Book Review: "Scorned" By David Putnam

 

If there's one thing I love it's reading a David Putnam book. As an author I find his work fascinating and his background even better.

I enjoyed the ending in which he discussed some specifics about his own family's dire situations and how this book stemmed from a relationship with a partner of crime. His parents received government assistance and always helped many kids in the neighborhood.

I can recall the same as I'll be turing 50 in a few months. How the government back then passed out blocks of cheese. How my parents held several jobs (my mom alone was a mother, wife, real estate agent, private duty nurse, and an RN-OBGYN) and my dad also held jobs (UPS driver, TV/Audio engineer, Navy Vet, and numerous volunteer positions from church as Knights of Columbus, to usher, to Little League Coach and yes, even a Bear Creek Twp Supervisor).

The times were certainly different back then as I recall my dad buying bread from a second hand bakery and would offer it up to neighbors. Or, the fact that my grandmother had lost her first husband in the mines and how the government threw the body on the front porch and left.

I can also attest to the food assistance having been a recipient myself of WIC (Woman,Infant, Children) assistance to purchase things like Alimentum (special formula for kids w acid reflux) or the government equivalent of healthy foods required for families.

Or, how the government now provides my family EBT (food stamps) and how those green stickers back in the day are webbed on my mind from when my own family had to use the booklets.

So, yes we've all been there in fact as I write this I'm in extreme poverty, sought work since 2010, haven't worked since 17 now 49, as a factory worker who made 10cent raise and $7.25 hr., w/o benefits, and a one time bonus of $25 for being top producer/associate of the month.

I can tell you how I spent 20 yrs volunteering to be told by the United Way director of Wilkes Barre that I come across as 'entitled' because I'm seeking paid work now to raise three kids with one medically disabled with vater syndrome from birth. How my son's ssi/ssp was removed at 18 yet he'll have his disabilty for life with no changes since his birth.

Or, how Social Security is meant to assist those who can't work yet I was declined disability yet suffered for over 30 years from medical issues and now sit here with Covid pneumonia/sinus tach/sepsis and have again refiled.

Folks, this is one of those books that deals with numerous issues at once. Drug dealers, gangs, kidnapping, and obviously violence galore.

I'm perplexed with Layla and her love for Drago the friend of Bruno and Maria.
I'm perplexed with the parents and how they came to be with Bruno.
I'm perplexed with Layla's son Sonny by Johnny EF aka Johnny Fillmore.
Frankie Toliver as the boy was known to others prior to kidnapping and how the ending came to be wrapped up.

What more can I say other than what I've been told all my life, "Suck it up buttercup, we all have problems."

I just couldn't really get into this one for whatever reason but I hope to get the chance to read whatever comes next because I enjoy this author immensely.