Title: Confessions of a Clueless Rebel
Author: Tom Corbett
Publisher: Hancock Press
ISBN: 1948000202
Pages: 598
Genre: Autobiography
Reviewed by: Susan Milam
Hollywood Book Review
Tom Corbett, author of Confessions of a Clueless Rebel, characterizes his autobiography as a story about “breaking away.” The author begins life as the “ordinary” only child of working-class Catholic parents. Not gifted athletically, sometimes grouped with the slow learners, sometimes grouped with the smart kids, Mr. Corbett spends much of his adolescence wondering what his place in the world is. Now, at age seventy, the author looks back on a life filled with accomplishment and thinks about the unexpected path which brought him to this spot.
Following his retirement, Mr. Corbett and Mary, his wife, plan to travel. However, their plan is short circuited by the purchase of a puppy named Rascal. Several years earlier, Mr. Corbett attends a “gathering of former India-44 Peace Corps volunteers,” and the reunion sows the seeds that flower into a post-retirement tweaking of two previous volumes of reminiscences. While containing anecdotes from the preceding books, the new volume digs more deeply into how and why Mr. Corbett’s life progressed as it did. The story opens with memories of the author’s retirement party when he steps down from his positions as Associate Director of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin and as a faculty member in the university’s School of Social Work.
Mr. Corbett’s Confessions of a Clueless Rebel take the reader on a journey through the events of his life but, more importantly, the narrative takes the readers on a journey through Mr. Corbett’s evolution as a person. Although the story seems to flow freely from the author’s pen, Mr. Corbett has structured it so that the reader understands the changes this naïve Catholic boy undergoes. The author isn’t afraid to open up about his self-doubts and his lack of direction as a young man. Yet, beneath the surface, he and the reader are always aware of Mr. Corbett’s “need to strike out and discover new worlds.” Thus, when he enters the world of academia, his pushing back against authority is not unexpected. Also, despite Mr. Corbett’s numerous instances of academic procrastination, his success is a testament to his open and always inquisitive mindset that propels him to leadership in his field.
The narrative is filled with humor, sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes aimed at worthy targets. Additionally, a long chapter of the book is given over to Mr. Corbett’s relationship with his college sweetheart, Lee. The section includes several letters the author wrote to Lee while serving with the Peace Corps in India. The correspondence touches the reader’s heart, and it gives evidence of the author’s natural talent for writing. Mr. Corbett’s willingness to share his deepest thoughts in these letters and throughout the book make his autobiography more than a rote recitation of events and accomplishments. Not only is the author willing to share his thoughts, he is willing to question his decisions and to sort out the effect that they have on his life.
Confessions of a Clueless Rebel can be read as a humorous chronicle of an interesting life. On a deeper level, the narrative ponders questions that are not unique to the author. No matter how a reader chooses to approach Mr. Corbett’s autobiography, the book offers a satisfying and enjoyable experience.