Rating: 
Summary: Shot in the Heart (wr. by Mikal Gilmore)
Review: This nonfiction effort, written by the younger brother of executed murderer Gary Gilmore (of "The Executioner's Song" fame) is one of the best books ever written about the downfall of a family.Gilmore delves into the lives of his parents and brothers. His father, Frank Sr., was an older man who would run scams and con games, moving from town to town. He also married a half dozen times and fathered as many children under different aliases. Mikal's mother, Bessie, was a Mormon who grew up in another strange family, filled with death and belief in hauntings and spirits. Both parents beat their first three sons unmercifully. Frank Jr., Gary, and Gaylen seemed like normal little boys until their parents got done with them. Mikal was the fourth son born, and probably got better treatment than the others. Frank Jr. disappeared after his brother's Gary execution, and was missing from Mikal's life for about ten years. Gary Gilmore spent most of his life in reform school and prison, before murdering two young men in Provo and being executed in Utah by firing squad. Gary's experiences in reform school, especially on his first night, is so horrible it is hard to forget (especially considering this type of behavior is happening to children). Gaylen was the third son, and almost as much of a criminal as Gary. He would end up dying young, the roundabout result of a mysterious stabbing that would not heal. Gilmore's book, coming in at over 400 pages, is a fast paced read. He never tries to explain his brothers' behavior, and he does not defend them, he merely lays out the facts of their family's upbringing, and the reader experiences the shocking life the Gilmores went through. Mikal talks about his own experiences, and how his love of music eventually led to his career as a music journalist, writing for Rolling Stone. There are revelations here that would seem right at home on a daytime soap opera if they were not real. Paternity, babies thought dead, marital affairs, greed, all are covered here, but in a manner that makes these incidents very sad. Television shows like "Jerry Springer" take these same kinds of lives and make them into a big joke and ratings booster, but when Mikal spits a half page venomous paragraph about an offhand comment by Maury Povich of the now defunct "A Current Affair," you realize those shows are put on the air to hurt, not inform or enlighten. This is a terrific book, and might be able to help put your own family's problems in perspective. That petty fight with your sister-in-law over the TV remote will definitely pale by comparison. Mikal Gilmore has written a powerful and passionate book about a subject he knows better than anyone. I highly recommend it. This book does contain enough material that it is not appropriate for children or young teens.
Rating:
Summary: Still My All Time Favorite Book
Review: When I bought this book I was at an age where I had no time to think about others, only myself, plus I was never much of a reader. But from the very first page I could not put it down. Mikal Gilmore is a wonderful writer -- and to this day, my favorite author. The honesty in this book spoke to my heart. It finally showed me that not all our pasts are the same, that some carry infinitely more pain than others, and that we should try our best to see and understand that in all that we meet.
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