bookishclaire's review
4.0
I loved this memoir. It helps that I know Rob a little, or at least have been in his orbit, at the wonderful Tin House summer writing workshops. I know his wife, Elissa, better, because she led my workshop. She is fabulous fun, and formidable, and it was so fascinating to learn about their past amd their and early married life travelling in Europe. (I never wanted them to leave Portugal — I was a little mad at Rob for dragging Elissa away from that paradise.)
Rob Spillman grew up in Berlin during the Cold War and his stories related to crossing and being near the Wall are chilling and interesting; his constant longing for the home where he grew up is something that is very familiar to me. I grew up in Brussels and always wanted to go back. As Rob eventually did, I too found myself when I moved back to Belgium, but not at all the way I was expecting to. The contrast between the Berlin of the ’60s when Rob was a child living with his musician dad (another thing we have in common) and the Berlin of 1989, post-Wall but pre-reunification, was gripping stuff
Rob Spillman grew up in Berlin during the Cold War and his stories related to crossing and being near the Wall are chilling and interesting; his constant longing for the home where he grew up is something that is very familiar to me. I grew up in Brussels and always wanted to go back. As Rob eventually did, I too found myself when I moved back to Belgium, but not at all the way I was expecting to. The contrast between the Berlin of the ’60s when Rob was a child living with his musician dad (another thing we have in common) and the Berlin of 1989, post-Wall but pre-reunification, was gripping stuff
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