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Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 05/2020
  • 9780578690889
  • 192 pages
  • $9.99
Gary Sweeney
Author
The Light of Other Days
Gary Sweeney, author

Adult; Memoir; (Market)

The Light of Other Days is a memoir about growing up in a turbulent household with an anxiety disorder, depression, sensory issues, and introversion while struggling with an absent father and an emotionally-distant stepfather.

It is also a story about a wonderful relationship between a boy and his great-grandfather, a man who unwittingly filled a parental void in the midst of his own depression.

Beginning in the blue-collar world of 1970s Philadelphia and ending over two decades later, The Light of Other Days follows the trials of adolescence and an internal monologue that was often louder than the outside world.

Reviews
Amazon

“The perception that everything is fine makes others feel good. They want to believe in the stillness of the water’s surface because if they concede that something darker might exist underneath, they either have to address it or ignore its presence – and both require effort.” Author Gary Sweeney

What helps a boy, abandoned by much of his family, as he grows up? How can he navigate through loneliness, anxiety, depression, and feelings of being misunderstood with an absent father, a disinterested stepfather, and a mother lost in the bubble of work and self-advancement? How can he be equipped with better weapons to avoid substance abuse, violence, and self-sabotage - traps that other family members fell into as probable escapes? It takes the kindness and special bond with someone who is present and makes you feel as if your life has meaning and worth. For the author, Gary Sweeney, that person is Pop, his maternal great-grandfather. Pop, with his acceptance and encouragement, may have saved Gary’s life with his presence–or it may have been the other way around.

In The Light of Other Days, the reader sees the author’s story from his eyes as he navigates an often unstable childhood. Pop is dealing with his own issues of being out of work without a pension as Midvale Steel closes shortly before his retirement. This loss of routine and financial insecurity leaves him dealing with the bitter feelings of uselessness and hopelessness, in addition to the physical and mental aspects of aging. When Gary is born, however, a bond is formed that makes an immeasurable difference in both of their lives.

Once I picked up this memoir, it was difficult to put down. The author tells his story in a way that immediately drew me in. I connected with many parts, especially the feelings of not mattering and “…being moved to the back of the line in more than one sense…” I was also drawn into the curiosities of the author’s dreams and his penchant for inventing histories for the long-dead. The biggest takeaway for me is the reminder that it can take one person to change the trajectory of someone’s life. Being present and accepting a person for who they are (quirks, oddities, imperfections, and all) can give a child a raft to hold onto in turbulent seas. As a teacher and adult, it reminds me to make myself more available to spend quality time with people, whether it’s watching old movies, going fishing, or just simply sharing lunch and listening with my whole being. Being present is something that everyone struggles with, especially in the modern age, but if you are so lucky-the loving bond you can create with someone is really what life’s all about. I highly recommend The Light of Other Days. As the author states, “…no matter how dark the world can be, there is always a bit of light, if you know where to find it.”

Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 05/2020
  • 9780578690889
  • 192 pages
  • $9.99
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