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Confessions of Joan the Tall
A memoir written in the voice of a twelve year old Irish Catholic girl living in the Bronx in 1954, Confessions recounts one year in the life of Joan, a very tall, religious, funny, self-conscious, emotionally imprisoned, lovable girl whose journey takes her from innocence, isolation, and inhibition to the beginnings of freedom and awakening. Fiercely committed to seeing only the good, the Joan who greets us is flush with the beauty of life and the Lord. Gradually, however, she sinks into the devastation of adolescent self-consciousness over her many problems including her unusual height, unbridled guilt, and conflicted, often painful, relationships with family.
Confused by her Catholic commitment to confess all one’s wrongs on the one hand and her mothers’ dictate to say nothing of what happens inside the family ‘four walls’, Joan struggles to find a place where she can reveal all that torments her—this relief she finds in her notebook. In this ‘place’ of solace and grace--the format, a kind of Confession--Joan is freed to know and reveal herself in all her flaws and frailties.
Confused by her Catholic commitment to confess all one’s wrongs on the one hand and her mothers’ dictate to say nothing of what happens inside the family ‘four walls’, Joan struggles to find a place where she can reveal all that torments her—this relief she finds in her notebook. In this ‘place’ of solace and grace--the format, a kind of Confession--Joan is freed to know and reveal herself in all her flaws and frailties.
- GenresMemoir
260 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 18, 2016
Confessions of Joan the Tall is a splendid book, and Joan the Tall is a splendid girl—brave, effervescent and vulnerable. She flubs the rules of the Catholic church, she flubs the rules of family life, and amidst the quandaries, sins, punishments, and totally divine greedy moments in this story of her Irish American family, she grows into what tallness can mean—the ability to see from a mountaintop. From her devout father to her feisty mother, from her well-groomed sister to her brothers, both bullies and allies, and from her big shoes to her fabulous white bathing suit, Joan grows, showing us (and herself) what it means to be larger than life.
December 10, 2012
In Confessions of Joan the Tall, Joan Cusack Handler writes a memoir of growing up in a Roman Catholic home in the Bronx in the 1950s. Handler's narrative works as a coming-of-age memoir while providing a kind of nostalgia for a time when family and religious life were simpler than they are now. Handler's work is notable and stands out from the large number of Roman Catholic childhood stories (and I've read and reviewed several lately) in that hers is strictly memoir, rather than a fictionalized account and in her distinctive use of narrative voice as well as structure.
Handler writes very short chapters, sometimes a single page, each a mostly independent vignette, in the voice of her young self. I appreciate that the writing style as well as the short sections give us a sense of being inside the consciousness of Joan, the girl, rather than Joan the adult. It seems to me that there are really two types of memoirs, one that presents the perspective of the adult looking back over earlier experiences, the other that gives the impression of a kind of immediacy as the younger self experiences and narrates events in real time. Handler's memoir is of the latter type. And her writing style, her narrative voice lends a kind of immediacy to the work. Her short and nearly self contained chapters speak to the nature of memory and the young person's perception of her reality and experiences. In these ways, Handler creates a memoir that reads like an authentic experience of the world from the young person's point of view. The immediacy of the narrative--Joan, the character often speaks in the present tense--creates the sense that we, as readers, are experiencing things in real-time, as Joan does. I have to say, however, that while I appreciate and understand Handler's writing in the voice of the young Joan, there were moments when this voice struck me as not particularly authentic and believable. Joan uses syntax and expressions that just didn't seem to fit with this historical context, 1950s Bronx. For example, the repeated use of "totally" is, to my mind, reminiscent of the 1980s Valley Girl, while Joan's frequent "I think it's so cool. . ." also seems incongruent with the time, place, and ethnicity of Joan, the young girl.
Memoirs are interesting in that a well written memoir addresses something about the very nature of memory. And I think, also, that Handler's overall structure speaks to this very matter. Memory is both necessary and unreliable, full of holes. Memory represents not the factual, external truth, but the inner truth of one's own experiences. Memory retains those episodes that are infused with personal importance while letting fall by the wayside what the nonconscious deems unimportant. And Handler's short, seemingly disconnected chapters reflects all of this. She creates a window into the consciousness of her speaker, the girl Joan, that allows us to witness what her memory retains. We can only guess at those experiences that have been left out. This may be the distinction between memoir and autobiography. And this is, for me, what makes memoir, as a genre, so fascinating. We may or may not be given the factual truth, but we are allowed to observe the personal truth of our speaker as she grows up.
