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Our Creative writing director, Jane Blunschi, recently concluded a 4-week book study of “Bandit” with incarcerated women here in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Several of our book club members were so moved by Molly’s book they wanted to encourage others to read it and were very happy to review it:
Molly’s memoir was a realistic, transparent collection of well thought out, descriptive memories that I related to so much that I felt a personal connection as I read each chapter. Her story is real, and I greatly appreciated her ability to convey every aspect of her emotions she experienced in her most memorable “snap-shots” from how her life was growing up. K.F.
A raw look at the effects of being a child/children of an incarcerated parent. I could feel her sadness and energy with every page. M.N.
I absolutely loved how vulnerable Molly was about her life. I absolutely loved how courageous she was and her boldness to tell the complete truth about her life with an bank robber, incarcerated father. It’s really opened my eyes to the effects of incarceration and addictions has on the children that are left without a parent. Just want to say thank you for this amazing book. H.J.
I loved the book, “Bandit: A Daughter’s Memoir” by Molly Brodak. It talks about her life and her family life with her dad in and out of prison for robbing 11 banks and how she had to deal without her dad in her life for most of it and how he cared for her sister more than her.
My life is somewhat the same but my Mom was in and out of my life and my dad was the main parent in my life. My mom was always in and out of trouble when I was 12 years old. Now my dad has passed away and my Mom is the main parent again and trying to rebuild the relationship to make it better. My Mom was RFP in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 2002-2004 and now I am here incarcerated just like my Mom was for something I did.
This book was very “real life.” It made me feel bad because of my criminal background, what I’ve had to do for $$, with my two daughters there and seeing and knowing what I was doing. They’ve also had to see the need for $$ in even ways of gambling and stealing. I used to say they learned what NOT to do by being with me. That’s what Molly seemed to get from her father’s stealing and also not being a good, caring “there” dad. J.B.
An absolutely fabulous tale of her family life and father’s impact on her also. Wonderful mastery of words. Molly is making it all so surreal and easy to picture also. Loved reading this book. 🙂 RJN