Crazy For The Storm

Crazy For The Storm by Norman Ollestad

I've already said that I rarely wander into the non-fiction shelves, but I was in the mood for something "meaty" so I pulled this book out of the biography section. According to the cover it's the true story of an 11-year-old boy who was the sole survivor of a plane crash in the San Gabriel Mountains. It's much more than that - Ollestad weaves his story of survival around his memoirs, and his coming-of-age angst.

As an aside - my son had finished his book and I blithely suggested that he read this book, since it sounded interesting and innocuous. Boy am I ever glad he didn't! Once I picked it up, I very nearly put it right back down.

Ollestad grew up in a hippie community of surfers and ski bums. His father pushed him to adrenaline-junkie extremes while his mother lived with a somewhat abusive boyfriend. Ollestad describes several harrowing experiences as well as some explicit scenarios he witnessed as a boy.

Despite the frequent use of the "f" word, I finished the book. The author does a good job of recording his thoughts and feelings as he tried to reconcile the words and actions of those around him to what he saw in himself. He remembers his reactions to his parents and friends, deals with divorce, death, insecurity and the drive to become something better. The way his childhood reminisces are interspersed with the details of the plane crash draw the reader in and creates a feeling of suspense.

Even though the growth of Ollestad's understanding is intriguing, his vulgarity is a big turn-off for me. One of the jacket reviews states that the book is "beautifully told" but I guess that man's idea of beauty is a lot different than mine. When it was over I was glad that things turned around for the author, but also glad that I don't have to attend parties with him.

All in all, I Red Flag this book for Adult rated content, and I don't recommend it.