Riding on Comets A Memoir
Riding on Comets A Memoir by Cat Pleska, published by West Virginia University Press in 2015, is a reflective account of growing up as an only child in a working-class family during the 1950s and ’60s. This first edition, comprising 236 pages, offers a unique perspective on life in Appalachia, focusing on the experiences of a family shaped by strong women and hard-working men, set against the backdrop of small-town America and an aluminum plant.
In this memoir, Pleska shares her journey as the family storyteller, capturing the essence of her upbringing through vivid anecdotes and observations. Readers will find a rich tapestry of life lessons learned from the strong figures around her, as she navigates the complexities of childhood and family dynamics. The narrative delves into themes of tradition, storytelling, and the social fabric of her community, providing insights into the historical and cultural context of her experiences.
Official synopsis Publisher
Riding on Comets is the true story of an only child growing up in a working-class family during the 1950s and ’60s.
As the family storyteller, Cat Pleska whispers and shouts about her life growing up around savvy, strong women and hard-working, hard-drinking men. Unlike many family stories set within Appalachia, this story provides an uncommon glimpse into this region: not coal, but an aluminum plant; not hollers, but small-town America; not hillbillies, but a hard-working family with traditional values.
From the dinner table, to the back porch, to the sprawling countryside, Cat Pleska reveals the sometimes tender, sometimes frightening education of a child who listens at the knees of these giants. She mimics and learns every nuance, every rhythm–how they laugh, smoke, cuss, fight, love, and tell stories–as she unwittingly prepares to carry their tales forward, their words and actions forever etched in her mind. And finally, she discovers a life story of her own.
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