American Bastard by Jan Beatty is a hybrid memoir that, while being fully a memoir, uses more than straightforward prose to express that narrative.

One of the differences between a memoir and a biography, besides the obvious one of authorship, is one of relaying facts versus relaying feelings. Good books of both genres do some of both but a biographer is by definition a step removed when conveying the subject's feelings while a memoirist is the subject and can tap into the emotions far better. Do memoirs sometimes play a little loose with strict facts? Yes, in much the same way all of our memories do the same. But when reading a memoir how events are perceived is at least as important as any "facts." Since those emotions that were experienced are also facts.

I admit to being fairly ignorant about the details, both administratively and personally for those involved, surrounding adoption. A couple of my close friends from years ago were adopted and their experiences, at least that they shared with me, were almost polar opposites. Both had what would be considered loving adoptive parents but while one person seemed to be fine with how it worked out the other was far closer to how Beatty felt. So while I knew there was a spectrum of emotional response this book gave insight to a large portion of that spectrum.

Some readers may be put off by this not being a simple prose memoir, but if you read memoirs to better understand another human being's story from their perspective, and they feel that poetry helps them to express their ideas and thoughts, then the mix of style should be something you would welcome. If you just read memoirs to say you now "understand" someone, well, never mind.

Recommended for readers who want to learn what adoption is like for what is likely a large percentage. Like any group, there is a wide range of feeling but this speaks to a good part of it.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss. ( )