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Alligator Candy
Alligator Candy: A Memoir | David Kushner
From journalist David Kushner, a regular contributor to The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and other premiere outlets, Alligator Candy is a reported memoir in the vein of The Night of the Gun about how a family survives an unthinkable tragedy.David Kushner grew up in the suburbs of Florida in the early 1970s, running wild with his friends, exploring, riding bikes, and disappearing into the nearby woods for hours at a time. One morning in 1973, however, everything changed. Davids older brother Jon, making a trip to the local convenience store, vanished. This is the story of Jons murder at the hands of two sadistic driftersand everything that happened after. Alligator Candy isnt only the chronicle of Jons death, it is also the story of how parenting in America changed, casting light on the transition between two generations of childrenone raised on freedom, the other on fear. Jons death was one of the first in what turned out to be a rash of child abductions and murders that dominated headlines for much of the 1970s and 80s. It was around this time that milk cartons began to feature the images of missing children, and newscasters began asking, Its 10:00, do you know where you children are? When one of Jons killers received a parole hearing, David revisited the case that had so haunted him. Marshalling his skills as a journalist, he compiled all the details that he was sheltered from as a child, interviewing neighbors, reporters, cops, and his own family, and combing through yellowed news clippings. Haunting and intimate, Alligator Candy is a moving, disturbing, insightful, and inspiring meditation on grief, growth, family, and survival.
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Reagan
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I have wanted to read this for years and now I‘m here and it‘s just not doing it for me. I‘ll finish it this morning (see Lucy helping) and then will celebrate our anniversary early with a child free trip to the indie movie store and the *drumroll* used bookstore!!

Mitch Have fun! 4y
Hooked_on_books I was super excited for this book but ended up disappointed with it. 4y
43 likes2 comments
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Airykah13
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Bailedbailed

Another DNF. I tried to stick with it but it just wasn‘t holding my attention. I have too many books on my TBR list to waste time on books I‘m not interested in.

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Airykah13
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wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 A great week 2! 5y
BookwormAHN Nice job 👏🏻 5y
TheEllieMo A good solid week 2, well done 👍🏻 5y
alisiakae Great job! 5y
11 likes4 comments
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Monica5
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Pickpick

What a sad book. For a family to go through this. David, who was only 4, I wonder what strength they had.

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Monica5
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Heard mix reviews. Going to give it a try. Max my reading partner. Actually, he is my Everything. I love all 3of my furbabies.

akckitty Cute fur baby. Hope you enjoy your book ❤️ 6y
Monica5 @akckitty Thank you. He is so spoiled. 6y
18 likes2 comments
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Reita325
Pickpick

I'm surprised by the poor reviews. I found this compelling and heartbreaking. I can't even imagine how families even go on after something like this happens.

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Jinjer
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Compared to the memoir I just finished, "The Long Hello" by Cathie Borrie, "Alligator Candy" is off to a very slow start. I think it's more my fault than the book's fault. I've got a lot of stuff going on with my dear 89-yo mom right now and the Cathie Borrie book was written in such short, clippy sentences I breezed through it in probably 4 hours total over two pre-bedtime reading sessions.

NatalieR 💜💜💜 7y
24 likes2 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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Panpan

It pains me to pan a memoir written by a man who was 4 when his 11 year old brother was murdered. What a fraught, poignant topic. Sadly, this book is repetitive, goes nowhere, and is largely poorly written. I wanted so much more.

DebinHawaii That's too bad. It sounds like it would be a powerful read. 8y
Hooked_on_books @DebinHawaii Yeah, that's what I was hoping for. Very disappointed. 8y
30 likes2 comments
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kristina_with_a_k
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To lose a sibling in such a horrific way is incomprehensible.

BookMusings Sold! 8y
11 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Matilda
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I wrote a Genre Kryptonite for all the great non-celebrity memoirs I've read recently and thought I'd share here if anyone is looking for some good non-fic. And let me know ones you love that I must read!
http://bookriot.com/2016/07/17/genre-kryptonite-non-celebrity-memoirs/

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Thanks for this list!! Many books here that I need in my TBR. I just read Tiger, Tiger and found it fascinating 8y
Matilda @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled.com thanks for the rec! Added to my list :) 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Man ... Now my TBR is even longer! I like non-celeb medical memoirs. I'll have to ponder my favorites. 8y
51 likes3 comments
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KrisConstantReader
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Great book, beautifully written. Highly recommended.

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SarahJF
Mehso-so

Just ok for me. I love his writing and his pain really hit me.

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Matilda
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Pickpick

Crime shows sensationalize & grossly ask you to guess & Tweet who the killer is. This isn't that. This is reality. The family behind a tragedy told by the youngest family member as he ?s how his family continued after his 11 yr old brother's murder.

brenna Your review got me to immediately download the ARC! 8y
Matilda I read it in one sitting & then sat there thinking about it. I think his journalist background & him being 4 at the time of the murder really helped with the format of the book. @brenna 8y
Cinfhen A moving memoir 8y
3 likes5 stack adds3 comments