What do you think?
Rate this book
Tilting: A Memoir
The Wishing Shelf Award - Gold Winner 2017 We only learned about our father’s girlfriend after he became deathly ill and lay in a coma 120 miles from our home. Overhearing the nurse tell Linda—since I was nine I had called my mom by her first name—about the girlfriend who came in almost every day to visit him when we weren’t there confirmed that the last moment of normal had passed us by without our realizing it. Up to then our family had unhappily coexisted with Dad flying jumbo jets to Asia while we lived in Montana. We finally came together to see Dad through his illness, but he was once again absent from a major family event—unable to join us from his comatose state. This is the moment when our normal existence tilted. Dad recovered, but the marriage ailed, as did Linda, with cancer. Our family began to move down an entirely different path with silver linings we wouldn’t see for many years. In this candid and compassionate memoir, Nicole Harkin describes with an Impressionist’s fine eye the evolution of a family that is quirky, independent, uniquely supportive, peculiarly loving and, most of all, marvelously human.
203 pages, Paperback
Published June 22, 2017
197 people are currently reading
844 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Harkin
2 books22 followersNicole Harkin currently resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband and two small children. She works as a writer and family photographer. As a Fulbright Scholar during law school, Nicole lived in Berlin, Germany where she studied German environmentalism. Her work can be found in Thought Collection and you are here: The Journal of Creative Geography. She is currently working on a mystery set in Berlin. More info and photos of Nicole's family can be found at www.tiltingamemoir.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 28, 2019
This is a Memoir I picked up one day on holiday by chance, and am sort of still thinking about to this day. I've really needed some time to fully digest my thoughts before sitting down to type this review up. Tilting certainly doesn't hold back from family events, nor Nicole's thoughts and feelings. It's a dark and powerful read. There were decades of memories covered and an array of characters that I both liked and disliked. Although this was an interesting look into the not-so picture-perfect life of the author and her family, I found myself feeling a little too unsettled at times. The pacing was a little slow throughout. I will say that it does take a lot of bravery to write any form of a real-life piece, whether it is an essay or a book in this particular case.
June 22, 2018
This candidly written memoir will draw you in and have you feeling like you grew up alongside the author. It will alternately tug at your heartstrings and make you so angry you could just explode.
Author Nicole Harkin has a knack for uncovering and relating her family's life and history in a humorous way, yet, even through the humor you can sense the deep hurt she felt both as a child and as a young adult. Quotes, such as the one below demonstrate a frank openness that is startling in its honesty.
"I didn't feel like I was part of my family. We were a group of individuals who lived together under one roof."
With the shocking revelations she uncovers and the benefit of hindsight, author Nicole Harkin invites readers to examine alongside her every aspect of her life.
Readers would easily forgive her for condemning both of her parents for the way in which Nicole and her siblings were raised, and would especially forgive her for any ill will toward her philander father. Yet Nicole Harkin rises above and tells her story in such a way that those people she could have easily portrayed as villainous, seem less hateful and more just as hopelessly flawed human beings.
I applaud the fact that the author waited until both her parents passed away before releasing this memoir. It shows that no matter how screwed up her family was, she still somehow learned empathy, compassion and integrity.
This is a terrific read which just might make you reexamine your own family's dysfunctions and begin to see them in a more positive light. This exceptional memoir also reminds readers that no individual, and indeed, no family unit is perfect - no matter how it appears from the outside.
I rate TILTING as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and will be adding This book to my list of recommended reads.
*** Thank you to RACHEL'S RANDOM RESOURCES for providing me with a free softcover copy of this book.***
To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Follow me on Instagram @Amiesbookreviews
Author Nicole Harkin has a knack for uncovering and relating her family's life and history in a humorous way, yet, even through the humor you can sense the deep hurt she felt both as a child and as a young adult. Quotes, such as the one below demonstrate a frank openness that is startling in its honesty.
"I didn't feel like I was part of my family. We were a group of individuals who lived together under one roof."
With the shocking revelations she uncovers and the benefit of hindsight, author Nicole Harkin invites readers to examine alongside her every aspect of her life.
