Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Based on a true story, Gemini Joe follows the life of a New York family through four generations. This is the story of a man torn between his creative talents, and the demons he inherited from his family. A very emotional story that will bring tears to the reader's eyes and occasional laughter. The way Joe reconnects with his daughter is beautiful, and rediscovering her real father seems to have been a beautiful journey in itself.
Janet Sierzant tells a story of hurt, addiction, and redemption, and makes readers understand that those who hurt others are themselves hurting deeply, and that behind the ugliness we may notice in some people that there is a wellspring of beauty waiting to burst forth.
I enjoyed the moving, very inspiring poems that open the chapters, poems by the protagonist. This is a story that compels me to revisit my story with my own father.... Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
A simple story of an ordinary life, but that is precisely what makes it special. I enjoyed reading about all of the day-to-day life in their household with the big Italian dinners, fishing, sports, daily life. It's a very engaging and well-written book and probably one of my favorite memoirs I have read in a long time....Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite
Synopsis
Based on a true story, Gemini Joe follows the life of a New York family through four generations. A very emotional story that will bring tears to the reader's eyes and occasional laughter. The way Joe reconnects with his daughter is beautiful, and rediscovering her real father seems to have been a beautiful journey in itself.
Janet Sierzant tells a story of hurt, addiction, and redemption, and makes readers understand that those who hurt others are themselves hurting deeply, and that behind the ugliness we may notice in some people that there is a wellspring of beauty waiting to burst forth.
I enjoyed the moving, very inspiring poems that open the chapters, poems by the protagonist. This is a story that compels me to revisit my story with my own father.... Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
A simple story of an ordinary life, but that is precisely what makes it special. I enjoyed reading about all of the day-to-day life in their household with the big Italian dinners, fishing, sports, daily life. It's a very engaging and well-written book and probably one of my favorite memoirs I have read in a long time....Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite
Synopsis
Based on a true story, Gemini Joe follows the life of a New York family through four generations. Growing up with an alcoholic father was like living in an altered state of reality. My father spent most of his time at the bar, where they knew him as "Gemini Joe," a charismatic, funny man who was the life of any party, but we didn't see this side of him at home. A bottle of scotch on the table was all it took to set him off, causing me and my siblings to hide at the top of the stairs, listening and waiting for the fighting to stop. The undercurrent of tension stayed close to the surface. I was expected to be a normal, frolicking, happy child, but there was a sadness inside me-loneliness that followed me through my childhood like a stray dog. The teachers thought I was shy because I didn't speak and rarely smiled. They didn't look beyond the fa ade. Somehow, I was made to feel like it was my fault. It wasn't until I was in my thirties with children of my own that I found out the truth. Forgiveness saved me.
A very emotional story that will bring tears to the reader's eyes and occasional laughter. The way Joe reconnects with his daughter is beautiful, and rediscovering her real father seems to have been a beautiful journey in itself.
I enjoyed the moving, very inspiring poems that open the chapters, poems by the protagonist. This is a story that compels me to revisit my story with my own father.... Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
A simple story of an ordinary life, but that is precisely what makes it special. I enjoyed reading about all of the day-to-day life in their household with the big Italian dinners, fishing, sports, daily life. It's a very engaging and well-written book and probably one of my favorite memoirs I have read in a long time ....Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite
Synopsis
A very emotional story that will bring tears to the reader's eyes and occasional laughter. The way Joe reconnects with his daughter is beautiful, and rediscovering her real father seems to have been a beautiful journey in itself.Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite Joe spent most of his time at the bar, where they knew him as "Gemini Joe," a charismatic, funny man who was the life of any party, but his family didn't see this side of him at home. A bottle of scotch on the table was all it took to set him off, causing his children to hide at the top of the stairs, listening and waiting for the fighting to stop. At times, his creative side came out in the form of poetry, drawings, and inventions, including the first design for a toothpaste cap that stayed on the tube. Tragically, he was never to achieve success. The struggle with alcohol caused Joe to walk away from his wife and children. Estranged from his oldest daughter, years went by until he wrote her a letter. It included a poem that he had written which triggered her curiosity. She didn't know much about his childhood and asked him to tell her his story.
Synopsis
The note from the author at the opening of this book establishes the link that readers will discover between the author and the protagonist in Gemini Joe: Memoirs of Brooklyn by Janet Sierzant. Having had a difficult, lonely, and depressive childhood, a man grows up and makes life a living hell for his own family to the point of being estranged from his loved ones. A bottle of scotch has always been a great companion to Joe, a kind of escape from the painful experience of life. This is a boy who has very painful memories of childhood and whose sense of solitude has been so acute it has left an imprint on his soul. At the age of seven, he already knew the taste of cigarettes. But then a connection with his daughter many years after their separation sets him on the path to redemption, unveiling his heart to his daughter, and telling his story. Now readers will encounter a man who stands up against his demons-but is it enough to make up for the wasted years?
Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite
Synopsis
Joe spent most of his time at the bar, where they knew him as "Gemini Joe," a charismatic, funny man who was the life of any party, but his family didn't see this side of him at home. A bottle of scotch on the table was all it took to set him off, causing his children to hide at the top of the stairs, listening and waiting for the fighting to stop. At times, his creative side came out in the form of poetry, drawings, and inventions, including the first design for a toothpaste cap that stayed on the tube. Tragically, he was never to achieve success. The struggle with alcohol caused Joe to walk away from his wife and children. Years passed until he wrote his estranged daughter a letter. It included a poem that he had written, which triggered her curiosity. She didn't know much about his childhood and asked him to tell her his story.