Filthy Beasts

Writer Hamill is a keen observer of his particular family situation. His father’s family wealth declined greatly after the death of an older relative, and his parents and several siblings had to cope with new and reduced circumstances. Divorce, family separation, and alcoholism are the circumstances Mr. Hamill and his brothers face as they relocate with their mother, back to her birthplace in Bermuda. Hamill finds himself caring for a mother drowning her sorrows through alcohol. Their relationship is an especially close one. Hamill deftly tells the story of his family, and his youth, with great love and a perceptive nature. Yet he spares no one, and as he narrates his teenage years and his college adventures, he relates coming to terms with his own sexuality and what it means for himself and his family. Hamill writes of his own experiences, along with those of his friends and family in an entertaining way, yet there is also an acute understanding of the difficulties people face in their daily lives.