All Souls Day: November 2
What is All Souls Day? I have no idea and am too lazy to wikipedia it.
But I do know that "All Souls" is one of the great American biographies I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Read it about six years ago in one sitting. It is the story of Michael Patrick MacDonald, a man who grew up in Southie, a tough and poor section of Boston. South Boston, to be exact. I won't descibe what is in the book beyond the fact that six years after reading it, I still have wonderful memories of crying after I had finished it and sat on my couch thinking about the beauty of the writing, the sadness and strength of the story, the shame of Southie and the entire city's protection of the Mob and Whitey Bulger for decades, the awful wasting of lives due to ignorance, alcoholism and drug abuse, racism, and flat out poverty. Please read this book if you care about Boston, the Irish experience in America, poverty, or crime.
But interestingly, the author is raked over the coals by some former Southie neighbors on the Amazon review section. Here's some of the most negative reviews. I suppose any great work of art will arouse some negativity among readers, but it was still surprising to read the hatred directed towards the auther.
Do yourself a favor and read this book, if you haven't already!
But I do know that "All Souls" is one of the great American biographies I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Read it about six years ago in one sitting. It is the story of Michael Patrick MacDonald, a man who grew up in Southie, a tough and poor section of Boston. South Boston, to be exact. I won't descibe what is in the book beyond the fact that six years after reading it, I still have wonderful memories of crying after I had finished it and sat on my couch thinking about the beauty of the writing, the sadness and strength of the story, the shame of Southie and the entire city's protection of the Mob and Whitey Bulger for decades, the awful wasting of lives due to ignorance, alcoholism and drug abuse, racism, and flat out poverty. Please read this book if you care about Boston, the Irish experience in America, poverty, or crime.
But interestingly, the author is raked over the coals by some former Southie neighbors on the Amazon review section. Here's some of the most negative reviews. I suppose any great work of art will arouse some negativity among readers, but it was still surprising to read the hatred directed towards the auther.
Do yourself a favor and read this book, if you haven't already!
posted by joe sweeney at 7:38 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home