Tietam Brown

Let's start this review off by stating a few things about myself. I am an avid wrestling fan, and have always counted as Mick Foley as one of the most entertaining wrestlers around in the last decade. I have also read '"Have a Nice Day; A Tale of Blood & Sweat socks", and "Foley is Good; And The Real World is faker than wrestling", until I have had to throw them out, because they are so crinkled, and the spines of the books have fallen apart.

If you have read any of his two autobiographys, the first thing you'll notice is Antietam Brown V (or Andy for short) is Mick Foley. He speaks like Mick Foley, he thinks like Mick Foley. Hell he is missing half an ear, like Mick Foley. Foley has a very distinct sense of humor, which Andy takes on. show more In this aspect, I believe that this book would be a better read to someone who had never read anything Foley before. However as the book continues and the plot picks you in, you notice this issue less and less.

This book isn't for the faint of heart. Nothing ever goes well for Andy, and when-ever he takes one step forward, he seems to take three steps back. This book investigates whether we are to blame for the situations we find ourself in, and also whether it can be inherited, or passed on from your family.

This book is told through the point of view of Andy, but the real interesting character, and probably what the title of this book is about is about his father, coincidentaly also called Antietam Brown; this time Antietam Brown IV (or Tietam for this review). From the beginning of the book we see Tietam as not the greatest father. He contacts his kid after not seeing him for near 17 years. However they start to grow on each other. Andy is intrigued by Tietam's bizzare ways. From his nude press-up ritual in the intermission through his almost nightly sexscapades with the town's married women. However as time goes on, and events happen he starts to see his father as a very peciular figure.

Foley injects a little bit of wrestling folklore into his book. It only goes on for a few pages, doesn't dominate the book, and really does add to the greater story.

All in all, I give this book a solid 4.5 stars. I really couldn't put this book down, and it tells a very beautiful, but extremely disturbing story about interesting characters. Foley manages to get you to invest emotion in his characters, and really brings his unique characters to life. Highly reccommended. :-)

(And probably more to come, and more to be refined in this review at a later time :-)) show less

Tietam Brown was the most compelling novel I had read in some time. While it can often be deeply disturbing, I found that I just couldn't stop reading until I found out how things would turn out for Andy. The narration is skewed enough to be very interesting, and the cultural references are fun to read. The characters really come to life, though some (ok, most) are twisted as heck. I recommend this book to Foley fans, especially those not easily shocked. This book isn't for everyone, but those who enter Tietam's world will not be disapointed. An interesting note- this book
strongly reminded me of the work of one of my other favorite authors, John Irving. I wrote to Mick Foley to offer my praises for the book and he answered that Irving show more was in fact a big influence on his writing. Any of "the hardcore legend" Mick Foley's books are sure to have something shocking yet touching within, they are well worth a read. show less

Antietam Brown, aka Andy, the teen protagonist, is a true-blue coming-of-age character, falling in love for the first time, trying to fit in at a new school — and readers will root for him. But his is a hardcore life where normal rules don't apply. Broken bones are plenty here, but the injury count also includes a severed head, an amputated ear, lots of smashed teeth, an ear ripped off, and more blood than found in most horror novels. Sexual violence is just as prevalent, mostly rape, but even more disturbing are Andy's father's sexual antics and attitudes. The real main event in the book is the relationship between Andy and his father, which resolves itself in another cacophony of violence. Like many first time novelists, Foley loads show more the book with too much clatter, but beneath the noise is an intriguing novel about coming of age against the odds, about the weight of family history, and about wrestling with tough issues of coping with loss, betrayal, forgiveness, and acceptance. Review originally appeared in Novelist. show less

I enjoyed it, reminded me a little of Owen Meany (not sure why!). It's a little too 'gritty' for me though.

Tietam Brown is molested by his foster father.