Book Beginning: The Inheritance of Shame by Peter Gajdics

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAYS

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

MY BOOK BEGINNING

By the third time the car had circled the block, I knew the man was interested.

-- The Inheritance of Shame: A Memoir by Peter Gajdics, published by Brown Paper Press.

Gajdics grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, raised by Eastern European parents who struggled with their own tormented histories. His new book tells the story of growing up gay, spending six years in "conversion therapy" trying not to be, suing his psychiatrist, and finally attempting to reclaim his life, his family, and his truth.

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Instagram, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING

Teaser Tuesday: My Father's Ledger by Mary Mills

“I would like to begin today by saying that I don’t have any expectations for either of you to make any kind of statement or apology to me. In fact, I would almost prefer that you didn’t try to say anything to appease me.”

-- My Father's Ledger: Sex Abuse by a Catholic Priest - A Family's Story of Grace Survival and Healing by Mary Mills, from Chapter One, "Grace: At the Table With the Priests."

Mary Mills' memoir tells the story of how her Catholic family was torn apart when their priest seduced the mother and later sexually abused her younger sister. But she goes further and explains how they were able to come together again as adults.

This book touches me personally because I was one of the attorneys who represented the sister in her claim against the Jesuits. The scene above is from the meeting between our client and the perpetrator priest and a representative from the Jesuits, which we negotiated as part of the resolution of her claim so she could speak her piece.

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by The Purple Booker, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.

Mailbox Monday: Brown Paper Press

I'm excited about these three books from Brown Paper Press! Two are essay collections, one is a memoir.



Burdens by Water: An Unintended Memoir by Alan Rifkin. A collection of essays about life in Southern California.



I'm Dyin' Here: A Life in the Paper by Tim Grobaty. In this collection of essays, the author contemplates life as a newspaper columnist, including the ideas that he might die at his job and that the newspaper industry is dying around him.



The Inheritance of Shame: A Memoir by Peter Gajdics. The author spent six years in a cult-like version of conversion therapy that attempted to “cure” him of his homosexuality.

A little backstory: My parents turned me on to Brown Paper Press. My folks have been good friends since the 1950s with the parents of founder Wendy Thomas Russell. When our parents were visiting this summer, they put it together that I have a book blog and Wendy is a book publisher, so they hooked us up. Good connection! I think the last time we saw each other, I was maybe in first grade and Wendy was in a stroller!

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.

Book Beginning: My Father's Ledger by Mary Mills

BOOK BEGINNINGS ON FRIDAYS

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!

MY BOOK BEGINNING

Roseanne slowly maneuvered her Volkswagen Passat toward downtown, her fingers drumming an impatient rhythm on the steering wheel.

-- My Father's Ledger: Sex Abuse by a Catholic Priest - A Family's Story of Grace Survival and Healing by Mary Mills, from Chapter One, "Grace: At the Table With the Priests."

This powerful new memoir tells how the betrayal of trust can change a family forever. It doesn't give too much away to explain that the family priest seduced the mother and later sexually abused the author's younger sister.

This book touches me personally because I was one of the attorneys who represented the sister in her claim against the Jesuits. The story of the family's survival is inspiring.

Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.

FACEBOOK: Rose City Reader has a Facebook page where I post about new and favorite books, book events, and other bookish tidbits, as well as link to blog posts. I'd love a "Like" on the page! You can go to the page here to Like it. I am happy to Like you back if you have a blog or professional Facebook page, so please leave a comment with a link and I will find you.

TWITTER, ETC: If you are on Twitter, Instagram, Google+, or other social media, please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings. I try to follow all Book  Beginnings participants on whatever interweb sites you are on, so please let me know if I have missed any and I will catch up.

TIE IN: The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice is a natural tie in with this event and there is a lot of cross over, so many people combine the two. The idea is to post a teaser from page 56 of the book you are reading and share a link to your post. Find details and the Linky for your Friday 56 post on Freda’s Voice.

YOUR BOOK BEGINNING

Mailbox Monday

I got two new books last week while we were driving through the Poconos and stopped to explore Jim Thorpe, a historic mining town. The adorable Dimmick Memorial Library had a pretty good Friends sale shelf.

What books came into your house last week?



The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost



Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark by Jane Fletcher Geniesse

Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday, a weekly "show & tell" blog event where participants share the books they acquired the week before. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is graciously hosted by Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach.