Review: Boys in the Trees: A Memoir

Boys in the Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I grew up in the 60's and early 70's so I am extremely familiar with the music of Carly Simon and James Taylor, yet I really knew very little about either of them. So I didn't know what to expect out of this memoir when I picked it up at my library. I did not expect the overwhelming sense of sadness. Simon's memoir starts with her childhood, and it's clear that her father's depression, her mother's infidelity, and her own sexual abuse deeply scarred her. It also laid the groundwork for her struggles as an adult to find a sense of self-worth. I was also unaware of Taylor's heavy drug use (I lived a pretty sheltered life!) so it's not surprising that their marriage ended. I liked her honesty and her ability to recount unhappy and unflattering episodes in her life. There's a lot of unhappiness behind the "storybook" portrayals of celebrities and their relationships. I also liked how she described the origins of her songs and lyrics. I'd forgotten how deeply the songs are entrenched in the songtrack of my life! All in all, an interesting read.

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