Sweet Mystery

In this autobiography, Paterson, a college professor and journalist, recounts her memories of growing up in a Southern family during the 1940s, plagued by her family's addictions and mental illnesses in addition to the trauma of her father's leaving to serve in World War II. Her first ten years until her mother's death at 31 were marked by fear, pain, and uncertainty, never knowing which mother she would encounter: the warm, loving parent who took her on special outings to the beach or the frightening addict in the darkened bedroom who snapped at the simplest request and told everyone to go away. Paterson manages to capture her heartbreaking childhood feelings with startling realism. For instance, her fear is nearly palpable as she tells of waiting hours in the car for her father to come out of a bar until she finally has to walk the several miles home alone. This book is for all who appreciate eloquent writing of bittersweet memories, as well as those struggling with the legacy of a painful childhood.--Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo