**"Interesting"**

Interest is a wonderful thing. It can make our lives more colorful and meaningful.

When we have an interest, we will be full of enthusiasm and energy, and we will be willing to spend a lot of time and effort on it.

For example, some people like reading, some people like painting, some people like sports, and some people like traveling.

These interests not only allow us to gain knowledge and skills, but also allow us to relax and enjoy life.

Moreover, interests can also help us to better understand ourselves and discover our potential.

When we engage in something we are interested in, we may find that we have some unexpected abilities and talents.

In short, interest is an important part of our lives. We should actively explore our interests and make them an important driving force for our growth and progress.

Let's embrace our interests and let them lead us to a more wonderful future!

Part memoir, part biography, part eulogy, part history of a time, and a large part healing tragic memories.

Ianthe Brautigan's writing is crisp, like a clear stream flowing through a meadow. Her tone is thoughtful, as if she is carefully weighing each word before it leaves her pen.

She has a flair for the whimsical, just like her father. During that era, so many young people felt with much justification that the world was failing to value peace and joy. They looked for meaning and beauty in unexpected places, and Ianthe is no exception.

Her words transport us to a different time and place, allowing us to experience the hopes and dreams, the fears and disappointments of those who came before us. Through her writing, she is able to heal the tragic memories of the past and offer us a glimmer of hope for the future.

Her work is a testament to the power of words to touch our hearts and souls, and to make a difference in the world.

The book was written in an exceptionally remarkable way.

I truly relished the profound insights of the author concerning her father's death. The narration was so engaging that it didn't bore me in the slightest. Instead, I had the distinct impression that I could vividly envision them carrying out all those activities.

What I seek in a book, especially when the majority are narrative in nature, is that the narration must be captivating, something that doesn't induce boredom. How could I possibly become bored when each paragraph has been carefully contemplated and seems to impart meaning throughout the process?

I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone who yearns for their old life, when you recall that you have something precious to look back upon.

It offers a unique perspective and a touching story that is bound to resonate with readers on a deep emotional level.

Whether you are dealing with loss or simply reminiscing about the past, this book has the power to touch your heart and make you appreciate the value of memories.

So, if you're in the mood for a thought-provoking and engaging read, don't hesitate to pick up this book and embark on a journey of self-discovery and reflection.

Ianthe Brautigan's arduous journey to reconcile with her father's remarkable brilliance, profound love, tragic alcoholism, and ultimately, his suicide is exquisitely encapsulated within the pages of this book. It is abundantly clear that she has inherited her father's innate gift for the written word. Regrettably, I find myself deeply disappointed that she has not penned more books for me to eagerly devour.

The quality of this work is such that I am sorely tempted to extract the entire text. However, I am cognizant of the potential consequences and thus, have settled on sharing two passages.

The first passage reads: "We never talked about his mother or his hospital stay again. That night became a ten-year-old shadowy conversation. Sometimes I’m tempted to take a sponge and some soap and wash away all the shadowy conversations, but they are all I have left."

The second passage is as follows: "He was very famous by then. I didn’t realize this. I just wished that he could stay longer, but of course he couldn’t. The smiling, gracious people were taking him somewhere else. I consoled myself knowing he was now only a bus ride away. The rest of the birthday was a good one, except now I can feel the ache in my arms as I waved after the car that took him away one more time."

These passages offer a mere glimpse into the poignant and deeply affecting narrative that awaits the reader within the covers of this remarkable book.

I discovered Richard Brautigan during my college years, and after several decades, I once again delved into his books.

When I learned that his daughter, Ianthe, had penned a memoir detailing her relationship with her father, I was immediately drawn to it.

This memoir is a remarkable piece, filled with a combination of love, sadness, and pain. Ianthe vividly describes her deep and complex love for her father as she watched him slowly self-destruct due to alcoholism, ultimately leading to his tragic suicide.

Early on in the book, she reveals that after her father's passing, she read numerous articles about his life, only to find that the writers had completely misinterpreted his story.

With her own beautiful and evocative language, Ianthe has set the record straight, presenting a moving and brutally honest account of her father's life and their relationship.

I truly wish she would write more, as her words have the power to touch the hearts and minds of readers everywhere.

Good insight into Brautigan!

It is not only a profound understanding of Brautigan himself but also a remarkable exploration of the way a daughter coped with the suicide of her father.

The story is truly touching and revealing.

It delves deep into the complex emotions and psychological turmoil that the daughter must have experienced during such a tragic event.

We can sense her pain, confusion, and the long process of coming to terms with the loss.

Brautigan's work, through this daughter's perspective, takes on a new layer of meaning and significance.

It makes us reflect on the impact of suicide on those left behind and the power of art to help us understand and heal from such traumas.

The author's ability to capture these nuances and present them in a compelling and engaging way is truly admirable.

This article offers a valuable and thought-provoking look into both Brautigan and the human experience of grief and loss.

An at times distressing memoir, yet often has a melancholia dreamlike quality. I know this paradox all too well. The pages of this memoir seem to unfold a story that is both heart-wrenching and strangely captivating. The author's words paint a vivid picture of a life filled with hardships and sorrows, yet there is an underlying beauty and grace in the way they are presented. It is as if the memories are being filtered through a lens of nostalgia and longing, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that draws the reader in and holds them captive.

