James Priddy

I’m not sure what purpose Tara had to write this book. We lived a very similar childhood even with a metal recycling dad who was a danger to himself and us. His religiosity was not as overbearing though it was fairly fundamentalist and strict. I was a bit put off by her continual regressing to past events. She seems to always be reliving parts and events and even questioning if they happened. Still, I never did grasp a message or purpose. Her mother wrote a book as a rebuttal, I guess to defend their strict fundamentalism, which hasn’t sold very well. Tara claims that it was a real struggle to get a much needed birth certificate because she and all Her siblings were born at home. If her mother disputes the stories in this book, I would just ask the day, month, and year of her children’s birth. Any real mom who was not neglectful would know their kids birthdays. To me, that one question would totally represent her motherhood, and likewise, represent neglect in that family.

I didn’t read this book. I read some opinions. Evidently this mother felt the need to rebut her daughters portrayal of their family. Having live with many of the actual stories she recounts, I believe Tara should stop Second guessing her memories. Our dad was a scrapper, though not the same type. He dealt mainly in engines, but our back Yard was covered with scrap. And we called it Sams Toxic Waste Dump. He dumped every kind of Illegal substances outside and buried truckloads of asbestos roofing and siding. He was your typical religious Republican anti government radical. When we complained about his pollution he always sneered “As long as it lasts as long as me, I don’t give a rip” He was dangerous to be around and to himself. He burned himself severely several times and cut off three fingers. We were raised Seventh Day Adventist. But he had a mutual hatred with mom. Finally she caught him Screwing the old lady they were taking care of. He beat the charge with an excellent lawyer. Then they divorced, and he went and shacked up with a philistine woman for 20 years. Finally he left her and went back home. I haven’t talked to him in 6 years. We are firmly divided politically, I’m atheist, and he’s back to living Gods way now that his Willy doesn’t work anymore. In response to Tara’s moms book, I would only ask one question…..When was she born, day, month, and year? Does she know the birthdays of any of her kids too? I’m a dad with three kids, all older than Tara, and I can tell you each one’s birthday. ANy real mom would know their kids birthdays.