Marilyn Webb Neagley

I wanted this book because I'm a little familiar with Shelburne Farms and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the people behind it. I regret the choice. The book could have used heavy editing - there was an odd typo here and there and a page where a few lines had no spaces between the words, but I'm not talking about a proofreader, I'm talking about a no-nonsense editor who would have cut out distractions and worked to make the story jump around less from future to present (and sometimes past) when it wasn't needed and was confusing.

I don't want to get too mean with the review, because I think Shelburne Farms does good things and it's great that Neagley was a driving force there, but this book does feel like a vanity publication and barely anything else. Mentioning how tight on funds you are in between details of the 20 or so vacations written about just doesn't sit well.

I think less description of things that didn't mean anything to the story and more recollections of conversations or even how she felt about things looking back would have gone a long way.… (meer)

Do you remember those View Master toys we used to have as kids? The wheel of photographs would display scenes like Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon, or the craters of the moon. You could swap out the disc of landscapes for one of exotic animals: look at these lions, eagles, and snakes instead! Reading Attic of Dreams was like viewing Neagley's life through a View Master toy. Small but powerful images. Click. Memories condensed into a few images at a time. Click. Her childhood was punctured by the fangs of an abandonment only alcoholic addiction can bring. Click. The sting is painful. When Neagley isn't remembering her parents drinking, Neagley had an idyllic childhood full of glamorous aunts, penny candy, and cloud-watching with girlfriends. As an adult, Neagley grows more involved in conservation and fights to establish the now famous educational nonprofit for sustainable living. She marries, have children and travels the world, but never losing the memory of childhood traumas.… (meer)

Attic of Dreams is the story of overcoming the turbulent lifestyle of an alcoholic household. While she could have easily fallen into this disruptive pattern, Marilyn manages to remain sober and reach for her dreams.

Life isn’t easy. She often found herself spending time with relatives when her mother was confined to addiction treatment facilities. While she loved her mother, she never knew any physical affection from her. Nagging doubts about her ability to be a good wife and mother made her afraid to commit to permanent relationships. Instead, Mrs. Neagley spends a large part of her life devoted to causes for the greater good. Her efforts gave her the opportunity to travel and to meet others who were working toward a similar goal.

This story is not told in your traditional chapter by chapter format. It is, instead, written more as a series of short vignettes detailing episodes of her life. I admit that it seemed disjointed at first, but once I adjusted to her train of thought and writing pattern, the individual units seemed to flow more freely.

I admire the author for her tenacity to move forward. She shared her marriage – both the good and bad, even accepting part of the blame when the first two did not work out. She gives credit to those who have been (and others who still are) a part of her life.

I received an advance copy of this book from Rootstock Publishing through the Early Reviewers at LibraryThing. No promise was made or requested of a positive review. However, I found that Marilyn Neagley has an interesting story to share with her readers.… (meer)