Readers would easily forgive her for condemning both of her parents for the way in which Nicole and her siblings were raised, and would especially forgive her for any ill will toward her philander father. Yet Nicole Harkin rises above and tells her story in such a way that those people she could have easily portrayed as villainous, seem less hateful and more just as hopelessly flawed human beings.
I applaud the fact that the author waited until both her parents passed away before releasing this memoir. It shows that no matter how screwed up her family was, she still somehow learned empathy, compassion and integrity.
This is a terrific read which just might make you reexamine your own family's dysfunctions and begin to see them in a more positive light. This exceptional memoir also reminds readers that no individual, and indeed, no family unit is perfect - no matter how it appears from the outside.
I rate TILTING as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and will be adding This book to my list of recommended reads.
*** Thank you to RACHEL'S RANDOM RESOURCES for providing me with a free softcover copy of this book.***
To read more of my reviews, visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Follow me on Instagram @Amiesbookreviews
June 22, 2018
Written in a realistic, no holds barred fashion, Tilting doesn´t flinch in telling Nicole´s story, criss-crossing the country and zipping between the past and present.
What fascinated me most about this long, detailed memoir, was the struggle Nicole herself had with how to best tell the story and how to come to terms with what she´d seen and done as a child – and what had been done to her. In end she opted for straight recollection which reads like a series of very vivid flashbacks, sometimes disorientating, sometimes depressing (and depressingly familiar) but always interesting and well-written.
The family dynamics are also fascinating; the strange mechanics of intra-family relationships which sometimes make no sense even to those in a family.
The relationship between Linda and Nicole´s father is compelling – and Nicole dissects their grown-up foilbles with a surgeon´s precision and a detective´s eye.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking to make sense of their own family, and also how to go about writing about family and families.
What fascinated me most about this long, detailed memoir, was the struggle Nicole herself had with how to best tell the story and how to come to terms with what she´d seen and done as a child – and what had been done to her. In end she opted for straight recollection which reads like a series of very vivid flashbacks, sometimes disorientating, sometimes depressing (and depressingly familiar) but always interesting and well-written.
The family dynamics are also fascinating; the strange mechanics of intra-family relationships which sometimes make no sense even to those in a family.
The relationship between Linda and Nicole´s father is compelling – and Nicole dissects their grown-up foilbles with a surgeon´s precision and a detective´s eye.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking to make sense of their own family, and also how to go about writing about family and families.
June 23, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
This is a beautifully written story that you can tell has been written with passion.
The writing style is perfect and the flow of the story is superb. It is an genuinely additive read that I couldn't put down. I was drawn in to the story from the first few pages and went through the full range of emotions as the book progressed.
It is clear and concise and we get to read how the story really affected the family - it is a really personal story and an excellent book. 4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon.
This is a beautifully written story that you can tell has been written with passion.
The writing style is perfect and the flow of the story is superb. It is an genuinely additive read that I couldn't put down. I was drawn in to the story from the first few pages and went through the full range of emotions as the book progressed.
It is clear and concise and we get to read how the story really affected the family - it is a really personal story and an excellent book. 4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon.
July 6, 2017
A raw, engaging look at a family with more than it's average share of complexities. The story is captivating, I picked the book up and next thing I knew I was an hour in and decided that bedtime could wait for another hour. A definite must read. It's a perfect summer time read - easy but not fluff.
December 30, 2021
In Tilting, the author, Nicole Harkin, presents a thorough and honest examination of her life experiences surrounding the loss of her mother and father. Opening the story with her father's first hospitalization, Ms. Harkin goes back in time from there to when she was a child. Exploring family dynamics within specific situations, she reflects on the dysfunctional behaviors of her parents and her responses at the time to those hurtful and confusing situations. She takes the story forward to her father's recovery and into her parent's eventual divorce. Her mother develops cancer and dies, then her father has a heart attack and dies, leaving their eldest child, Nicole, to bear the load of their sad legacy.
