Alligator Candy

February 8, 2016
In this solemn memoir, journalist Kushner returns to the horrifying murder of his brother in Tampa in 1973. Kushner, only four years old at the time, begged 11-year-old Jonathan to get him candy at the local 7-Eleven and then watched him cycle away into the woods. Jonathan never returned, and his disappearance led to an extraordinary search that apprehended the murderers, two psychopaths who had been stalking children in the area. One of the killers was executed; when the second became eligible for parole, Kushner felt compelled to research and confront the tragedy that he had avoided for so long. The strength of Kushner’s narrative lies in his exploration of how trauma distorts and reshapes even the strongest families. In the wake of Jonathan’s murder, Kushner’s father, a progressive anthropology professor, shifted his research to focus on grief and loss, while his mother helped pioneer hospice care. Yet the family members rarely shared their feelings, and Kushner couldn’t bring himself to write about the murder until after his father’s death. Kushner’s effort to grapple with his loss takes far more space than the actual investigation, and at times, the narrative is unfocused and confusing. Nevertheless, his vivid evocation of his brother, his family, and their Jewish, academic, Southern milieu is a moving tribute.

May 15, 2016

One of the takeaways from this book by Kushner (contributing editor, Rolling Stone; Ferris Professor of Journalism, Princeton Univ.; Masters of Doom) is that loss cannot be avoided--it stays with a person for however long they need it to, but it can also provide insight into one's approach to life. When the author was four years old, his older brother, Jon, was kidnapped and murdered near their house in Florida. This memoir describes Kushner's experience after that defining moment, and the ways in which, looking back, he sees how events later were linked to that dark day. His writing effectively moves the reader to feel a range of emotions along with his family as they wait during the days Jon is missing, hear the news of his death, learn about the killers, and carry on in their own lives. It is heart-wrenching but also shows how families unite and continue forward with the memories of a loved one. VERDICT This emotional account invites readers to journey down a path that at first is in the shade but eventually wanders through strands of sunlight. You will hold those close to you tight after reading. For fans of true crime, books about getting past tragedy, and memoirs.--Ryan Claringbole, Wisconsin Dept. of Pub. Instruction, Madison

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