memoir
Memorial Drive is mostly the author’s mother’s story. After
experiencing racial tensions and marital woes, Natasha Trethewey’s mother takes
her to Atlanta where they plan to begin a new chapter in their life. Sadly, her mother marries a controlling man who ends up shooting her to death when Natasha is at
college. (I’m not giving anything away as this is explained at the beginning
and is mentioned in the official book summary.)
This tale is tragic yet beautifully told. Natasha and I were born in the same year to
mothers who were born in the same year. We both moved to Atlanta in the 1970s.
But the frameworks of our lives were very different. Of course, this memoir is
told from Natasha’s point of view and is, therefore, also an autobiography.
There is a good bit of self-reflection and self-assessment in these pages. As a
child, she reacted to the world around her as best she could. As an adult, she
is still learning to face her past. It’s a very moving story.
Trethewey narrated the audiobook herself and did a marvelous
job. In fact, I was impressed with her bravery at reading the most difficult
portions aloud. I give her an A!
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