This moving and powerful memoir hits home hard. Jimmy Barnes tells the story of James Swan, the son of Scottish parents from Glasgow who emigrated to Adelaide under the ten pound Pom provisions. James Swan's future as a rock star is irrelevant to this story, whose power relies on the drama and tragedy that the boy experienced.
James Swan did it tough, my own family didn't mind a certain amount of dysfunctional behaviour, often fuelled by alcohol, but compared to the liquor-soaked Swan family and their equally alcohol fuelled community, we were the Brady Bunch. Jimmy Barnes tells this stark story with simplicity and grace, not trying to make excuses yet still showing love for his family and understanding of their experiences.
The first volume of two, I look forward to seeing how Jimmy's legacy impacted his career as a rock star and how he learned to overcome his inheritance and become a better man but I cannot imagine the sequel being able to match this raw, beautifully told story of his childhood.
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