Confessions of a Bar Brat bookcover

Confessions of a Bar Brat

Growing Up in Rosendale, New York: A Memoir
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Description

Narrated by a young girl growing up in the coarsest, most hell-raising bar on Main Street, Rosendale, NY in the early 50s, Confessions of a Bar Brat, is an unforgettable memoir of a girl's day-to-day living with the effects of overt and covert abuse, sexual abuse, and parental neglect. The story is told in a six to 12 year old colloquial dialect unflinchingly and honestly; it's about the capacity of the human spirit to endure, to bloom, and to see humor in chaos.

The Rosendale Theatre is where she internalizes the actions of strong feminine movie role models, and learns to reject the influence of drunken antics of her mother, not fear the physical threats of violence by her father, and to question the dogma of the Catholic Church. After years of avoidance, an ironic epiphany frees her from a "mortal sin," and sets her on a path of self-actualization.

The memoir is very visual, enhanced by years of movie going. It is peppered with bawdy barroom scenes, salty language, and redneck hard-drinking humor. This contrasts with the 40-50s mentions of actors, their latest movies, and the music of these times. Many historical references to village businesses and their owners complete the scene of the child's refreshing viewpoint of growing up in Rosendale.

Product Details

PublisherEpigraph Publishing
Publish DateMay 12, 2017
Pages424
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback / softback
EAN/UPC9781944037666
Dimensions9.0 X 6.0 X 0.9 inches | 1.4 pounds
BISAC Categories: Biography & Memoir

About the Author

Judith A. Boggess, MSC, is a writer, irreverent, sardonic award winning poet, artist in oils and in Native American giclee's. Confessions of a Bar Brat was inspired by an addiction to films that began at age six, when the Rosendale Theatre became her babysitter every night to keep her out of the family bar. Her writing is very visual, with an emphasis on dialogue and dramatic tension. Boggess is a spiritual counselor/clergy & art instructor. She is an active member of the Association of Native Americans of the Hudson Valley and known as Grandmother Judith Laughing Owl, Keeper of the Women's Drum. She teaches Native drumming & singing, and participates in ANA performances keeping the Native American heritage, dance and songs alive. In her spare time, she writes & paints. Boggess resides with her husband, Drew, Marlow Kitty, & Miakoda Westie, in the Catskills, NY, near Ticetonyk Mountain.

Reviews

"An engrossing, engaging trip through a young girl's challenging '50s childhood. She exposes her secret self which exposes our secrets...the multiple abuses, the anger, the insights of love and hate...all beautifully expressed in the vernacular of the '50s. Full color, vivid writing which carries us seamlessly into this human life. Worth reading!"

--Ursula Zorika, MA, Special Ed., Adjunct SUNY New Paltz, Voracious Reader

"Confessions of a Bar Brat is a must read into appreciating the charm and richness of life in Rosendale in the late 40s to early 50s. The book entertains and importantly breathes life into Main Street, its peoples, and its businesses from days gone by; it is a valuable piece of living history and social commentary." --Bill Brooks, Rosendale Town Historian, Rosendale, New York

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