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elinakd's review against another edition
4.0
I read The Night of the Gun years ago and now really enjoyed the insight into the relationship between Erin and David. What a strong writer David Carr was, even in emails to his daughter.
_kdickens's review
4.0
My first memoir/non-fiction...makes me want to read more, that is for sure.
It feels weird to "rate" a memoir...even something like tone because it's a sharing of experiences and personal messages. I guess I'll just say it's not a 5-star as I wished more was explored regarding alcoholism and more of the struggles...seems like it was skimmed over or talked about lightly. But then again, I understand it is up to the writer to disclose.
I did get emotional. Especially because I am very close to my dad, so reading this got hard for me when it came to topics of the morality of parents. I tend to not think about those things although it is important and reality.
Definitely liked this book. Wished there was more in-depth exploration regarding some topics but again, hard to judge a memoir.
I was very touched and will be reading more memoirs in the future.
Fave part was the excerpt from his speech at UC at Berkeley commencement .
It feels weird to "rate" a memoir...even something like tone because it's a sharing of experiences and personal messages. I guess I'll just say it's not a 5-star as I wished more was explored regarding alcoholism and more of the struggles...seems like it was skimmed over or talked about lightly. But then again, I understand it is up to the writer to disclose.
I did get emotional. Especially because I am very close to my dad, so reading this got hard for me when it came to topics of the morality of parents. I tend to not think about those things although it is important and reality.
Definitely liked this book. Wished there was more in-depth exploration regarding some topics but again, hard to judge a memoir.
I was very touched and will be reading more memoirs in the future.
Fave part was the excerpt from his speech at UC at Berkeley commencement .
jodiwilldare's review
4.0
I have a soft spot for David Carr, who died in 2015, because he once told me I write like an angel.
Carr’s memoir does not sugarcoat anything — she shows her dad how she saw him, lumps and all. They fight, they makeup, sometimes she’s a sullen brat and sometimes he’s an unreasonable hardass. They both struggle with addictions and how those addictions didn’t always make them their best selves.
But through it all you can tell Carr not only loved her dad, but she admired him as a mentor (Carr is a documentarian who made the excellent “Mommy Dead and Dearest“). What I love about this one was not just how beautifully David Carr expressed his love for his daughter, but the smart advice he gave her when it came to her career.
More than a few tears were shed in this one, especially when she talked about how she and her dad bonded through music.
Carr’s memoir does not sugarcoat anything — she shows her dad how she saw him, lumps and all. They fight, they makeup, sometimes she’s a sullen brat and sometimes he’s an unreasonable hardass. They both struggle with addictions and how those addictions didn’t always make them their best selves.
But through it all you can tell Carr not only loved her dad, but she admired him as a mentor (Carr is a documentarian who made the excellent “Mommy Dead and Dearest“). What I love about this one was not just how beautifully David Carr expressed his love for his daughter, but the smart advice he gave her when it came to her career.
More than a few tears were shed in this one, especially when she talked about how she and her dad bonded through music.
stephbails's review
4.0
The writing itself is nothing out of this world, but it is a gift to be able to curate stories, essays, emails, speeches, etc. into one body of work and tell a complicated story of a parent-child relationship. This book is raw and brave, and Erin Lee Carr reveals truths about herself and mistakes she has made along the way that other less brave souls may not be willing to share.
lunztruk's review
2.0
2.5 stars rounded down.
Although I liked a few parts of this book, I found much of it unengaging and surface level. Perhaps I've read enough books that deal with loss, addiction, and proximity to fame that made the story here seem a bit shallow. That said, this must have been a lot for the author to deal with and I commend her willingness to share her story - my comments on this book in no way aim to trivialize her experiences.
I'm also pretty agnostic/uninterested in David Carr, which may have diminished some of this book's appeal for me.
Thank you Random House and Goodreads giveaways for the free copy!
Although I liked a few parts of this book, I found much of it unengaging and surface level. Perhaps I've read enough books that deal with loss, addiction, and proximity to fame that made the story here seem a bit shallow. That said, this must have been a lot for the author to deal with and I commend her willingness to share her story - my comments on this book in no way aim to trivialize her experiences.
I'm also pretty agnostic/uninterested in David Carr, which may have diminished some of this book's appeal for me.
Thank you Random House and Goodreads giveaways for the free copy!
marisahowardkarp's review
1.0
Repeat after me: having a good story to tell does not make you an author.
kerbrary's review
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
I listened to the night of the gun many years ago and it's such a great memoir. I thought this memoir, written by David Carr's daughter was also well done and there's a lot I can relate to emotionally -- especially after losing my Dad only a few years ago. Great audiobook.
gregzimmerman's review
4.0
I suspect most people will read this to learn more about journalist David Carr - a one-of-a-kind human. And it doesn’t disappoint. His emails and texts to his daughter provide an insight into this flawed, fascinating, complicated person you’d rarely get.
But the memoir itself about Erin’s coming of age in media is really engaging as well. It’s about grief, alcoholism, and media and how her father guided her every step of the way. Strays into self-importance maybe a bit too much, but who wasn’t a bit insufferable in their 20s. I sure was.
But the memoir itself about Erin’s coming of age in media is really engaging as well. It’s about grief, alcoholism, and media and how her father guided her every step of the way. Strays into self-importance maybe a bit too much, but who wasn’t a bit insufferable in their 20s. I sure was.
lottie1803's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.75