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cstefko's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
This essay collection loses a bit of steam at the end, but overall it's a very engrossing memoir. I particularly enjoyed the essays that dealt with Fitzgerald's complicated relationship with Catholicism and his grappling with toxic masculinity. The essay about his time in Burma was also interesting because he has to reflect on the intersection of privilege and philanthropy. Fitzgerald is nothing if not candid, sometimes startlingly so.
This book fully lives up to the hype. Fitzgerald is a consummate storyteller and grips the reader from the first line. And frankly, his life story is just fascinating. He's been through a lot, done a lot, and felt a lot.
Just be warned: it's very sad, and very graphic at times in terms of violence, suicide ideation, and sex (those are all very different subjects, but you know what I mean).
And a special shoutout for the book design: the cover is so striking and I loved that the cover image recurs as a section break symbol.
This book fully lives up to the hype. Fitzgerald is a consummate storyteller and grips the reader from the first line. And frankly, his life story is just fascinating. He's been through a lot, done a lot, and felt a lot.
Just be warned: it's very sad, and very graphic at times in terms of violence, suicide ideation, and sex (those are all very different subjects, but you know what I mean).
And a special shoutout for the book design: the cover is so striking and I loved that the cover image recurs as a section break symbol.
jencunn2024's review against another edition
2.0
This memoir didn’t do a whole lot for me but it was readable and it may be more beneficial to others. It is really more of a collection of essays than a linear memoir. The general thoughts he’s trying to share are about forgiveness and grace and always working to make yourself, your relationships, your family better. I felt there were some valuable shares but Isaac Fitzgerald still holds his emotions and revelations in check, a reserved state of emotion. He talks about that a little more and reveals a little more in the last bit, but this did not turn out to be inspiring or impressive to me. Unfortunately, I feel like he still told other peoples’ stories as observer more than he told about himself. However, I think you can still interpolate and extract meaning and significance from some of the events in his life and his his experiences. My favorite bit was his young adult life in The San Francisco porn scene. That was really the epitome of all the diversity throughout his life and why I stuck with his book. The diversity of the people surrounding him is notable. He does read the audiobook himself which is probably beneficial for picking up on his intonations and sincerity.
stefmar_'s review against another edition
This didn’t hit for me as much as I was hoping from a fellow New Englander. The editors did him dirty on the placements of the essays and they weren’t engaging enough to cover up the mess. Also, I was even more disappointed considering the authors who blurbed this book… why Marlon James!?
kylegray20's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
trin's review against another edition
3.0
The Burma essay is incredible; others are just okay. Fitzgerald seems like a nice person and is wildly well-connected, but this is definitely a bit overhyped. Still, a fine, if not revelatory, book.
smf2023's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
quinnlikesreading's review against another edition
3.25
I struggling rating this - there were parts of the book I really really enjoyed, and parts I was not interested in at all.