A review by claudiavolano
The Size of Everything by Erin Cole, Jenna McCarthy

4.0

It's so hard to understand why so many adults can be so brutal and neglectful to their children. I've read similar memoirs [Glass Castle, for one] and get that the adults are wrecked people and often running from their lives with alcohol to the detriment of everyone. The resilience of Erin Cook and her siblings was remarkable. Similar themes in this memoir and Glass Castle...the kids leave their homes as quickly as possible and usually still underage. Some get jobs and succeed, some crumble with their past trauma and suffer alcoholism and buried pain. Although I "enjoyed" the book, I'm not sure I can take reading any more brutal childhood tales. So upsetting. I fel blessed to have been safely and comfortably raised, never wanting for food, clothing or anything really. Although alcohol was a minor problem, it did affect us somewhat.