The author suggests at the outset readers will laugh and cry reading it. He was right on the mark on both of these points. In fact, I finished the book today while eating lunch. As I read the last 40 or so pages I openly wept, and even laughed in between the weeping.
The Bragg family grew up with virtually nothing. The father left the family a number of times, offering no financial assistance and stealing whatever he could before he left. When he was there, he was usually drunk and physically abusive to mother and children. Mr. Bragg's mother's life consisted of working herself to exhaustion, using whatever money they had for the children and then of course, defending the children from their violent father.
The second half of the book follows Mr. Bragg's career and family as it develops. Mr. Bragg covered events like the Miami riots, the Haitian atrocities, and the Susan Smith case (that was one that had me weeping uncontrollably today) among others.
The book is one of the best I have ever read. There were dozens of lessons I learned from the book, and two that touched me deeply. First, it's hard to see folks living in shame because they cover it up really well. I grew up in an upper middle class family and simply don't have a clue what it means to be so broke that you are ashamed to be around people who have money.
I bet it wouldn't take much effort for me to identify a time in my life when I was cruel towards people who were poor, raining judgment down on them. One of the most poignant parts of the book that had me weeping that day at the cafe involved his mom. When Mr. Bragg won the Pulitzer, he wanted his mom to come to the event. She was initially too scared to go because she was ashamed in front of all of the rich folks.
The situation in Haiti was and probably still is horrific. Mr. Bragg pulls no punches he tells it just as it was. At the horror's center is money. He was nakedly honest about how people who did wrong on most levels brought up a rage in him that often included violent thoughts.
I can understand how he would see things that way given what he went through and what he covered. I've never quite made sense of this, but it's because he lived it and saw it that I was able to read this magnificent book. Think of it this way, if there weren't the violence in the world and his upbringing I bet Mr. Bragg would still be a writer and his books' beauty would be without reference.
I freely admit that I sabotaged myself when I read this book. I knew as soon as I started it that I would love it. So I intentionally read sentences, even pages, two and three times. Mr. Bragg's writing style vibes well with me because he's honest and direct which, for me, is a recipe for tears and laughter.
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