The author handles well the childish viewpoint of life regarding her parents' selfish and heartless treatment of each other and their children. This presents a nice undercurrent of emotion, creating tension and conflict, which she resolves through poignant observations, sharing with her readers her coming-of-age, growing up and maturing. The tone of the story is maintained, a fearless, yet painful stepping into the past while the door is open from deep, life-altering grief. Lessons are learned, wisdom is gained, and the gifts received by her sojourn into death and loss are thus shared with her readers. It is as though she has gone back in time, bearing witness to her child self, telling us her story both relatable and unique.
Even though the story is lengthy and can be depressing, taking the plunge into the dark recesses of one's mind and life experiences as an author, and then sharing these with one's readers, offers an opportunity. The reader can do likewise, identifying with the author's experience and, maybe, appreciating the telling for what it brings. This is the most important aspect to this book, tone and mood, providing the reader with the chance to settle into their inner truth, their sense of their lives and, so, harvest deep meaning and quiet acceptance. It is a healing space which the author provides, the heroine having taken the journey, returning with the gold from within herself, now offering it to others.
The author handles well the childish viewpoint of life regarding her parents' selfish and heartless treatment of each other and their children. This presents a nice undercurrent of emotion, creating tension and conflict, which she resolves through poignant observations, sharing with her readers her coming-of-age, growing up and maturing. The tone of the story is maintained, a fearless, yet painful stepping into the past while the door is open from deep, life-altering grief. Lessons are learned, wisdom is gained, and the gifts received by her sojourn into death and loss are thus shared with her readers. It is as though she has gone back in time, bearing witness to her child self, telling us her story both relatable and unique.
Even though the story is lengthy and can be depressing, taking the plunge into the dark recesses of one's mind and life experiences as an author, and then sharing these with one's readers, offers an opportunity. The reader can do likewise, identifying with the author's experience and, maybe, appreciating the telling for what it brings. This is the most important aspect to this book, tone and mood, providing the reader with the chance to settle into their inner truth, their sense of their lives and, so, harvest deep meaning and quiet acceptance. It is a healing space which the author provides, the heroine having taken the journey, returning with the gold from within herself, now offering it to others.
March 17, 2021
I greatly enjoyed this story of a REAL family and all their trials and tribulations. It wasn't quite what I expected, according to the Amazon synopsis, but it was still very good. I've only marked it down a star as it is properly published, yet there are too many errors that made it through to the final article.
I really liked the family and the hero of the tale for me, really, was dear Walt. He was always there, picking up the pieces where needed and for many years was clearly on the sidelines of their lives, yet he stuck around, through good, bad or indifferent, unlike Daddy Dearest. I had VERY little time for him and neither his wife, who also behaved abominably. And HIS behaviour during Linda's illness and in the aftermath I found appalling. There are some really amusing moments in this among the siblings (and also their father's penchant for purple cars tickled me) and the odd very touching moment as well. These kids were raised well and with good values, Linda did a great job.
The best story for me was the transmission tale......I found that soooooooo funny !! I loved the final line the author wrote, too. Made me smile. I wondered if the cover photo is all the siblings together and I wish she'd included some photos so we could see who we'd just read about.
I'm so pleased Nicole and Erica stuck to their guns and didn't give Daddy Dearest their mother's legacies. Though, personally, I imagine Nicole wanted to shove it up his backside !!
There were way too many misplaced apostrophes for my liking, especially when she persisted in writing parent's and not parents', although it WAS correct, just the once, so somehow, somebody knew the difference !! Complimented was used and not complemented and deserts, not desserts. There were some additional missteps here and there but they kept it from being the perfect read.
I was pleased she updated us at the end on how everyone featured is doing and thank her for sharing their collective story.
I really liked the family and the hero of the tale for me, really, was dear Walt. He was always there, picking up the pieces where needed and for many years was clearly on the sidelines of their lives, yet he stuck around, through good, bad or indifferent, unlike Daddy Dearest. I had VERY little time for him and neither his wife, who also behaved abominably. And HIS behaviour during Linda's illness and in the aftermath I found appalling. There are some really amusing moments in this among the siblings (and also their father's penchant for purple cars tickled me) and the odd very touching moment as well. These kids were raised well and with good values, Linda did a great job.
