J Michael Straczynski’s (JMS) new memoir, Becoming Superman: My journey from poverty to Hollywood, is compelling, heartbreaking, and inspirational. It provides unique insight for adoptive and foster parents of children who have been abused and neglected – a portrait of how these children are impacted and can develop Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD).
JMS is most well known as the creator of Babylon 5, writer of Clint Eastwood’s Changeling which stars Angelina Jolie, and as a prolific writer of sci-fi and comic books. His new memoir shows how he built his career based on hard work and a belief in doing the right thing. What may come as a surprise is the details of his brutal childhood.
The story begins with JMS’s grandparents and follows the chilling thread of multi-generational trauma through three generations. While Joe makes no excuse for his sadistically abusive father, sexually abusive grandmother, and neglectful mother, this background enables readers to begin to understand how trauma can negatively impact multiple generations. In particular, we are able to feel some level of compassion for his mother who was kidnapped as a teenager by his father and spent her life as his captive, regularly beaten and mistreated.
Because his mother was emotionally unavailable due to her own suffering, JMS had no one to protect him. No one to love and care for him. Understandably, he suffered from inhibited RAD and struggled to form meaningful relationships and read social cues. Rising above a horrific childhood, JMS went on to become a Hollywood star. Fans and writers will enjoy the second half of the book which details his career stops and starts and ultimate success.
While RAD is not the primary topic of Becoming Superman: My journey from poverty to Hollywood, JMS does much to help raise awareness. He very effectively shows the reader the why and how of RAD. In addition, he provides an accurate and easily understood description for the disorder which will be new to many of his readers.
Pick up a copy of the new memoir here: Becoming Superman: My journey from poverty to Hollywood,
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