In Confessions of Joan the Tall, Handler also creates a nostalgia for a time when religious devotion and family life were somehow simpler, more wholesome, and closely linked. Although Joan struggles with attaining some of the standards that she perceives to be required by Catholicism, she is clear on her religious affiliation and is even aware of the ways that this structures her relationships and her life. This strikes me as much simpler than the lives of contemporary young people who often lack the structure afforded by a religious upbringing. Catholicism may not be perfect and may even have some adverse affects on Joan, yet the longing for a time when moral understanding and religious devotion were more definite is conveyed here. Closely connected to Joan's experience of the church is her family life and her devotion to family. Her relationship to her father is presented with particular warmth. Again, I sense a kind of longing for a time, not really that long ago, when in tact nuclear families were more the norm than they are now.
Confessions of Joan the Tall also works as a coming of age story. Joan struggles with nearly-universal (or at least common to middle class young people in the Western world) anxieties of fitting in with peers, being tormented (and loved) by older siblings, success in school, and relationships with the opposite sex. Her insecurity about her physical appearance is particularly poignant and strikes me as authentic. As Joan begins the painful and wonderful transition from childhood to adulthood in this book, readers can find much to relate to, even if their upbringings were different from Joan's in terms of religion, ethnicity, and even time period.
I'd like to add that Handler has a particularly lovely blog. Some of her posts overlap with the book; some do not. It's absolutely worth exploring.
This review originally posted on my book review blog, Speaking of Books, www.drennanspitzer.com Please visit me there!
NOTE: A review copy was provided by the author and the publisher. No other compensation was received.
Handler writes very short chapters, sometimes a single page, each a mostly independent vignette, in the voice of her young self. I appreciate that the writing style as well as the short sections give us a sense of being inside the consciousness of Joan, the girl, rather than Joan the adult. It seems to me that there are really two types of memoirs, one that presents the perspective of the adult looking back over earlier experiences, the other that gives the impression of a kind of immediacy as the younger self experiences and narrates events in real time. Handler's memoir is of the latter type. And her writing style, her narrative voice lends a kind of immediacy to the work. Her short and nearly self contained chapters speak to the nature of memory and the young person's perception of her reality and experiences. In these ways, Handler creates a memoir that reads like an authentic experience of the world from the young person's point of view. The immediacy of the narrative--Joan, the character often speaks in the present tense--creates the sense that we, as readers, are experiencing things in real-time, as Joan does. I have to say, however, that while I appreciate and understand Handler's writing in the voice of the young Joan, there were moments when this voice struck me as not particularly authentic and believable. Joan uses syntax and expressions that just didn't seem to fit with this historical context, 1950s Bronx. For example, the repeated use of "totally" is, to my mind, reminiscent of the 1980s Valley Girl, while Joan's frequent "I think it's so cool. . ." also seems incongruent with the time, place, and ethnicity of Joan, the young girl.
Memoirs are interesting in that a well written memoir addresses something about the very nature of memory. And I think, also, that Handler's overall structure speaks to this very matter. Memory is both necessary and unreliable, full of holes. Memory represents not the factual, external truth, but the inner truth of one's own experiences. Memory retains those episodes that are infused with personal importance while letting fall by the wayside what the nonconscious deems unimportant. And Handler's short, seemingly disconnected chapters reflects all of this. She creates a window into the consciousness of her speaker, the girl Joan, that allows us to witness what her memory retains. We can only guess at those experiences that have been left out. This may be the distinction between memoir and autobiography. And this is, for me, what makes memoir, as a genre, so fascinating. We may or may not be given the factual truth, but we are allowed to observe the personal truth of our speaker as she grows up.
In Confessions of Joan the Tall, Handler also creates a nostalgia for a time when religious devotion and family life were somehow simpler, more wholesome, and closely linked. Although Joan struggles with attaining some of the standards that she perceives to be required by Catholicism, she is clear on her religious affiliation and is even aware of the ways that this structures her relationships and her life. This strikes me as much simpler than the lives of contemporary young people who often lack the structure afforded by a religious upbringing. Catholicism may not be perfect and may even have some adverse affects on Joan, yet the longing for a time when moral understanding and religious devotion were more definite is conveyed here. Closely connected to Joan's experience of the church is her family life and her devotion to family. Her relationship to her father is presented with particular warmth. Again, I sense a kind of longing for a time, not really that long ago, when in tact nuclear families were more the norm than they are now.