The distressing moments in the memoir are not sugar-coated or glossed over. They are presented raw and unflinching, allowing the reader to truly understand the pain and suffering that the author has endured. However, it is in these very moments that the melancholia dreamlike quality shines through. The author's ability to find beauty and meaning in the midst of chaos and despair is truly remarkable. It is as if they are able to rise above their circumstances and see the world from a different perspective, one that is filled with hope and possibility.

Overall, this memoir is a powerful and moving read. It forces the reader to confront their own emotions and experiences, and to question the nature of pain and suffering. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of light to be found.

A nice memoir, full of interesting, touching, and extremely sad moments.

Ianthe's writing style is her own, yet it is reminiscent of her father's. She presents many of the chapters in short, brief vignettes. These vignettes are not necessarily related to the surrounding chapters, but they fit the book as a whole.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. However, I would only really suggest it to fans of Richard Brautigan's who are seeking a little more insight into the writer's life. From his daughter's pen is indeed the best starting point.

It offers a unique perspective on Richard Brautigan, allowing readers to see him through the eyes of someone who knew him intimately. The memoir is filled with personal anecdotes and memories that bring the writer to life in a way that other biographies may not be able to.

Overall, it is a captivating read that provides a fascinating look into the life and mind of a talented writer.

This one is a real downer.

Richard Brautigan's daughter delves deep into the profound impact that her father's alcoholism and tragic suicide had on her own life.

She bravely shares the pain and turmoil she endured, painting a vivid picture of the emotional upheaval that followed in the wake of such devastating events.

The story is not only a personal account but also a poignant exploration of how a family can be shattered by addiction and loss.

It serves as a reminder of the far-reaching consequences that such issues can have on those closest to the individuals involved.

Through her words, we gain a better understanding of the complex and often hidden struggles that many people face.

It is a powerful and moving narrative that will surely touch the hearts of readers and leave them with a sense of empathy and reflection.

I have never read Richard Brautigan, even though he was one of the prominent writers during my college years. However, I am truly glad to have read his daughter Ianthe's beautiful memoir about her life with this troubled man.

Ianthe Brautigan doesn't hide her adoration for her father. Despite having to cope with his alcoholism and his occasional threats of suicide. He was a very challenging drunk, yet quite remarkable when sober. Richard Brautigan grew up in the Pacific northwest, in extreme poverty, and endured a series of abusive stepfathers. Moreover, he would never talk about his mother, whom he felt abandoned by, and perhaps not without cause.

The memoir mainly consists of Ianthe's memories of her life with her father. Thus, the perspective is that of a young girl who doesn't fully understand all that is happening in her father's mind. Like many other artists, Richard Brautigan was somewhat childlike, and Ianthe was often required to be the adult. He was a man who craved mothering.

During the process of researching her father's life, Ianthe located his mother and went to visit her. The description of their visit provided the memoir with a rather unexpected ending.

Recommended by Greg Wittig :-)

This is a truly remarkable and touching piece. It's a lovely and engrossing account of a daughter's deep exploration into her famous father's suicide.

The daughter's words are so poignant and full of emotion. She describes how the love she has for her father can completely overtake her, to the point where she feels the urge to leap into the air and grab onto a color to express the intensity of her feelings.

Her vision of herself as a sky acrobat, swinging from handhold to handhold in the blue atmosphere, is a beautiful and vivid metaphor for the power of her love.

This love, she emphasizes, is not weak or fleeting. It doesn't fail and remains forever hers. It's a testament to the enduring bond between a father and daughter, even in the face of such a tragic event.

Overall, this article is a moving and thought-provoking read that will surely resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the loss of a loved one.

There's a certain allure and romance that often surrounds the tortured genius, especially the alcoholic writer. The idea of him taking his own life with a shot from a .44 Magnum might seem almost glamorous in a twisted way. It's as if it would only enhance his legacy, adding a touch of tragedy and mystery.

However, Ianthe Brautigan's memoir of her father Richard shatters that illusion. It tears away the false romance of his death and his periods of alcohol abuse. Instead, it presents a brutally honest account that tells not only of the wonderful man he was - eccentric, loving, poetic, romantic, and turbulent - but also of the profound effect his devastating final act had on her life.

According to Ianthe, her father was everything one would expect from reading his glorious books. But he also had a dark side. Weeks of heavy drinking binges led to him smashing furniture and shooting holes in the walls of his ranch, while his teenage daughter lay awake upstairs, unable to sleep. He first broached the subject of killing himself with Ianthe when she was just nine years old. His sudden and unexpected fame was not entirely welcome, and the negative reviews and loss of popularity towards the end of his life cut him deeply, ultimately culminating in his suicide in 1984.

This memoir is a deeply poetic work, filled with raw emotion and saturated with love and regret for her genius father. At times, it reads more like an act of catharsis than a traditional book meant to be read. But that very quality only adds to the authenticity of this sad and all-too-real meditation on grief, death, and family. It offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life and mind of a complex and troubled man, as well as the lasting impact his actions had on those closest to him.