Damian Barr's memoir is a joy to read one moment and distressingly heart breaking the next. His early life in Thatcher's 1980's is vividly drawn. The grim and grisslier details of his working class Newarthill upbringing you are not spared, alongside the touching or hilarious stories of his naive self's first encounter with the realities of life.
Barr in his youth appears so optimistic and resilient. Even when faced with seeing his family and local employment fall apart, as these traditional sources of work are dismantled by the hardhearted calculations of Mrs T and her ilk. He just had to get street wise and grow up quicker. One can only feel empathy toward him, and for his Mother, as she struggles in the circumstances she's presented with, grasping for life support from a range of unsuitable men and the demon drink. In the midst of this he comes to the realisation that he's gay, and born into an society and local environment that is hostile to it.
Barr has understandably mixed feelings about Maggie, as do we all. Split between despising the brutality and cold consequences of her political ideology, whilst admiring her resolute determination and will as a person. Given what Barr has achieved since in his own life, the latter provided a role model for how to pull himself out of the unfavourable circumstances of his upbringing. Reacting to the former, forged the sensitivity and warm appreciation for people, for their triumphs and sufferings in the midst of adversity, that seems such a noticeable personal quality.
CARROT REVIEW - 7 / 8
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