Confessions of Joan the Tall also works as a coming of age story. Joan struggles with nearly-universal (or at least common to middle class young people in the Western world) anxieties of fitting in with peers, being tormented (and loved) by older siblings, success in school, and relationships with the opposite sex. Her insecurity about her physical appearance is particularly poignant and strikes me as authentic. As Joan begins the painful and wonderful transition from childhood to adulthood in this book, readers can find much to relate to, even if their upbringings were different from Joan's in terms of religion, ethnicity, and even time period.
I'd like to add that Handler has a particularly lovely blog. Some of her posts overlap with the book; some do not. It's absolutely worth exploring.
This review originally posted on my book review blog, Speaking of Books, www.drennanspitzer.com Please visit me there!
NOTE: A review copy was provided by the author and the publisher. No other compensation was received.
December 1, 2012
You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy Joan Cusack Handler's memoir, Confessions of Joan the Tall, but you do get a deeper level of understanding if you are.
Handler, a poet, chooses to write her memoir in the voice of Joan as an almost twelve-year-old girl, and it took me awhile to get used to that. I don't normally enjoy books written in the voice of children, but that conceit works very well for the book.
Joan has an older sister Catherine, an older brother Sonny, and a younger brother Jerry. Sonny physically and emotionally torments his siblings, with Joan getting the worst treatment. This is not just sibling rivalry, Sonny is a serious, scary bully. (Handler has said in this interview on her blog that the only sibling who has read her book is her sister.)
She is also dealing with the fact that at the age of 11 1/2, she is close to six feet tall, and that makes her the subject of ridicule in school. Her mother tries to make up for this torment by buying Joan beautiful clothes to wear, and the descriptions of her clothes are so vivid, I could picture them clearly in my mind. Her mother tells Joan that the others are jealous that Joan can wear clothes like a model.
Joan's mother tended to be cold and withholding, and sometimes beat the children with a belt, which was probably not uncommon in households in the 1950s when Joan was growing up. She idolized her father, a devout Catholic, and Joan tried desperately to live up to his high expectations.
The conflict between who she was and who she aspired to be led to physical ailments. Joan had bladder problems and developed colitis. A particularly bad case of boils is graphically described and sounded so painful, it nearly made me cry.
Anyone raised in a Catholic household and who attended Catholic school in the 1950s will be able to relate to Joan's upbringing. The nuns who taught were tough, strict and sometimes cruel. The nuns who showed Joan kindness made quite an impression on her, like the one who helped her after Joan wet her pants in the classroom.
Handler perfectly captures the angst of being twelve; the uncertainty, the need to please your parents, the desire to fit in with other students and have friends, to be just like everybody else. The funny thing is, no one ever was like everybody else. Reading it brought all those feelings right back to me.
The language here is so beautiful, it is quite apparent that Handler is a poet. It is written as if it were journal entries, most entries being just a page. You feel as is you are reading Joan's actual journal, although Handler said she did not keep a journal as a child.
As I said, if you grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school, you will get so much more out this emotional book. Joan's struggle to be a good Catholic will resonate with many, as will her desire to be a good daughter.
This book is one that will appeal to people who came of age in the 1950s (Catholics in particular), but teenagers today will also relate to Joan's story. Some of the feelings of adolescence will never change, and a teen who feels outside of the norm (and that would be most) will empathize with Handler's story.
The cover of the book is visually stunning, and the title, Confessions of Joan the Tall, evokes the stories we read about saints in Catholic elementary school. This book would make a terrific gift for someone who grew up Catholic in the 1950s.
Handler, a poet, chooses to write her memoir in the voice of Joan as an almost twelve-year-old girl, and it took me awhile to get used to that. I don't normally enjoy books written in the voice of children, but that conceit works very well for the book.
Joan has an older sister Catherine, an older brother Sonny, and a younger brother Jerry. Sonny physically and emotionally torments his siblings, with Joan getting the worst treatment. This is not just sibling rivalry, Sonny is a serious, scary bully. (Handler has said in this interview on her blog that the only sibling who has read her book is her sister.)
