Filthy Beasts: A Memoir

Hamill, a former nonprofit development chief, debuts with this sharp, thoughtful account of his formerly wealthy family’s fall and his own coming-of-age. Hamill spent his first six years living a life of privilege at the family compound in 1970s Long Island, watching his parents luxuriate in WASP pastimes of yachting, cocktails, and socializing. But when his grandparents died, they left the clan surprisingly destitute due to “lavish spending and poor investment decisions.” The family moved to an upstate farm where everything fell apart: Hamill’s parents divorced, and his mom, a beautiful force of nature, took Hamill and his two brothers to her native Bermuda where she despaired of her lost, moneyed life and began drinking. Hamill, meanwhile, didn’t fit in on the island and began to question his sexuality. Much of the story has a train wreck quality as Hamill details his mother’s drinking, and their tense and antagonistic relationship. It wasn’t until he was in his 30s that Hamill accepted his homosexuality and told his disbelieving mother: “A mother like you should have a gay son.... My God, a mother like you makes a gay son.” In smooth prose, Hamill’s narrative moves gracefully without ever being precious. Fans of difficult family memoirs will want to take a look. (July)