Cursed by a Happy Childhood is a warm, funny, bighearted collection of one dad’s reminiscences about the kinds of lessons we all learn--sometimes the hard way, often without even realizing it--on the road to becoming a grown-up. The book began as a diary of sorts that Carl Lennertz wanted to keep for his eleven-year-old daughter, a way to let her know that he understood something about being a child and dealing with the milestones she would soon be approaching as a teenager.

As Carl began to write, he realized that his stories--of friendship and cliques, fitting in while being yourself (a neat trick!), music and books, first job and first love, teachers and other role models--are stories we all share and are as poignant and recognizable to parents and adults as they would be to his daughter. The book soon grew into a keenly observed, deeply felt reflection on the ways we’re all pretty much the same despite the obvious differences demanded by our stations in life--old or young, parent or child, male or female. Who, after all, ever really gets control of their inner kaleidoscopic mix of hopefulness, vulnerability, silliness, uncertainty, ambition . . . and fear of looking dorky in front of the cool kids?

This was a charming book written in short reminiscences coupled with lessons learned that the author hopes will help his daughter as she grows up. There is a sweet comparison between the father's memories growing up during the 1960s and his own daughter who is growing up in the twenty-first century. (The author was older when he and his wife became parents.) The author writes of a time that I remember although he is somewhat older than me. He grew up about 100 miles from where I grew up (for the most part). His memoirs are definitely driven by geography, since he grew up in an idyllic Norman Rockwell setting, a north shore Long Island town filled with Revolutionary War history and situated in a beautiful location near the Long Island Sound. I found it best to read this book slowly, a memory at a time in order to get the best picture of growing up in America. The author is open and humble. It is a pleasant read.

This book has been mailed to djf1968 of California who the Colorful Surprise Sweepstake. The color is teal.

This arrived in the mail in a box of three "teal colored" book covers, for the teal round of the Colorful Surprise book box. It looks like a quick read, and one I will enjoy.