She is also dealing with the fact that at the age of 11 1/2, she is close to six feet tall, and that makes her the subject of ridicule in school. Her mother tries to make up for this torment by buying Joan beautiful clothes to wear, and the descriptions of her clothes are so vivid, I could picture them clearly in my mind. Her mother tells Joan that the others are jealous that Joan can wear clothes like a model.
Joan's mother tended to be cold and withholding, and sometimes beat the children with a belt, which was probably not uncommon in households in the 1950s when Joan was growing up. She idolized her father, a devout Catholic, and Joan tried desperately to live up to his high expectations.
The conflict between who she was and who she aspired to be led to physical ailments. Joan had bladder problems and developed colitis. A particularly bad case of boils is graphically described and sounded so painful, it nearly made me cry.
Anyone raised in a Catholic household and who attended Catholic school in the 1950s will be able to relate to Joan's upbringing. The nuns who taught were tough, strict and sometimes cruel. The nuns who showed Joan kindness made quite an impression on her, like the one who helped her after Joan wet her pants in the classroom.
Handler perfectly captures the angst of being twelve; the uncertainty, the need to please your parents, the desire to fit in with other students and have friends, to be just like everybody else. The funny thing is, no one ever was like everybody else. Reading it brought all those feelings right back to me.
The language here is so beautiful, it is quite apparent that Handler is a poet. It is written as if it were journal entries, most entries being just a page. You feel as is you are reading Joan's actual journal, although Handler said she did not keep a journal as a child.
As I said, if you grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school, you will get so much more out this emotional book. Joan's struggle to be a good Catholic will resonate with many, as will her desire to be a good daughter.
This book is one that will appeal to people who came of age in the 1950s (Catholics in particular), but teenagers today will also relate to Joan's story. Some of the feelings of adolescence will never change, and a teen who feels outside of the norm (and that would be most) will empathize with Handler's story.
The cover of the book is visually stunning, and the title, Confessions of Joan the Tall, evokes the stories we read about saints in Catholic elementary school. This book would make a terrific gift for someone who grew up Catholic in the 1950s.
December 13, 2012
Confessions of Joan the Tall is an extraordinary memoir that recounts a year in the life of author Joan Cusack Handler. In a seemingly simple style, Joan Cusack Handler manages to capture the anxiety she felt over her perceived lack of piety and her way above average height. Set in the mid-50's in the Bronx, eleven (but almost twelve)year-old, Joan is the third child in an Irish Catholic family of four. Written as a series of short journal entries, Joan confesses her concerns over her devotion to God, her sins (including hating her brother Sonny), and her anxiety caused by having a small bladder and tall height (almost 6 feet tall).
Confessions of Joan the Tall is an honest, surprisingly poignant memoir that explores the thoughts of an 11 year old girl dealing with the pressures of her life. Chiefly among these pressures is her Catholicism, which burdens her with concerns over not being good enough or disappointing Jesus, her church, and family. While I was not raised Catholic, I can certainly understand that expectations from anyone can burden you with anxiety if you chose to try to live up to those standards. I think growing up Catholic might give you an even greater, deeper understanding of some of Joan's concerns.
When compared to young almost 12 year old girls today, Joan's thoughts may seem immature, but for those of us who are a little older, it is very easy to empathize with young Joan. Some things, like Joan's anxiety over the day everyone's height is measured at her parochial school, certainly bring back to mind the days when everyone in my public school was measured and weighed all together and comments were made without any regard to the feelings of the children being herded through the line.
Confessions of Joan the Tall is written in the voice of eleven-and-a-half-year-old year old Joan. I felt that Joan Cusack Handler was quite successful writing in capturing the angst young people feel. Even while Joan is in the throes of anxiety, there are witty, humorous sections right alongside touching, painful passages. As you progress through this year in Joan's life, you will see personal growth as she begins to recognize alternate ways to view her family and their actions, as well as her height. This is such a tumulus time in any adolescence life... as my adult daughter would say, "Damn you, puberty."
I would Very Highly Recommend Confessions of Joan the Tall, especially for anyone who grew up Catholic and went to parochial school.
Let me also mention that the cover of Confessions of Joan the Tall is gorgeous and the book itself is of superior quality. It would make a wonderful gift.
