“These are tears of unexpected anger.
Anger at what’s happening to her. Anger at the heaviness that buries me in the past, because that’s the only place I can still find her. Anger at my inability to build a bridge between the chasm separating me and these Polaroid versions of me. Anger at my anger, when I have so much to be grateful for.”
Genre: Memoir, Humor, Nonfiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions death, dementia
“Open Up” follows the author, Alex Woodard, and how he grows (as a child actor/line-memorizer, as a singer-songwriter) and fucks up and gets better and deals with his family and relationships and heartbreak and lowkey childhood trauma.
This memoir was wonderfully written, it was almost poetic. I really enjoyed the pictures at the end of some chapters (especially the Skippy one, I’m sorry).
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes funny memoirs or slice-of-life literature, especially if they have an interest in dementia and how it affects family members even in the most subtle of ways. No, dementia isn’t really the main topic here, but it’s like it’s been interwoven into the essential fabric of this memoir. Either way, it’s a really good book.
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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
p.s. the chapters “Emily” and “The Sender” absolutely destroyed me. What a beautiful letter, what a beautiful song.
andrea's galley 