Has anyone read the article by Ian Parker in the June 2 New Yorker profiling Edward St. Aubyn, whose four so-called Melrose novels, the last one titled Mother's Milk, are based on his horrific childhood, starting with a father regularly raping, beating, and berating him from when the tot was just a year out of diapers until he was 8, when his parents divorced?
Talk about adverse childhood experiences and their effects on one's life. St. Aubyn became a heroin addict, an alcoholic, and a womanizer (or shagger, in British slang), and also tried to kill himself more than once. What saved him was the kindness of friends, years of therapy, and the ability to transform his suffering into great literature. For those who aren't great artists, however, responsiveness to ACEs and treatment options are much needed to overcome these early injuries to one's body and sense of self. You can also hear the ineffable sadness in St. Aubyn's voice as he talks with Terri Gross on NPR's Fresh Air.
Comments (0)