This one was hard for me to get through. It wasn’t my favorite. I felt like it had promise but the book just didn’t flow enough for me. It felt choppy and not in the best way. I wasn’t a huge fan of the cover art. I will say the subject matter was interesting though and had promise

His Mother’s Son: Memoirs of An Accidental Man – Paul Anthony – 2022 –
This is a unique fully illustrated memoir of travel, mountaineering, psychological trauma and reflection. The story begins in the Pacific Northwest, where Mr. Anthony lived with his dysfunctional and troubled parents and two brothers in Everett, Washington. In high school he found peace climbing Mount Baker, thousands of feet above the Puget Sound. Eventually he mountaineered in the Sierra Nevada's,' the Andes, and Mount Kilimanjaro. The land and culture in Canada, Mexico, South America and East Africa inspired his intense need for adventure and self-discovery.

Mr. Anthony attended Washington State University on a scholarship. Once he became disillusioned with the educational process, delivery of classes, he eventually stopped attending school. None of his long-term relationships worked out due to his immaturity and selfishness. Unable to maintain gainful employment, he was laid-off or fired from good state positions with full benefits to menial low-wage jobs. He enjoyed collecting unemployment benefits, and wrote: “The person I had been taught to be, molded by my parents, church and state did not function”
The effects of smoking large amounts of marijuana were unknown, he seemed disengaged from life, perhaps depressed. This was apparent when he lived in Los Angeles (1980’s) and was working for his girlfriend’s father. When he returned from a lunchbreak, his girlfriend had shot and killed her father during a heated argument before turning the gun on herself. Mr. Anthony casually stepped past the crime scene and left the area. He eventually joined a sales marketing business selling vitamins and supplements where he could set his own schedule.

Mr. Anthony bought a small house on a five-acre parcel on Camano Island, Washington state, where he lived peacefully (2001-18). It wasn’t until he was in his sixties, after the death of both parents, that he began researching and recording the psychological impact of parental neglect and abuse in his life. In the U.S. tens of thousands of adults were raised by unstable harsh authoritarian parents. It was unclear if Mr. Anthony received any counseling or therapy that might have altered his attitude to allow a long-term significant other or a close friend into his life. Instead, he became a solitary man, finding friends and mentors in books and scores of music. He concluded: “It is better to be alone than in bad company.” (George Washington).
The great cover and illustrations and sketches throughout the book increased the appeal of this interesting story. (3*GOOD) ** With thanks to BooksGoSocial via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.