A review by appenthaknows
On Chapel Sands: The Mystery of My Mother's Disappearance as a Child by Laura Cumming

4.0

Beautifully written memoir that delves into the life known and unknown of the authors mother. It’s a lovely genre because it completely democratises the notion that only great men should be written about. Personal, private heartbreaks, great and small are what shape people, and their families. Cumming’s perspective as an art critic drives this exploration into the mysteries of the secrecy in little town family life, with only a handful of photographs she connects long forgotten memories and builds a compelling narrative. Fans of family history will enjoy and nod to the joy of a break in the story that adds colour to a gap in time. It is too a Künstlerroman, a portrait of the growth of the artist. Cumming’s description of her grandfathers photograph which she likens to a Vermeer, something he could never have possibly seen, shows the pride in tracing a unique talent back through generations. You get a huge sense of the connectedness of this family from the authors mother onwards, to have spent such time and effort in researching tirelessly is no mean feat. Hugely inspiring read.

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#onchapelsands
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This copy loaned from @leedslibraries