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A review by slantrhymes
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I couldn't put this book down. It's sad and fascinating. Kolker tackles extremely fraught subjects clinically and delicately, always giving the utmost respect to the people he's writing about.
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Car accident, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
The author discusses all of the very, very difficult subjects as clinically and respectfully as possible--there is nothing sordid here--but he is honest about things that happened to and between the family members he interviewed for the book. Some of those things are stomach-turning.