Memory Palace, The
Bartok, MiraWhen life with their brilliant but schizophrenic mother becomes unbearable, sisters Mira and Natalia are forced to sever all contact. Reconciled many years later, artist and writer Mira Bartok draws from her 'memory palace' to tell the story of growing-up with a parent with a debilitating mental illness, and the pain and heartbreak that led to their abandoning their mother.
Punctuated with Bartok's original art, this is an exquisitely written memoir, compassionate, poignant and above all, testimony to the strength of bonds between mother and daughters. [Small font]
Comments from Groups
Good discussion. Not an easy read. Thought provoking. Timaru 011
Excellent book. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Wellington 029
Only four read the whole book. Others were quite emotional about the subject. Most agreed the writer wrote brilliantly. Wellington 104
Everyone really enjoyed reading this book and thought that it was beautifully written. Despite dealing with very difficult issues, the book was well balanced and included many positives. Wellington 007
Our group mostly found it difficult to read although one member found the head injury material useful in dealing with people with head injuries. There was a comparison with 'The Glass Castle', similar content, but very different writing styles. Tauranga 037
301
2011