book report: Stitches
Stitches : a memoir by David Small
David's mother rarely spoke, preferring to communicate her displeasure with her family and her life by slamming cupboard doors and coughing.
David's father wasn't a talker either--when he returned home from work as a radiologist, he would retire to the basement and thump a punching bag.
David's brother played the drums. Endlessly.
And David got sick.
What David thought was a harmless cyst on his neck was removed in a minor surgery when he was 14 years old. It turned out to be cancer. But, then, nobody told him that it was cancer.
The surgeon who removed David's tumor also removed a vocal chord--leaving David unable to speak. But, then, nobody was listening anyhow.
David Small's dysfunctional childhood is told as only an artist would tell such a story: with stark, artistically-compelling drawings. The brilliance of his talent shines through the bleakness of the story, making this a powerful tale of human compassion and strength.
Recommended for readers ages 14 to adult. The intensity of the account may be disturbing to sensitive readers.