Overview

A lyrical memoir that begins in a quiet Vermont village with memories of Marilyn's parents, who own a popular restaurant and lively night spot that sits next to their home. While her mother disappears into addiction, Marilyn grapples with feelings of abandonment, though she recalls being uplifted by the village, by her dreams, and by the kindness of others. In young adulthood, she lands on a beautiful estate known as Shelburne Farms, where she helps to launch valuable movements for the region: local food and farmers' markets, outdoor childhood education, and the stewardship of natural resources. But her work is not without cost to her personal life. She discovers that her interest in protecting the outer world begins to heal her inner self. The two are deeply intertwined. Attic of Dreams examines family dysfunction while humor counters tragedy, and forgiveness counters blame. Trust and love emerge as the journey home to wholeness continues.

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9781578691326

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Reviews

"""Neagley combines a personal memoir with the history of a well-known tourist site. The author presents the reader with two fascinating stories...a personal account of growing up in a Russian immigrant family and coping with her parents' alcoholism. She then recounts how...she developed a professional career in interior design that brought her into contact with the Webb family of Vermont's Shelburne Farms...This admixture of personal history and chronicle of the Shelburne Farms estate is engaging to read. . .a fascinating and worthwhile account of what happens when a family estate must reinvent itself."" -Kirkus Reviews ""A very compelling memoir written in a unique style that covers Marilyn Webb Neagley's fascinating life, which has myriad intersections, including her role as a leader of Shelburne Farms, as well as her own experience as a champion and steward of the environment. The memoir is also intensely personal and projects a narrative that extends beyond her career commitments into her own troubled childhood and her own spiritual evolution. This is a book that will resonate with a broad range of readers."" -Bill Schubart, author of The Lamoille Stories and other novels ""Marilyn Neagley's memoir addresses issues so critical now: how to take care of our natural world, of each other, of ourselves-we need magic attics of imagination and stories that inspire our activism. In addition her book touches on a beloved place in Vermonters' hearts, and by extension all the beloved places on our planet home we have neglected for far too long!"" -Julia Alvarez, Dominican-American poet, novelist, and essayist"

Author Information

"Marilyn Webb Neagley has lived her life in Vermont. She is the author of two previous books and the co-editor of another. Her book, ""Walking through the Seasons,"" received an IPPY gold medal for best northeastern non-fiction. She has been a Vermont Public Radio commentator and has written essays for her local newspaper. Marilyn was raised in Ascutney, Vermont. She and her husband now reside in Shelburne."

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