Getting Off the Radiator

Book excerpt: Dorothy Preston’s debut memoir, Getting Off the Radiator: A Story of Shame, Guilt, and Forgiveness, is the story of a child growing up in a twenty-eight-room mansion infested with roaches and overrun with hippies, thieves, drug abusers, alcoholics, and a murderer. The youngest of seven children abandoned by their father, Preston watched while her mother struggled to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads while also diving deeper into the bottle, standing in line for welfare, and renting rooms in their home for income. Given the cast of characters who passed through the house and the absence of parental guidance, the family lived the life of a twisted fairy tale in which shame, guilt, and anger played leading roles. Preston recounts her journey through childhood into adulthood, her years waging battles with her difficult past, overcoming adversity, practicing forgiveness, and cherishing the love of a family whose bonds cannot be broken. Beautifully written and accompanied by intimate family photographs, this is a memoir that breaks open what it means to live with a difficult past while struggling to embrace a hopeful future.