TROUBLED A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class

Rob Henderson's flat tone may reflect the substance of his life. Still, his material engages as he describes how his three names represent the first people who abandoned him. He frames his early life as a series of eight moves from one foster home to the next. As he describes his eventual adoption by a loving family as he neared his teens, his characterizations deepen, and the dialogues he recounts have more strength. Poverty, tragedy, and substance abuse subside as he attends Harvard. His inexpressive delivery throughout this somewhat cerebral section of his memoir works well with his reflections on his outsider status and a system that benefits those who come from privilege. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]