This is the first book in a new library of books being offered by CavanKerry Press. In their own words: “In keeping with our thematic emphasis for all of our books on Lives Brought to Life, CavanKerry Press is proud to announce the addition of Memoir to our publishing program. Confessions of Joan the Tall is the inaugural volume on Cavan Kerry’s Memoir List.”
Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the CavanKerry Press and TLC for review purposes.
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
Confessions of Joan the Tall is an honest, surprisingly poignant memoir that explores the thoughts of an 11 year old girl dealing with the pressures of her life. Chiefly among these pressures is her Catholicism, which burdens her with concerns over not being good enough or disappointing Jesus, her church, and family. While I was not raised Catholic, I can certainly understand that expectations from anyone can burden you with anxiety if you chose to try to live up to those standards. I think growing up Catholic might give you an even greater, deeper understanding of some of Joan's concerns.
When compared to young almost 12 year old girls today, Joan's thoughts may seem immature, but for those of us who are a little older, it is very easy to empathize with young Joan. Some things, like Joan's anxiety over the day everyone's height is measured at her parochial school, certainly bring back to mind the days when everyone in my public school was measured and weighed all together and comments were made without any regard to the feelings of the children being herded through the line.
Confessions of Joan the Tall is written in the voice of eleven-and-a-half-year-old year old Joan. I felt that Joan Cusack Handler was quite successful writing in capturing the angst young people feel. Even while Joan is in the throes of anxiety, there are witty, humorous sections right alongside touching, painful passages. As you progress through this year in Joan's life, you will see personal growth as she begins to recognize alternate ways to view her family and their actions, as well as her height. This is such a tumulus time in any adolescence life... as my adult daughter would say, "Damn you, puberty."
I would Very Highly Recommend Confessions of Joan the Tall, especially for anyone who grew up Catholic and went to parochial school.
Let me also mention that the cover of Confessions of Joan the Tall is gorgeous and the book itself is of superior quality. It would make a wonderful gift.
This is the first book in a new library of books being offered by CavanKerry Press. In their own words: “In keeping with our thematic emphasis for all of our books on Lives Brought to Life, CavanKerry Press is proud to announce the addition of Memoir to our publishing program. Confessions of Joan the Tall is the inaugural volume on Cavan Kerry’s Memoir List.”
Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the CavanKerry Press and TLC for review purposes.
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
December 7, 2012
This coming-of-age memoir is written in the voice of the author at age 11. It takes the form of a journal and often feels more "spoken" than written (although, in true tween-style, Joan capitalizes and underlines for feeling and emphasis). Joan is trying to reconcile Catholic teachings and traditions with the expanding social world of an adolescent. She worries a lot about sin and her soul as well as about pleasing her father, whom she idolizes. Joan's well-meaning mother tries to help her fit in socially, often through clothes. Joan also has three siblings: a teen sister whose popularity Joan envies, a close-in-age brother who torments her, and a younger brother who is less-developed and seems to be the child at the "before" end of the adolescent spectrum. Joan struggles a lot socially, in part because of her 5'11.5" frame and also because of a number of health woes (some likely tied to stress).
When I was approached to review this book, I asked the "tour" organizer if the book would resonate with someone who is not only not Catholic but who was raised without any real formal religion. She confirmed that they wanted a broad range of readers. While nothing closed the book off, I do think it would resonate more with a reader who shared the Catholic (or at least religious) upbringing. I couldn't really relate to Joan's worrying about the fate of her soul and her concern about sin. I do understand the desire to "be good," but it definitely went beyond my experience. While I enjoy reading about people who lead different lives, the book really did depend on relating to the narrator and the difference made it less engrossing and made me less excited to pick up the book and return to Joan's world.
That said, there were certainly plenty of concerns I could relate to in Joan's year and also plenty of places where she made me smile. I was never tall, but I think every adolescent feels like they stick out physically and worries over any form of difference. I felt for Joan in her social stumblings and desire to fit in. When the experience resonated, I could feel the particular angst of adolescence. I also felt Joan's joy in simple triumphs and in the few moments when self-confidence began to peek through the doubt. Joan's voice stayed consistent and genuine, more true to the age than most writers are able to stay.
This wasn't a complete "win" for me, I'd give it three stars, but I'm glad I got to "meet" Joan and spend time with her. I think this book would be ideal for someone who came from a very religious background and remembers reconciling that with the concerns of adolescence. I could also see it being an interesting read for a mother and daughter to share as the girl moves into her teen years.
