Townie A Memoir
Townie A Memoir by Andre Dubus III, published by National Geographic Books in March 2011, is a hardcover edition comprising 352 pages. This memoir reflects on the author’s tumultuous upbringing in a Massachusetts mill town marked by violence and hardship following his parents’ divorce. Andre Dubus III shares his journey from a life of physical confrontation to one of literary expression, highlighting how writing became a means of salvation and self-discovery.
In this memoir, readers will find a candid exploration of the author’s struggles with identity and the contrasting worlds of his violent environment and his father’s academic life. The narrative delves into themes of personal growth, the complexities of familial relationships, and the transformative power of storytelling. Townie presents a profound meditation on the interplay between violence and love, offering insights into the author’s past and the experiences that shaped him.
Official synopsis Publisher
Won Book of the Year Adult Non-Fiction—2012 Indie Choice Awards
Amazon Best Book of the Month February 2011
An acclaimed novelist reflects on his violent past and a lifestyle that threatened to destroy him—until he was saved by writing.
After their parents divorced in the 1970s, Andre Dubus III and his three siblings grew up with their exhausted working mother in a depressed Massachusetts mill town saturated with drugs and everyday violence. To protect himself and those he loved, Andre started pumping iron and learned to use his fists so well that he became the kind of man who could send others to the hospital with one punch, and did. Irresistibly drawn to stand up for the underdog, he was on a fast track to getting killed—or killing someone else.
Nearby, his father, an eminent author, taught on a college campus and took the kids out on Sundays. The clash of worlds between town and gown, between the hard drinking, drugging, and fighting of “townies” and the ambitions of well-fed students debating books and ideas, couldn’t have been more stark or more difficult for a son to communicate to a father. Only by finally putting pen to paper himself did young Andre come into his own, discovering the power of empathy in channeling the stories of others—and ultimately bridging the rift between his father and himself.
An unforgettable book, Townie is a riveting and profound meditation on physical violence and the failures and triumphs of love.
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Townie A Memoir” about?
Who is the author of “Townie A Memoir”?
When was “Townie A Memoir” published?
What is the ISBN for “Townie A Memoir”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
