A poignant, âraw[,] and tenderâ (The New York Times Book Review) memoir told in essays and graphic shorts about what life looks like twenty years after recovery from addictionâand how to live with the past as a parent, writer, and sober personâfrom a regular opener for David Sedaris.
In the opening of this âunexpectedly uplifting...masterfully crafted memoirâ (Shelf Awareness, starred review) Cindy, twenty years into recovery after a heroin addiction, grapples with how to tell her nine-year-old son about her past. She wants him to learn this history from her, not anyone else; but she worries about the effect this truth may have on him. Told in essays and graphic narrative shorts, Mother Noise is a stunning memoir that delves deep into our responsibilities as parents while celebrating the moments of grace and generosity that mark a true friendshipâin this case, her benefactor and champion through the years, David Sedaris.
This is a powerful memoir about addiction, motherhood, and Cindyâs ongoing effort to reconcile the two. Are we required to share with our children the painful details of our past, or do we owe them protection from the harsh truth of who we were before?
With dark humor and brutal, clear-eyed honesty, Mother Noise is âa full-throated anthem of hope, [that] lends light to a dark issueâ (Publishers Weekly, starred review).