It was a cocktail of chaos, trauma and love that brought the best-selling memoir “Lit” to life. This is the third memoir written by poet and educator Mary Karr. You are propelled poetically through his life, stopping and sipping moment after moment of what leads to inevitable full-blown alcoholism. The first two books are mixed up in the memoir. Mary's traumatic childhood is the focus of her first book and is haunted by her attempts to erase everything, as a wild young adult in the second. In the third book, “Lit,” Mary openly focuses on the moments leading up to her addiction and recovery; both with her drinking and with her mother. A mother who was a serial bride, artist, alcoholic; and spent time in a mental institution for attempting to kill Mary and her sister. No matter how hard she tries, Mary can't "get over" becoming her mother; a role she sinks into once she becomes a mother herself (Karr, 2010 p. 33). After years of alcohol, several attempts at recovery, an empty marriage, and a stint in an institution for attempting to take her own life, Mary finds sobriety and frees herself from the paradigms established by her parents. He finds the strength to rewrite his legacy with a touch of peer support and prayer. Despite a lifetime of therapy and recovery, it is only when Mary “lets go” and accepts God, and prying, that she finally learns to truly heal and recover. . His childhood was devoid of any religious affiliation and structure. Mary's father was an atheist and her mother was involved in various religious fads and organizations. Mary's first story in prayer dates back to when her mother dropped her off at college and made her experience her first blackout. She remembers... the center of the card... Ry's soul. I also can't fully digest why we as a culture celebrate people who heal? I think it's a great and wonderful thing to take back your life, as much as we idolize them, make them martyrs in a way. I would much rather read and honor those people who never gave in to temptation, who never got drunk, who never got high and destroyed lives. While I enjoyed reading this book, and will likely read more of his writings, this book is a great way to read and understand how paradigmatic maps can be created and influenced, but also modified and rewritten. The best part of this story is the understanding of hope. That no matter what life or legacy has served you, you have the power to change. Reference Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Free Press.Karr, M. (2010). Enlightened: A Memoir. New York, NY: Harper Perennial.