TRAVIS HEIGHTS

A new book recounts growing up in 1970s Texas, detailing the author’s experiences after his father moved him and his brother to a new neighborhood. The author’s hopes for stability were dashed by his stepmother’s abusive behavior, leading him to leave home. While attending school, he navigated life by maximizing his street smarts and securing entry-level jobs. The era’s ethos left him feeling unfulfilled, and he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. This decision led to a reconnection and reconciliation with his father, who was divorced and filled with regret. The book explores themes of betrayal, fear, anger, and loneliness.

• The book’s title nods to the Austin neighborhood where his father moved him and his brother, Kenny, in June 1970.
• After he asked his latest girlfriend if they were in love, her jarring response (“Don’t get confused. It’s just sex”) only strengthened the loner’s emotional armor.
• All those feelings—betrayal, fear, anger, loneliness—had gone into boxes on a shelf in the back of my mind. Now we had opened the box.”

Source: Kirkus Reviews  | 
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