Hear what readers and critics are saying about Geoffery R. Jonas work.
BEING BROKEN is a wrenching, hugely affecting memoir. It begins with author Geoffrey R. Jonas’s frank admission of his own behaviors: he describes himself as formerly being “a liar, a manipulator, a thief, an emotional abuser, a bully, a misogynist, a cheater, homophobic, and potentially racist”—products of an upbringing in small-town Canada during which such behaviors were on show and seemed normal. But they’re also products of profound neglect during childhood that led to years of battling alcoholism and CPTSD. Similar exposures to adverse childhood experiences led his sister to drug use and a fatal overdose in 2022.
Being Broken, by Geoffrey R. Jonas, is a brutally honest memoir about trauma, addiction, and survival. It follows Jonas through a childhood steeped in neglect and narcissistic abuse, into years of substance dependence, and finally toward healing and self-understanding. He recounts the deaths of his sister, father, and mother, all in a single year, and how those losses forced him to face the damage that shaped his life. The book mixes memoir with insight–part psychology, part confession, and all heart.
This is a difficult thing for many people to do, especially for someone who had such a traumatic start to life, so I have to commend him for doing all of the hard work that is necessary in order for a person to not only face up to their worst moments in life but also to genuinely apologize for them. He is a talented writer, and I hope to read more of his work in the future.
In Being Broken: Tales and Essays of Survival and Death from Narcissistic Parental Abuse by Geoffrey R. Jonas, readers are taken on a raw and painful roller coaster ride in which the author provides full disclosure of how traumatizing growing up was for his sister and himself. They grew up with such broken lives because their parents and stepfather were abusive in so many ways.
Being Broken: Tales and Essays of Survival and Death from Narcissistic Parental Abuse by Geoffrey R. Jonas is a raw and unflinching account of trauma, survival, and self-discovery in the aftermath of narcissistic parental abuse. The author sheds light on the long-term emotional toll of generational dysfunction. The writing is deeply personal and emotionally charged, making it a powerful read for those seeking to understand the lasting effects of family-based trauma. The book offers hope and healing. It’s best suited for readers interested in memoirs, psychology, or trauma recovery narratives.
Momna
This review brought tears to my eyes. I really felt the review nailed what the book was about. Addiction and Trauma Literature – BookViral Book Reviews
“Geoffrey R. Jonas’s Being Broken is a harrowing yet deeply reflective memoir that confronts the interwoven realities of family trauma, addiction, and the long shadow of narcissistic parental abuse. Part personal narrative, part psychological analysis, and part meditation on grief, the book is both a chronicle of survival and a testament to resilience.
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