Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood

Oh what a joy to read! I loved, loved, loved this book. This is the true so-far life story of the writer and poet Patricia Lockwood, whose father is a married Roman Catholic priest. She and her husband Jason move back home while they are regrouping both financially and emotionally and she uses that time to write a book about her family and upbringing. The book is wicked and hilarious, deeply moving, poetic, philosophical, angry, thoughtful and satirical. And did I already say it? HILARIOUS. Lockwood lays herself bare, with all her vulnerabilities and self doubt mingling with a wonderfully observant wit and irreverence for the culture in which she finds herself. Her characters, with all their flawed eccentricities, are both recognizable and memorable. And her language and metaphor is that of a poet. This is one of the best books I’ve read in years, beautifully balanced, filled with moments of extreme hilarity mixed with reflection and at times pain.