I loved this book! I absolutely loved it. Yes, it was a collection of essays about author Mary McCarthy’s childhood that at times were written intellectually, but it had the charm and flourish of her creative voice. After each chapter, she included a commentary chapter, explaining how much of the essay was true and how much of it she had fabricated or compiled with other memories. She tested the boundaries of creative non-fiction through these analyses of her own writing, and helped us to see more about the facts of her young life and who her family members were, rather than leaving us with the stark and vivid descriptions through the stories. To me, this dual account of each memory, can be described by my favorite line from the book: “the trap of adult life, in which you are held, wriggling, powerless to act because you can see both sides”…