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I seem to be reading memoirs about dead fathers. This is my second in a row. Carr writes a beautiful testimony to her father, David, who died at 58. I thought I was a good parent but now I feel I have to kick it up a notch. David was a crack addict and alcoholic with twins who kicked it all to become a columnist at The NY Times. His advice to his children. and his (sometimes tough) love was ❤️❤️ 🔥

Burlington - where I finished reading this one.

Fantastic #reread of a relatable memoir about a complicated parent-child relationship.

Erin‘s father was celebrated NYT writer David Carr, and this book explores their relationship prior to his shocking death at 58. She was just 25. He was her biggest supporter, but they also fought like only a deeply bonded parent/child can.

The book also covers the addiction they shared and what caused him to get sober years ago and her after his death.

I sped through this.

I though it would be more epistolary. It‘s not. I also thought the hard part would be reading about her father‘s sudden death, but it ended up being hard to read about her alcoholism that was inextricably bound with her memories of her father‘s final years.

David was an addict who got sober for his daughters. Erin was an alcoholic who got sober to honor her father‘s memory. The love and care that bound them was palpable. 4⭐️

So now that y‘all know I had a drinking problem...

The way you see people screaming at horror movies, “Don‘t open the door!” This is how I feel when reading about young alcoholics.

“Nooo...do not go from restaurant to the bar that does not serve food, girl!! No, no, no, don‘t go to the after party!!” 🙈

Having made those mistakes, it‘s just so hard to read about them. I just want to hug our 26-year-old selves & say, “There is life after booze!”

I‘m not sure this is the right time for this book. Erin‘s father, writer David Carr, dropped dead suddenly in 2015.

It makes me think of the call my father made to me after he had fallen & had the stoke. I was asleep, but I became used to popping awake quickly during my veterinary career. I‘m not sure I want to explore the alternative.

HOWEVER GREAT NEWS! Dad is kicking his leg that was paralyzed independently of e-stim! Just happened today.🎉⬇️

As someone who lost a parent this book hit the feels.

Erin Lee Carr's memoir All That You Leave Behind is a heartwrenchingly honest examination of the loss of her father. David Carr, New York Times columnist and author of The Night of the Gun (one of the books that cemented my love for nonfiction), was a giant in the eyes of the world and in the life of his daughter. (continued in comments)

This was a quick read, but I don‘t feel that I gained anything. I was hoping for more of a father-daughter relationship story, but most of the story was about Erin‘s struggles with alcohol. I am intrigued to learn more about David Carr. This is what happens when I read memoirs or biographies, it opens up a new chapter of discovery for me. Glad that I read it, but can‘t give it a thumbs up.

I cancelled my #botm subscription again because I hope to try out the non-fiction beta version. I chose this as my April book because it was the only memoir option among fiction. Erin Lee Carr does a great job of bringing her relationship with her father to life. Honestly, I prefer his words to hers; he‘s by far the more articulate Carr. The author comes across as whiny, but she doesn‘t paint herself & her struggles with sobriety in a rosy light.

The author wrote really wonderfully about grief and mourning, and was brutally honest about her alcoholism.
That said, I'm not sure I would have been quite as into this if I hadn't already read The Night of the Gun (her father's book). Memoirs by young people aren't usually my thing. Glad I chose it, though! #botm

Wrapping up the weekend with a good book and some hot tea in my favorite mug #SelfCareSunday

Also! @Wonderwoman89 your #funkopopandbookswap packages have arrived! I took barely a peek inside, just enough to know what it was for and who from 😝 Very excited for opening day! It's hard to resist sneaking a bigger peek! 🤣 @kstadt929

I rejoined #botm last month because of a special offer, but I didn‘t cancel before I was charged for April. So I used my credit and added on one of the nonfiction extras. I‘m planning to cancel this subscription and rejoin the nonfiction beta club. Just not a popular fiction reader.🤷‍♀️