First published 2004
Natalie Goldberg, beloved author of Writing Down the Bones, turns her keen eye inward. In The Great Failure, she confronts the complexities of her relationship with her father, a man who was both inspiring and cruel. As Goldberg grapples with the legacy of his abuse, she finds solace in the power of the written word, using it to heal old wounds and forge a new understanding of the past. This unflinching memoir is a testament to the transformative potential of storytelling.
Genres: literary-fiction, autobiography, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
208 pages · Hardcover · HarperOne
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse, physical-abuse