A review by maralyons
Upper Bohemia: A Memoir by Hayden Herrera

3.0

A fascinating memoir about growing up with "Upper Bohemian" parents in the 1940-50s. Herrera describes Upper Bohemian as those born into wealth/privilege that decide to live in unconventional ways. Hayden Herrera's parents were both artists and constantly in flux. Her parents constantly moved and married different partners multiple times during her childhood. This lead to Herrera and her older sister living in many homes in Massachusetts, New York, and Mexico with each parent and their partners. Instability was the only constant for Hayden and her sister, Blair. Their parents were more concerned with satisfying their desires and whims than being parents, which forced their children to learn independence early on. There was Herrera's parents grew up in worlds of wealth and privilege, so it's fascinating to hear the name dropping of those in their circles, including famous artists and families that built major American institutions. 'Upper Bohemia' reads like someone recounting their chaotic childhood at a party with artists. This didn't always work for me as some parts were a little disjointed and slow. Despite being pretty short, this took me a while to get through. Overall, a unique perspective recounting the fascinating experiences of a child of Upper Bohemians in the 1940-50s.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing this ARC.