Reviewed by wcs53 on
I took a chance on this book and really had no idea what to expect, but I was not disappointed. This is a wonderful autobiography, written by a woman who was on the run for 19 years, avoiding prison, to which she had been sentenced for her part in a non-violent protest against the Vietnam war. Born as Linda Quint, during her time on the run she went through a number of aliases, to avoid recapture, before she eventually became Emily L. Quint Freeman.
The author suffered rejection by her parents, who refused to acknowledge her sexuality when she came out to them as a lesbian. The story is one of resilience, as she goes through a number of changes and challenges, on a path of survival and search for identity. Along the way she encounters a number of people who help her on her journey to becoming the person she is today. At times the story is humorous, at others it is heartbreaking, with many other emotions in between.
This is a well-written story, that is quite deep and reflective, but it is also one that is not a difficult read, which makes it quite compelling. What is amazing is that the author not only survived her time on the run, but was able to create a fairly successful life for herself, at least on the surface. Underneath what looked on the surface to be successful, there was the story of one who was lost and imprisoned, seeking to find the real self and peace amidst much turmoil.
I could write more, but would not want to give away too much. This is well worth reading and I recommend seeking it out when it is published in a couple of months time.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 3 January, 2020: Finished reading
- 3 January, 2020: Reviewed