Stars: 4
Review by: Mandy Apgar
Methinks that
part of what she means by the title is that her father matured along
with her over time. The only child of the late George Carlin, himself
the son of a fractured relationship born to a
middle aged mother, Kelly recounts her early childhood up to her
father's passing. It is more her book than his I think - and she is
forced to grow up very quickly to help deal with her father's various
drug binges and being "chief Brenda wrangler" - watchdog
of her alcoholic and pill addicted mother. Her parents slowly begin to
control their demons somewhat just as she encounters hers - drugs and
men (Leif Garrett wasn't too hot to be with, if anyone from the 70s is
interested). She marries a drug addled nut although
she knows it is the wrong thing to do, and endures years of hell before
she finally leaves him and immediately meets her husband Bob. Their joy
together as a unit is short lived however, as the cancer that runs in
her mother's family swiftly claims her. George
finds happiness with a new love but after years of hard drugs his heart
is beyond repair and he shortly passes of heart failure at 71. She had
her parents cremated and their ashes are scattered by herself, family
and friends (after an appropriately expletive
laden service) leaving Kelly behind to continue her dual career as
counselor and Carlin ambassador.
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