Read The Autumn Balloon A Memoir Ken Porpora 9781455545148 Books
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Every autumn, Kenny Porpora would watch his heartbroken mother scribble messages on balloons and release them into the sky above Long Island, one for each family member they'd lost to addiction. As the number of balloons grew, his mother fell deeper into alcoholism, drinking away her sorrows every night in front of the television, where her love of Regis Philbin provided a respite from the sadness around her.
When their house was foreclosed upon, Kenny's mother absconded with him and his beloved dog and fled for the Arizona desert, joining her heroin-addicted brother on a quixotic search for a better life. What followed was an outlaw adolescence spent in constant upheaval surrounded by bizarre characters and drug-addicted souls.
In the wake of unspeakable loss, Kenny convinced a college to take a chance on him, and turned to the mentors, writers, and poets he found to rebuild the family he lost, and eventually graduated from the Ivy League with a new life.
Porpora's memoir is the story of a deeply dysfunctional but loving family, and follows his life from the chaos of his youth to his triumphs in the Ivy League. At times darkly comic, at times elegiac, The Autumn Balloon is a beautifully written testament to the irreplaceable bonds of family, even under the most trying circumstances, and one that marks the debut of an exciting new writer.
Read The Autumn Balloon A Memoir Ken Porpora 9781455545148 Books
"This book did a wonderful job of peeking into the lives of two innocent boys, a mother and a father. Kenny does an excellent job of telling events, that are heartbreaking and gut wrenching, with a sense of innocence and clarity. His ability to observe and describe these life changing events is incredible. The every day-to-day dialogue between Kenny and his brother Steve, is done in a way that demonstrates his appreciation for the bond that they share. I picked this book up and although I didn't want to put it down, life also has to go on. I found myself laughing, crying and analyzing every single part of the book when I wasn't reading it. The Autumn Balloon proves that regardless of what has happened to us, we can choose to overcome and learn from all of those life lessons. Kenny is an incredible writer and I find myself asking when will he publish his next book."
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The Autumn Balloon A Memoir Ken Porpora 9781455545148 Books Reviews :
The Autumn Balloon A Memoir Ken Porpora 9781455545148 Books Reviews
- This book did a wonderful job of peeking into the lives of two innocent boys, a mother and a father. Kenny does an excellent job of telling events, that are heartbreaking and gut wrenching, with a sense of innocence and clarity. His ability to observe and describe these life changing events is incredible. The every day-to-day dialogue between Kenny and his brother Steve, is done in a way that demonstrates his appreciation for the bond that they share. I picked this book up and although I didn't want to put it down, life also has to go on. I found myself laughing, crying and analyzing every single part of the book when I wasn't reading it. The Autumn Balloon proves that regardless of what has happened to us, we can choose to overcome and learn from all of those life lessons. Kenny is an incredible writer and I find myself asking when will he publish his next book.
- I read this book in two days. I normally have to force myself to take the time to read and finish a book. This book became my best friend for those two days, because I grew attached to the author and his story immediately. It came everywhere with me. I could easily associate with his story, not necessarily from a personal level, but just knowing so many families and people like him. I have always been drawn to the underdog or the less fortunate kids that learn to survive and strive to do better, break family cycles, and shine their light to help others. The kids that live through the dysfunction, the violence, the addictions, etc. without going down that same path but instead coming out of it all the stronger and wiser, like Kenny, they are heroes. I will be referring this book to many for a long time.
- Kenny manages to place the reader smack-dab into the middle of his abusive childhood. I was sad and angry at the same time; some adults have no idea what they do to children. So many children live this life - he touched on alcoholism, sexual abuse, drug abuse, homelessness and suicide.
I liked the way the book segued into the next phase of his life without fanfare, because Kenny's life was like that ...without color or form. - The word pictures in this book blows me away. It's been a while since I have read a book of this quality. It's more than a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" memoir; he makes you feel like you're there. The way he taught himself to read is a lesson for anyone- find an author you like and emulate until you find your stride. I had a little trouble with the timeline but it doesn't take away. I hope he continues; I'd like to know the rest of the story. Kudos. (By the way, for people who find the language offensive, please remember that this is a memoir. The language advances the story and is in no way gratuitous.)
- What a dysfunctional family. My heart went out to the children for the constant fighting and verbal abuse they had to contend with. So glad they finally stood up to their mom. I am not a prude, but I did find the language constantly coming from the mother very offensive. I cannot imagine a child having to live with that.
Through all the heartache, drugs and alcohol they seemed to love one another. Such a shame the alcohol took preference with the mom. The author deserves a tremendous amount of credit to overcome the hardships and continue his education at an Ivy League school no less. - Since the memoir genre exploded with the publication of Angela's Ashes in January of 2000, there have been many, many books written about what it's like to grow up in dysfunctional families of every ilk. If one makes the mistake of dismissing this as just another book by an unknown author on this topic, one is missing out on one of the best so far. Kenny Porpora bravely shares his story of just what it takes to, not only survive, but thrive in an impossibly dysfunctional family plagued by the poverty that results from a long history of addiction. His unique voice is clear, often tender, in its depiction of the people closest to him and how, in failing themselves, they also failed him. Perhaps Porpora's greatest gift is his uncanny ear for dialogue. When his characters speak, we can hear them - see them, even. And via yet an even greater gift of Porpora's, generosity of spirit, we find ourselves able to forgive them, as he does, understanding that they were doing the best they could. I feel richer for having read this book. Don't miss it.
- I'm not even sure I have the ability to write a review worthy enough to describe how stunning this book is. Brilliantly written—this story consumed me from the moment I picked it up. The authors story felt like my story, perhaps because it was so beautifully told—but so much so that at times I wondered whether we were living the same childhood, miles apart. All in all, a story of hardship, loss, and struggle—but more importantly, one of hope and triumph in the face of those things.
- I couldn't put this book down. I've read lots of stories of dysfunctional families, but this was unique. These extremely damaged parents really loved their children despite the travails they put them through. Since I knew from the prologue there was a happy ending, I kept on reading. Otherwise I might have put the book down. All in all an absorbing read.