See my blog too -- http://clg1213.blogspot.com/2012/12/r...
When I was approached to review this book, I asked the "tour" organizer if the book would resonate with someone who is not only not Catholic but who was raised without any real formal religion. She confirmed that they wanted a broad range of readers. While nothing closed the book off, I do think it would resonate more with a reader who shared the Catholic (or at least religious) upbringing. I couldn't really relate to Joan's worrying about the fate of her soul and her concern about sin. I do understand the desire to "be good," but it definitely went beyond my experience. While I enjoy reading about people who lead different lives, the book really did depend on relating to the narrator and the difference made it less engrossing and made me less excited to pick up the book and return to Joan's world.
That said, there were certainly plenty of concerns I could relate to in Joan's year and also plenty of places where she made me smile. I was never tall, but I think every adolescent feels like they stick out physically and worries over any form of difference. I felt for Joan in her social stumblings and desire to fit in. When the experience resonated, I could feel the particular angst of adolescence. I also felt Joan's joy in simple triumphs and in the few moments when self-confidence began to peek through the doubt. Joan's voice stayed consistent and genuine, more true to the age than most writers are able to stay.
This wasn't a complete "win" for me, I'd give it three stars, but I'm glad I got to "meet" Joan and spend time with her. I think this book would be ideal for someone who came from a very religious background and remembers reconciling that with the concerns of adolescence. I could also see it being an interesting read for a mother and daughter to share as the girl moves into her teen years.
See my blog too -- http://clg1213.blogspot.com/2012/12/r...
September 1, 2013
This book is at first look la book for agess 10 and up. I'm 54 and i found it very entertaining. It is written about a girl who has grown unusually taller than all of her classmates. It was written for the period of the 1950's and she comes from a family of devout catholics.
The book would be intereesting to anyone who is catholic althought I think other would enjoy it also I did. There were definatly parts of the book that had me laughing out loud. I remember there were thingns about me that I felt set me apart from other kids my age while going to middle and junior high school. I felt I could relate to quie a bit of it and i"m not catholic or devoutly religious. I really enjoyed hte book!
From Good Reads here is the info for the book:
A memoir written in the voice of a twelve year old Irish Catholic girl living in the Bronx in 1954, Confessions recounts one year in the life of Joan, a very tall, religious, funny, self-conscious, emotionally imprisoned, lovable girl whose journey takes her from innocence, isolation, and inhibition to the beginnings of freedom and awakening. Fiercely committed to seeing only the good, the Joan who greets us is flush with the beauty of life and the Lord. Gradually, however, she sinks into the devastation of adolescent self-consciousness over her many problems including her unusual height, unbridled guilt, and conflicted, often painful, relationships with family.
Confused by her Catholic commitment to confess all one’s wrongs on the one hand and her mothers’ dictate to say nothing of what happens inside the family ‘four walls’, Joan struggles to find a place where she can reveal all that torments her—this relief she finds in her notebook. In this ‘place’ of solace and grace--the format, a kind of Confession--Joan is freed to know and reveal herself in all her flaws and frailties
The book would be intereesting to anyone who is catholic althought I think other would enjoy it also I did. There were definatly parts of the book that had me laughing out loud. I remember there were thingns about me that I felt set me apart from other kids my age while going to middle and junior high school. I felt I could relate to quie a bit of it and i"m not catholic or devoutly religious. I really enjoyed hte book!
From Good Reads here is the info for the book:
A memoir written in the voice of a twelve year old Irish Catholic girl living in the Bronx in 1954, Confessions recounts one year in the life of Joan, a very tall, religious, funny, self-conscious, emotionally imprisoned, lovable girl whose journey takes her from innocence, isolation, and inhibition to the beginnings of freedom and awakening. Fiercely committed to seeing only the good, the Joan who greets us is flush with the beauty of life and the Lord. Gradually, however, she sinks into the devastation of adolescent self-consciousness over her many problems including her unusual height, unbridled guilt, and conflicted, often painful, relationships with family.
