Getting It Through My Thick Skull

July 20, 2009
Since 1992, when Buttafuoco found herself at the center of a senseless tragedy, her last name has become an easy (and surprisingly long-lived) punchline. While most everyone knows the story of her ex-husband, Joey, his relationship with teenaged Amy Fisher, and Fisher's violent attack on Mary Jo, no one knows the former Mrs. Buttafuoco's side. In this revealing memoir, Buttafuoco examines the sociopathic manipulation perpetrated by her husband, how he kept her tied to him, and how she finally found the strength to leave. Readers looking for a scandalous rehashing of the Joey-Fisher affair will find surprisingly little (it is, after all, a well-covered 17-year-old story), but Buttafuoco bares her soul in a detailed account of her life, from the high school roots of her relationship with Joey to the healthy, rewarding relationship she currently enjoys. Buttafuoco's goal is to alert readers to the dangers of sociopathic personalities, as well as to inspire in them the strength to leave and the patience to heal (a mission only slightly undermined by her admission that she does keep in contact with Joey).

July 1, 2009
Buttafuoco was infamously shot in the head by Amy Fisher, a teenager with whom her husband was allegedly having an affair. She survived the attack and stuck out her marriage for quite a while, believing Joeys version of events relating to the shooting and remaining loyal to and even defensive about him, despite all of the evidence pointing to his guilt, other misadventures, and additional extramarital affairs. Now having finally divorced him, she has identified him as a sociopath and wants to help other people who may be involved with sociopaths. However, the most fascinating parts of the book are the revelatory passages relating to their home life (both battled drug addictions before and after the shooting), their odd personal relationship, and more. It is tempting to dismiss Buttafuocos tell-all as a last, desperate attempt to cash in before the familys notoriety wanes or as an attempt to compete with her ex-husbands continuing buffoonery. However, as she has largely remained silent on the subject, this account of the attack and her life with Joey Buttafuoco is strangely compelling. Readers will want to knowwhy did she stay with him? The Buttafuoco name still generates interest, so expect interest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)