The best story for me was the transmission tale......I found that soooooooo funny !! I loved the final line the author wrote, too. Made me smile. I wondered if the cover photo is all the siblings together and I wish she'd included some photos so we could see who we'd just read about.
I'm so pleased Nicole and Erica stuck to their guns and didn't give Daddy Dearest their mother's legacies. Though, personally, I imagine Nicole wanted to shove it up his backside !!
There were way too many misplaced apostrophes for my liking, especially when she persisted in writing parent's and not parents', although it WAS correct, just the once, so somehow, somebody knew the difference !! Complimented was used and not complemented and deserts, not desserts. There were some additional missteps here and there but they kept it from being the perfect read.
I was pleased she updated us at the end on how everyone featured is doing and thank her for sharing their collective story.
February 25, 2020
A page-turner of a memoir. A well-written and thoughtful recollection of an unusual and even confusing childhood. The characters are just that -- real characters, presented with compassion and love.
February 28, 2018
Harkin's memoir reads a bit like "the worst day of your life" which affects everyone in your family and lasts for about thirty years. It seems like everything goes wrong, just short of rape, molestation, and murder. Her writing isn't fluff; it's direct and hits hard. It's domestic drama that's written in such an ordinary way that it's almost surreal how much of a realist she is about it.
But somehow, in the thick of all that drudgery and regret, there are moments of humor and hope. I quite liked her moments of dark humor when it came about, in spite of myself simultaneously thinking how horrible it was to think that way. There were times when I was personally annoyed by Harkin's reactions, but hey, I'll give her a break: she was a stressed out teenager during that portion of the book. I appreciate her keeping that in, in retrospect.
I'd gladly think of Harkin's memoir every time I would want to complain about something. Her family experiences have left quite a mark on me.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
But somehow, in the thick of all that drudgery and regret, there are moments of humor and hope. I quite liked her moments of dark humor when it came about, in spite of myself simultaneously thinking how horrible it was to think that way. There were times when I was personally annoyed by Harkin's reactions, but hey, I'll give her a break: she was a stressed out teenager during that portion of the book. I appreciate her keeping that in, in retrospect.
I'd gladly think of Harkin's memoir every time I would want to complain about something. Her family experiences have left quite a mark on me.
I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
November 27, 2022
Anyone who has had their family bring out the worst in them will relate to Nicole's raw, honest portrayal of her interactions with her parents and siblings. I liked the way this story unfolded with stories from different periods in the Harkin family's timeline - I felt almost like I was in a conversation with the author explaining who was who within her family. I think my favorite takeaway was learning how the author and her siblings were able to kind of break the cycle of showing love by attempting to dominate the ones they love.
June 25, 2017
A wonderful account of a mother's difficult life raising four children and having a husband who flies jumbo jets across the Pacific Ocean. Nicole brings great emotion and clarity of how her and her siblings endured a horrible upbringing as they find out their father had a separate life of his own as he lays in a coma. Simply beautiful.
October 6, 2020
I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It resonated with me of my own family and the similarities growing up.
Some good memories revisited as I read through, whether we as a family thought so at the time.
I am sure the author could say the same thing if I am not mistaken- and for me to be so bold as to say so.
Worth a look.
It resonated with me of my own family and the similarities growing up.
Some good memories revisited as I read through, whether we as a family thought so at the time.
I am sure the author could say the same thing if I am not mistaken- and for me to be so bold as to say so.
Worth a look.
July 16, 2017
Nicole Harkin's memoir is a story of personal growth, yearning, and grief, written with a balance of humor and sadness. Her voice is clear and self-reflective as she seeks to understand her tumultuous family relationships as well as her role in them.
December 16, 2017
In Tilting: A Memoir, author Nicole Harkin shares a very personal and painful “story of my childhood and losing my parents.” The reality is that Tilting is more story of being robbed of her childhood and losing that precious childlike naiveté that comes with it.
