In his eighth book and first work of non-fiction, the author uses as his subject the story of his own life.The American born son of a Scottish mother and an Irish father, he begins with the story of his own angst-filled childhood, after the failure of his parents' marriage.The evolution of an American writer is told through accounts of his uncertain teens, through his army service, his year in Vietnam, and the birth of a beloved daughter. Here are poignant, candid memories of his own marriage gone bad, of his new life and loves, of affectionate travels to the auld sod of his parents' beginnings, of secrets of his inner self, and finally of his fight with a life-threatening illness.A must read for memoir lovers.