Confused by her Catholic commitment to confess all one’s wrongs on the one hand and her mothers’ dictate to say nothing of what happens inside the family ‘four walls’, Joan struggles to find a place where she can reveal all that torments her—this relief she finds in her notebook. In this ‘place’ of solace and grace--the format, a kind of Confession--Joan is freed to know and reveal herself in all her flaws and frailties
December 27, 2012
I have become a fan of reading coming of age stories, and "Confessions of Joan the Tall" is a memoir that I won't soon forget.The author allows us to see things thru the eyes of Joan a Catholic girl growing up in the Bronx during the fifties. Thing is Joan isn't happy with her height, and also struggles with other health issues that causes her to feel like she doesn't fit in.
I really enjoyed reading Joan's story. Even though I am not Catholic,the story was still one I could connect with, I could understand how her upbringing in the church would propel her to want to be a "good" Catholic girl. Vivid descriptions allowed me to envision the setting. I could just imagine the "Crazy" lady or the lot where her brother would often scare her. I felt empathy for her as a young girl who had bladder issues. Overall an interesting memoir that would resonate with anyone who grew up Catholic, but will also connect with anyone who didn't fit in during school, and struggled with self image.
I really enjoyed reading Joan's story. Even though I am not Catholic,the story was still one I could connect with, I could understand how her upbringing in the church would propel her to want to be a "good" Catholic girl. Vivid descriptions allowed me to envision the setting. I could just imagine the "Crazy" lady or the lot where her brother would often scare her. I felt empathy for her as a young girl who had bladder issues. Overall an interesting memoir that would resonate with anyone who grew up Catholic, but will also connect with anyone who didn't fit in during school, and struggled with self image.
July 26, 2013
Perhaps had I grown up Catholic and in a large city, this might have struck a stronger chord for me, but I did not, so found much of the "confessions" somewhat out of my experience. I certainly could relate to the issues with long and narrow feet --still today have been annoyed with salespeople spending a great deal of time telling me why manufacturers do not make 4A shoes. As if I did not know that having dealt with the issue for over 70 years!
The author wrote convincingly in the voice of a child and of the sibling rivalry, childhood friendships, family "secrets", love and tensions. I especially enjoyed the description of the girl's rooms and care of clothing as much of it reflected my own experiences with my sister.
The author wrote convincingly in the voice of a child and of the sibling rivalry, childhood friendships, family "secrets", love and tensions. I especially enjoyed the description of the girl's rooms and care of clothing as much of it reflected my own experiences with my sister.
August 3, 2013
Written with the voice of a child the reader experiences what life was like for a young girl growing up in a Catholic Family during the 1950’s. God is in every thought, action and decision for this child bringing her comfort and confusion. With the breathless sentence structure, and oddly placed capital letters and underlines throughout the text, it drives the reader to understand this girl’s personality and how she experiences all of the day to day activities of living in a family where being a good Catholic was interwoven into every action and thought, yet so much was unexplained and left to the children to figure out on their own, typical of the time frame.
December 4, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Joan Cusack Handler's life growing up. Her stories is divided up into short segements that are easy to read in short spurts of time or just as enjoyable sitting down and devouring her tales all at once. It's a great coming-of-age story that has poingant moments and funny ones too.
If you enjoy memoirs or stories of days gone past, you'll enjoy "Confessions of Joan The Tall."
If you enjoy memoirs or stories of days gone past, you'll enjoy "Confessions of Joan The Tall."
September 22, 2013
Confessions of Joan the Tall fails to meet the reader's expectations for an engaging storyline although it does offer a strong narrative voice and poetic lyricism.
I was particularly disappointed with the structure. I felt like I was sitting next to a person who was flipping through a photo album telling me this vignette and that vignette when what I desperately wanted was to be told about only one particular event through an engaging story.
I was particularly disappointed with the structure. I felt like I was sitting next to a person who was flipping through a photo album telling me this vignette and that vignette when what I desperately wanted was to be told about only one particular event through an engaging story.
July 29, 2013
What a year Joan had. I felt I grew to know her very well. Twelve year old Joan captured my heart. I loved her honesty and self awareness. Joan Cusack Handler opens the door to allow us to share a brief period of her adolescent life. The writing flows and so does the humour - intentional or not. Read it, you will enjoy it!!
September 19, 2013
An interesting take on growing up in a Catholic family and how it impacted everything she did and thought as she was navigating her life. I did not grow up Catholic but had close friends that were and do not remember them being so involved.
I think many teens will be happy to see how others handle situations common to all.
I think many teens will be happy to see how others handle situations common to all.
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