Title: From Brooklyn to Kingsport
Author: David Garrahan
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978-1-984505298-3
Pages: 322
Genre: Autobiography
Reviewed By: Dan MacIntosh
Hollywood Book Reviews
David Garrahan’s autobiography From Brooklyn to Kingsport is a literal ‘rags to riches’ tale. Garrahan came from extremely poor roots, and when he grew up on the tough Brooklyn streets in the 1940s, he actually stole rags from the ragman as a child. He then sold these same rags back to that ragman to make a little money. His book is laid out geographically, plotting his life story by the different places he’s lived throughout his life, beginning in Brooklyn, and (possibly) ending in Kingsport, Tennessee.
This structural forward motion is appropriate because Garrahan’s story is one of constant change. However, you’d never expect him to have attained the sort of success he’s had when reading about his early days. He missed a lot of school while he was still an elementary student. So much so, in fact, he was even held back a grade. Nevertheless, he became well educated and even ended up being a teacher and a supervisor of other teachers. His story is a reminder that society should never give up on anyone. Tough beginnings don’t always predict a person’s future.
This is not to say Garrahan had smooth sailing once he reached adulthood, however. He isn’t shy about the fact that he went through multiple marriages, and these were not always happy relationships. Perhaps his darkest moments revolved around the death of his son. His son committed suicide, and his suicide note included the line, “Dad where were you, when I needed you?” Words like that can haunt a man for the rest of his life. He discovered in retrospect that his son had actually called and attempted to reach him the night before, but the one who took the call mistook him for one of the drunken teachers under him at the time. Garrahan admits to drinking and drugging to mask the pain of this loss. This eventually led to a stay in the Frawley Psychiatric Unit of Good Samarian Hospital.
Although Garrahan is not a household name, his life story is nevertheless fascinating, with plenty of twists and turns. He’s lived a rich, full life, and his story supports the perception of America as the land of opportunity. He could have just as easily ended up a casualty of his circumstances. His mother was unstable and his father an alcoholic, after all. He and his brother were called upon to fend for themselves at an extremely young age. Nevertheless, Garrahan had the drive to rise above his circumstances, which is an admirable trait.
This book also includes plenty of pictures. In some instances, they show Garrahan revisiting pivotal locales from his youth. It must have been emotional for Garrahan to walk those same streets again because they must have brought up hurtful memories. However, it was also likely cathartic to face those memories head on again. The book includes plenty of documentation that supports his story, including news stories from events in his life. Garrahan is, after all, an educator, so such detailed notation shouldn’t come as any great surprise.
It’s oftentimes easy to make the story of a famous public figure interesting because we’re already familiar with many of the events in their lives. It’s quite another feat, however, to take a relatively lesser known figure and make that life into a fascinating autobiography. David Garrahan has done extensive work to make From Brooklyn to Kingsport such a page-turner. Everybody has a story. Not everybody’s story is worthy of a book. However, we are thankful Garrahan took all the time and effort to bring his story to life.