REVIEW OF HYSTERICAL MEMORIES

2 out of 4 stars Share This Review

The story kicks off on a sad note, with Eugene’s mum falling from a ladder and hitting her head hard on the floor. He has to deal with his mother’s schizophrenia and his dad’s aggressive and provocative nature. At a young age, Eugene had nothing but hate for his father. At 14, he joined a local gang where they’d meet up and smoke pot together. Being a child and without money, Wallace stole his mother’s pills and peddled them in school. The extra money he generated financed his addiction life. This behavior soon progressed to burglary.Fast forward, Eugene starts dealing heroin; however, he is seized by the police and convicted for 18 months along with his girlfriend. He serves time as is soon out. Shortly, he deals drugs again; however, he reconsiders his decisions and starts working in a wood factory, then as a waiter. He later works hand in hand with the head chef of King’s Head. We have a thought-provoking tale of a man who moved from drug-using and dealing, convict, mentally ill then to a notable chef.With a memoir full of drugs and crime, the informal language employed was inevitable. The book is full of humor. The author talks deeply about his personal life, primarily focusing on his unpleasant side. Not many authors will admit the wrongs they’ve done over time. He does not forget to mention his own family. While many people maintain privacy when it comes to personal stuff, Eugene talks openly about them. To some extent, his family played a crucial role in his downfall. These are the things I appreciated about this publication.I disliked several things about this book. To begin with, there are poorly constructed and repeated sentences. For an English author to have such mistakes in his book was disappointing. I found several abbreviations whose full meanings were excluded. A glossary for such is necessary, as it helps a reader comprehend their meanings beforehand. There are mix-ups in between paragraphs. One time Eugene is talking about methadone, and then he’s discussing his doctor and his wife. Then he goes back to talking about methadone.I discovered grammatical errors; consequently, the work could use a thorough edit. The end is startling and full of concerns at the same time. Eugene has moved from town to town in search of a better life; however, drugs and alcohol kept pulling his life back. For the aforementioned dislikes and errors, I rate Hysterical Memories by Eugene Wallace 2 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to audiences struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

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