I had a really hard time getting into this book. It jumped all over the place, which drove me crazy. Since I did not finish the book, I do not intend to publish a review. ( )

Let me be upfront and honest. Crockett's words will make you wince. If you have an alcoholic in your life, his words will ring truer than you can to admit. If you have poverty in your life, his words will ring truer than you can to admit. If you have ever had to struggle on the dark side of town, his words will ring truest of all. Crockett might not be the most elegant of writers, but he is one of the most honest and engaging authors I have read in a long time. He does not shy away from his own faults and failures. The moral of the story is that everyone has a story. I hope he keeps writing. I think he has more to say. ( )

Memoir of the author growing up in a very dysfunctional family, with his dad being an alcoholic and abandoned the family.. Very honest description of the heartache, the struggles the family members had to deal with. Written in an easy to read style. ( )

Ed Crockett's father was known as the "biggest drunk in Portland (Maine)."  The father abandoned his wife and children and spent several years living on the city streets while his family struggled to survive.  Crockett's memoir, detailing his childhood struggles and his journey to adulthood while living in the shadow of being the son of the town drunk, is honest and unflinching, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately a tribute to the power of family love and forgiveness.
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Revealing memoir of a boy's life as he grows to manhood with his absent, alcoholic father. Loved the insight and the path he took. As I am not a sports fan, he and his father's love of sports as expressed in the book broke up the story of the healing power of forgiveness and love. Also, enjoyed the references to Maine in general and to Portland in particular. Enjoyable read. ( )