Harkin’s father, on his deathbed, admits to his daughter that he has a secret girlfriend for quite some time. In that instant, Harkin’s seemingly intact nuclear family disappears. Her own youthful innocence is gone. And, she learns the hardest lesson of all for any child: parents are rarely as we see them and the things they tell us do not always match up with the real world. Harkin paints us a vivid picture of her as a college student trying to keep it all together by emulating her mother, Linda, who is resilient, strong and a pillar for her children.
Harkin’s skill as a writer gives her readers a tale with as much humor as pathos. With dry wit and compassion, Harkin brings her pain and suffering to life without losing us to its harsh reality. Our hearts ache as she tells us her story with a simple tenderness towards her parents that never fades. Harkin remains clear and gentle towards her quirky family members and while the entire family has reason to be angry at each other and themselves, we see them all as human and loveable even at their worst.
Like all of our lives, catastrophic human events cause us to continually tilt in new directions. Harkin’s father recovers but his marriage does not and her mother must face a personal battle with cancer. This telling could easily have been maudlin, self-serving or depressing. That never happens. Instead, Harkin sheds light on a universal experience by taking us on her incredible journey, one that is in all of us.
As many have said, writing a memoir like Tilting is really a tough. Harkin never gets sentimental or demonstrates any self-pity. Instead, she holds herself accountable for the hurt she caused, the support she demanded and understates the amount of healing she had to endure.
All families have secrets and Harkin’s family reminds all of us to think about those people who are close to us and to see their foibles as human as the lives we share. This book is so real and held me to the end. I highly recommend it!
August 20, 2018
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Tilting: A Memoir
Author: Nicole Harkin
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
19 thought the cover was good or excellent.
19 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
19 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘What a wonderfully written story this is. Intense, honest and addictive.’ Female reader, aged 32
‘Enjoyed this so much. The author knows how to pull the reader in with a complex jumble of quirky characters and memorable moments. And the crazy thing is, it’s not even fiction!’ Male reader, aged 65
‘It was the writing style that I enjoyed the most. Refreshingly light with lots of pace. Very difficult to do.’ Male reader, aged 72
‘There’s a lot going on here: family, sibling rivalry, ‘the other woman’, a mother’s love for her children. Fascinating.’ Female reader, aged 51
‘The best book I have read for months; and I read a lot!!!’ Female reader, aged 65
To Sum It Up:
‘Sharply written, absorbing and totally unputdownable. A GOLD MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Tilting: A Memoir
Author: Nicole Harkin
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 10/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
19 thought the cover was good or excellent.
19 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
8 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
19 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘What a wonderfully written story this is. Intense, honest and addictive.’ Female reader, aged 32
‘Enjoyed this so much. The author knows how to pull the reader in with a complex jumble of quirky characters and memorable moments. And the crazy thing is, it’s not even fiction!’ Male reader, aged 65
‘It was the writing style that I enjoyed the most. Refreshingly light with lots of pace. Very difficult to do.’ Male reader, aged 72
‘There’s a lot going on here: family, sibling rivalry, ‘the other woman’, a mother’s love for her children. Fascinating.’ Female reader, aged 51
‘The best book I have read for months; and I read a lot!!!’ Female reader, aged 65
To Sum It Up:
‘Sharply written, absorbing and totally unputdownable. A GOLD MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
June 21, 2018
This is a very touching, compelling portrait of a unique family. It is a quick read that you'll want to finish in one sitting. The author doesn't sugarcoat her life, nor does she try to make us feel sorry for her. She presents the facts in a realist manner, allowing the reader to find their own reaction to each part of the story. Throughout the book, we go back and forth between Nicole's childhood and her adult life, learning that discovering her father's girlfriend, as described in the blurb, is hardly the beginning of the unusual in her life. I laughed, I cried, and I cringed at some of the situations in this family.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources.
October 3, 2017
Tilting drew me straight into the lives of Harkin and her family, holding me tightly until the last page. The characters, especially Linda and Nicole herself, are drawn so well—full of complexity and always fascinating. The book never shies away from the narrator’s flaws and never is self-congratulatory about her many brave and caring actions throughout the book. Because of this, I trust the narrative voice completely (something I can’t say about a lot of memoirs!). There’s so much thematic insight into family dynamics and healing rifts, all the while acknowledging that sometimes life is simply random and uncontrollable. I highly recommend this compelling memoir.
October 1, 2017
A life lived
Writing a memoir must be difficult, but this author did a great job. It held my attention and made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next. She reminded me a lot of what I experienced with the death of each of my parents. With my dad's death, I turned my back on God. Years later, after my sibling died and a lengthy list of other disasters within an 18 months period, God finally got my attention and I turned my life back over to Him. When mom died 40 years later, instead of blaming God, I was given comfort by Him. I pray Nicole will reconsider her spiritual decision before God has to GET her attention, like he did me. Great read.
Writing a memoir must be difficult, but this author did a great job. It held my attention and made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next. She reminded me a lot of what I experienced with the death of each of my parents. With my dad's death, I turned my back on God. Years later, after my sibling died and a lengthy list of other disasters within an 18 months period, God finally got my attention and I turned my life back over to Him. When mom died 40 years later, instead of blaming God, I was given comfort by Him. I pray Nicole will reconsider her spiritual decision before God has to GET her attention, like he did me. Great read.
December 9, 2017
Tilting is a story of survival. Surviving in a haphazard family. Surviving marital discord, divorce, sickness, estrangement, and fighting. This story has it all. Yet, the survivors discovered they were strong and to put aside their fighting and enjoy being siblings. A great read. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
March 18, 2019
Great Memoir!
Title fits, but takes reading the story to understand the title. Great character development. Had me engaged in the story from start to finish. I would have enjoyed pictures, but there were none. Actually had good counselling for dysfunctional families.
Title fits, but takes reading the story to understand the title. Great character development. Had me engaged in the story from start to finish. I would have enjoyed pictures, but there were none. Actually had good counselling for dysfunctional families.
September 27, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads first-reads giveaway.
This book is candidly written, genuine, realistic telling about a family in conflict, with complex and complicated family dynamics, and how they stick together in good times and bad. There is lessons here for all of us in this relatable story.
This book is candidly written, genuine, realistic telling about a family in conflict, with complex and complicated family dynamics, and how they stick together in good times and bad. There is lessons here for all of us in this relatable story.
February 13, 2019
Loved the realistic family. Autobiographical and Montana story. It shows reflection and insight into events of the past through young, old, and different points of view. Google has more family photos that are not included in the story.
March 28, 2018
An compelling story of the challenging ups and downs of life and family relationships. I won this book through goodreads.
December 20, 2018
Family
I was drawn to Tilting for two reasons, one being the picture on the cover including the title, the second was because it is a family memoir. I found myself hurrying through my daily routine to get back to Nicole's words, and characters. She did an excellent job of sharing each family member so the reader became a friend, and cared what happened.
I was drawn to Tilting for two reasons, one being the picture on the cover including the title, the second was because it is a family memoir. I found myself hurrying through my daily routine to get back to Nicole's words, and characters. She did an excellent job of sharing each family member so the reader became a friend, and cared what happened.
June 22, 2018
I think it’s my natural curiosity that led me to read this book, it’s always fascinating to see how other families function or in some cases are simply dysfunctional.
While this is written from Nicole’s viewpoint we do get a decent feel of the family as a whole. Possibly the fact we are drip fed in the blurb that there could be some scandal involving her father’s girlfriend it also reaches into how her mother lives her life and has Walt at her beck and call.
I may be wrong but the way as a young girl Nicole calls her mother Linda speaks volumes .. what has gone on in that little girl’s mind to shut off the natural emotion of recognising ‘Mom’.
They were certainly a quirky family and I liked the time span set during the 80’s, 90’s 2000’s etc because I could almost put myself in Nicole’s shoes when she is describing things that happened. The sad part is it never really felt as though there was any love between any of the family members, whether that be husband/wife, parents kids or the siblings themselves. The only sense of adoration I picked up on was what Nicole desperately yearned for from her father. Her mother struggled in some sense to hold the family together with a fair amount of resentment I felt.
