“My hand reaches for a sumac branch. I shave its leaves with one downward movement. The leaves gather into my hand. I let go. They fall somewhere . . . Tears stream down Grampy’s rugged cheeks and jawbone. His lips quiver against the ruthlessness of grief. What has become of his beautiful daughter?”
Excerpted from Attic of Dreams by Marilyn Webb Neagley
“We need magic attics of imagination and stories that inspire our activism”
Julia Alvarez, writer, poet, activist
A lyrical memoir that begins in a quiet Vermont village with Marilyn’s memories of her parents, owners of a popular restaurant and lively night spot next to their home. While her mother disappears into addiction, Marilyn grapples with feelings of abandonment, though she recalls being uplifted by the village, by her dreams, and by the kindness of others.
In young adulthood, she lands on a beautiful estate known as Shelburne Farms, where she helps to launch valuable movements for the region: local food and farmers’ markets, outdoor childhood education, and the stewardship of natural resources. But her work is not without cost to her personal life. She discovers that her interest in protecting the outer world begins to heal her inner self. The two are deeply intertwined.
Attic of Dreams examines family dysfunction while humor counters tragedy, and forgiveness counters blame. Trust and love emerge as the journey home to wholeness continues.
