, while a child just wants love and acceptance. I applaud this young man in finally finding some peace with his own and his parents demons. There are many editing issues that need to be cleaned up in order to have a more polished product. I give this book a 3 star.
December 27, 2014
I was drawn to read this to learn about the post-punk life of Colin Sharp, briefly of Durutti Column. Of course, that was long past by and during the author's life. It was even further removed as Adam was so distant from both parents, at times in the antipodal sense, that he refers to both by their first names. That is part of his father's life he cannot access or participate in, except in his imagination. Globe-trotting and constantly re-creating himself, the plucky Adam Sharp proves a survivor, his own worst enemy, ringside spectator to world class family dysfunction, and, after all, an adept writer. He strings together his book's sections with pot boiler cliffhangers.
Good job, Adam!
Good job, Adam!
June 3, 2014
A truly inspirational book with ups & downs in other words a hell of a roller coaster of an emotional ride and I loved every bit of it but if you have a thing about bad child hoods then this book is not for you but I would say to you put your thing away and read this wonderful book by the fabulous author Adam Sharp and my thanks and truly gratitude to Adam for this book and the story of his life as he lived it my thanks again to you Adam so with all that said keep smiling and happy reading to all with love from wee me. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
August 3, 2016
After reading this book I am a bit surprised about the title, because it's not really about Adam's Dad being a punk rocker (although he was). . .it's really about Adam himself dealing with abandonment, his parents addictions, and his own insecurities and the injustices of youth. Even after his parents mistreatment of him he seems to want to spin a positive light on them, which is sweet, but sad. The happy ending is that he continues to try to heal and find meaning through his writing.
March 28, 2014
This memoir was extremely emotional: Happy, sad, and everything in between.
This is a memoir of self-discovery. Even if the road to it is difficult, it can be achieved.
Read the rest of my review here!
This is a memoir of self-discovery. Even if the road to it is difficult, it can be achieved.
Read the rest of my review here!
January 16, 2014
There's a reason they say "Don't judge a book by its cover."
I bought this for $4 thinking it was a parenting book. Oops.
Instead it's a heartbreaking memoir written in a really entertaining present tense.
Not what I expected, but a pleasant surprise.
I bought this for $4 thinking it was a parenting book. Oops.
Instead it's a heartbreaking memoir written in a really entertaining present tense.
Not what I expected, but a pleasant surprise.
September 7, 2013
Tough, raw memoir. Drugs, abuse, and neglect are what Adam Sharp experiences for most of his childhood. The fact that he came out the other side is a miracle in itself.
September 2, 2013
It was OK.
March 28, 2014
Such a good book! This one is a memoir of a boy in a troubled childhood in his quest to connect with his dad and to discover himself. Definitely one of the better memoirs I've read.
June 29, 2013
Sad, funny, arresting memoir.
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