An Abbreviated Life : A Memoir

This is a great memoir about growing up rich but not privileged. The author was surrounded by material comforts and famous people, but had no one to care for her. Her father lived in Southeast Asia and her mother was impressive and witty but over bearing and terrifically needy. The author is a very good writer. This memoir has immediacy. One can see the little girl trying to get sleep on a school night while the party rages on. One can see the little girl so eager for happy contact with an unfortunate mother with no boundaries. One can see the little girl clinging to her abusive nanny because the woman does care about her in her own way.

The poignancy of this memoir comes as the grown up little girl struggles to overcome the past without any guidelines for living a “normal” life. The breakthrough comes when she no longer sees her mother and hides from her on the other side of the world. This memoir rings very true; childhood abuse has long lasting effects. One hopes that this remarkable writer will be freed of them.