Obviously a memoir is a very private thing but she has chosen to share her life with the world .. Tilting did hold my attention throughout but as I said previously that could be because it was like watching a soap opera unfold.
Thanks to the author and Rachel from Random Resources for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
While this is written from Nicole’s viewpoint we do get a decent feel of the family as a whole. Possibly the fact we are drip fed in the blurb that there could be some scandal involving her father’s girlfriend it also reaches into how her mother lives her life and has Walt at her beck and call.
I may be wrong but the way as a young girl Nicole calls her mother Linda speaks volumes .. what has gone on in that little girl’s mind to shut off the natural emotion of recognising ‘Mom’.
They were certainly a quirky family and I liked the time span set during the 80’s, 90’s 2000’s etc because I could almost put myself in Nicole’s shoes when she is describing things that happened. The sad part is it never really felt as though there was any love between any of the family members, whether that be husband/wife, parents kids or the siblings themselves. The only sense of adoration I picked up on was what Nicole desperately yearned for from her father. Her mother struggled in some sense to hold the family together with a fair amount of resentment I felt.
Obviously a memoir is a very private thing but she has chosen to share her life with the world .. Tilting did hold my attention throughout but as I said previously that could be because it was like watching a soap opera unfold.
Thanks to the author and Rachel from Random Resources for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
December 24, 2019
As mentioned frequently in reviews I read this in a day. Ms Harkin's story, detailing her family life and relationships through a dysfunctional, even cruel home environment as a child, building and expounding in each chapter to the ultimate confrontation, or realization of the true family dynamic and her acceptance of what was, who was, and how she dealt herself a hand of guilt that took many years to resolve. Her father's near death brings the new realizations and the course of his continual push on her until she chooses a different path is painful to read. Her mother is a whole other story, their strained relations and again how she pulls herself into a whole life from that chaos was inspiring.
May 26, 2023
Steely-eyed, flinty, smolderingly tender : a blazing heartwood of a family memoir
Am I allowed to use steely-eyed, flinty & tender in the same sentence? Those words work for this piece, both as a description of the emotionally remote ice flow of a family Harkins grew up in & the pyroclastic dynamics that tore her family apart. I read her book through in one sitting (while also listening to the extremely good audible narration). A tight 200 pages of taut fire & ice prose.
Harkins' remarkably flammable family tale is retold with heart & humor, as only Nicole can: Observation without caricature. Insight without bitterness. Discovery without mawkishness. A good read.
Am I allowed to use steely-eyed, flinty & tender in the same sentence? Those words work for this piece, both as a description of the emotionally remote ice flow of a family Harkins grew up in & the pyroclastic dynamics that tore her family apart. I read her book through in one sitting (while also listening to the extremely good audible narration). A tight 200 pages of taut fire & ice prose.
Harkins' remarkably flammable family tale is retold with heart & humor, as only Nicole can: Observation without caricature. Insight without bitterness. Discovery without mawkishness. A good read.
November 13, 2018
Heartfelt and warm
I really enjoyed this memoir. It was so real and so gripping. While I'm happy the author wrote this book so I could enjoy it, I'm sad she had to go through all of it in the first place. But I know without it and wouldn't have had the words for this book.
I really enjoyed this memoir. It was so real and so gripping. While I'm happy the author wrote this book so I could enjoy it, I'm sad she had to go through all of it in the first place. But I know without it and wouldn't have had the words for this book.
July 2, 2022
an intimate book
An open, honest sharing of a strife torn life…. A tribute to survival and dealing with life’s frailty. The author’s words hold one’s attention from beginning to end. This must have been a very hard book to write. I look forward to her ongoing literary efforts.
An open, honest sharing of a strife torn life…. A tribute to survival and dealing with life’s frailty. The author’s words hold one’s attention from beginning to end. This must have been a very hard book to write. I look forward to her ongoing literary efforts.
June 12, 2022
very enjoyable
Well written and easy to read memoir about a complicated family . Not wanting to divulge all the story , I’ll leave you to it.
Well written and easy to read memoir about a complicated family . Not wanting to divulge all the story , I’ll leave you to it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews