Tiger, Tiger: A Memoir
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Tiger, Tiger: A Memoir for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Tiger, Tiger will start a thousand conversations. It is shocking, revelatory and fearless. As the story of a victim, it is gripping; as a work of literature, it's a triumph' (Alice Sebold, Author Of The Lovely Bones )
Margaux Fragoso was only 7 years old when she swam up to a guy in his 50s and asked him to play with her. The mesmerizing memoir of the next fifteen years - spent with the pedophile who became her playmate, father, and lover - had us enraged, horrified, and unable to put it down. (Daily Candy, the 10 Nonfiction Reads of the New Year )
Margaux Fragoso's memoir, a subtly crafted account of her 15-year involvement as a child and adolescent with a middle-aged man, asks urgent questions about the traffic between memory and art. (Boyd Tonkin, Ones To Watch In 2011 The Independent )
An Observer Cultural Highlight of 2011 (The Observer )
What I'm Telling My Friends: Brave, dark, and horrifying ... an unforgettable survivor's story. Get it. Read it. NOW! (Julie Kane LibraryJournal.com )
Revelatory...her tale loops amazingly around her own coming-of-age and sets her down in adulthood with a transformative twist...it breaks the mold...an astonishing and heartbreaking drama. (Elle US )
We dare you to turn away. (O, The Oprah Magazine )
Astonishing. (Marie Claire US )
Fragoso is a born storyteller, and stories were her fail-safe during her scarring entanglement with the man who devoured her childhood....[She] matches shattering exposure with humanizing insights and extraordinary compassion. (Booklist )
A Top Ten Memoir of 2011. (Publisher's Weekly )
Margaux Fragoso was only 7 years old when she swam up to a guy in his 50s and asked him to play with her. The mesmerizing memoir of the next fifteen years - spent with the pedophile who became her playmate, father, and lover - had us enraged, horrified, and unable to put it down. (Daily Candy, the 10 Nonfiction Reads of the New Year )
Margaux Fragoso's memoir, a subtly crafted account of her 15-year involvement as a child and adolescent with a middle-aged man, asks urgent questions about the traffic between memory and art. (Boyd Tonkin, Ones To Watch In 2011 The Independent )
An Observer Cultural Highlight of 2011 (The Observer )
What I'm Telling My Friends: Brave, dark, and horrifying ... an unforgettable survivor's story. Get it. Read it. NOW! (Julie Kane LibraryJournal.com )
Revelatory...her tale loops amazingly around her own coming-of-age and sets her down in adulthood with a transformative twist...it breaks the mold...an astonishing and heartbreaking drama. (Elle US )
We dare you to turn away. (O, The Oprah Magazine )
Astonishing. (Marie Claire US )
Fragoso is a born storyteller, and stories were her fail-safe during her scarring entanglement with the man who devoured her childhood....[She] matches shattering exposure with humanizing insights and extraordinary compassion. (Booklist )
A Top Ten Memoir of 2011. (Publisher's Weekly )
Product Description
I still think about Peter, the man I loved most in the world, all the time.
At two in the afternoon, when he would come and pick me up and take me for rides; at five, when I would read to him, head on his chest; in the despair at seven p.m., when he would hold me and rub my belly for an hour; in the despair again at nine p.m. when we would go for a night ride, down to the Royal Cliffs Diner in Englewood Cliffs where I would buy a cup of coffee with precisely seven sugars and a lot of cream. We were friends, soul mates and lovers.
I was seven. He was fifty-one.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
There's already been quite a lot of buzz about this book in the literary press but I wasn't quite sure whether I wanted to read it or not - the story of a seven year old girl who has a relationship with a fifty year old man, which lasts for fifteen years. While I can't say that I `enjoyed' it, I think it has important insights to offer and things to say, and is also beautifully and intelligently written.
Fragoso reveals the twisted world of the paedophile's victim, the girl who feels that no-one's ever loved her like that before, or will again. And one of the most searing insights is the way in which the child becomes complicit in her own imprisoning, seeing her situation as an oddly empowering one, however perverse that might be.
The prologue has Fragoso situate this as a cathartic book, one which she felt she had to write in an attempt to make sense of her own life. She is both restrained and yet also brutally explicit, but never descends to the prurient or sentimental.
I'm glad that she has also written an epilogue in which she has managed, to some extent, to reclaim her life: she has a PhD and a daughter of her own, and a perspective which allows her to acknowledge and understand what happened to her without simplifying or excusing it.
So this is undoubtedly a harrowing and chilling read, and one which parents of young children might want to approach with caution. Fragoso tackles this difficult subject with honesty, self-awareness and intelligence - so not a book which I `enjoyed' but certainly one which I'm glad I've read.
Fragoso reveals the twisted world of the paedophile's victim, the girl who feels that no-one's ever loved her like that before, or will again. And one of the most searing insights is the way in which the child becomes complicit in her own imprisoning, seeing her situation as an oddly empowering one, however perverse that might be.
The prologue has Fragoso situate this as a cathartic book, one which she felt she had to write in an attempt to make sense of her own life. She is both restrained and yet also brutally explicit, but never descends to the prurient or sentimental.
I'm glad that she has also written an epilogue in which she has managed, to some extent, to reclaim her life: she has a PhD and a daughter of her own, and a perspective which allows her to acknowledge and understand what happened to her without simplifying or excusing it.
So this is undoubtedly a harrowing and chilling read, and one which parents of young children might want to approach with caution. Fragoso tackles this difficult subject with honesty, self-awareness and intelligence - so not a book which I `enjoyed' but certainly one which I'm glad I've read.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This is a story about a little girl from a fractured family background being expertly groomed by a paedophile.
I have been a shocked and quite annoyed by some of the reviews I have read here about this book - some people seem to be outraged that Margaux seemed complicit in her abuse, others say that she didn't give sufficient psychological explanations for why Peter became the man he was, others say that this is a disgusting topic and just short of pornography. Of course, the subject-matter of this memoir is unsettling - it's about a vulnerable young girl with an abusive father and mentally-ill mother being groomed by a paedophile. Margaux has decided to revisit her stolen childhood and write about it, hoping that the process with be therapeutic for her. It's a very honest account of her life - I guess it would have been all too easy for her to portray herself as the stereotypical victim that some people seem to expect. She certainly was a victim of this man who spotted her vulnerability and drew her in by building up her confidence, to a point, knowing that she would become dependent on him - the only person in the world that showed her any kindness. I don't think Margaux Fragoso owes the reader anything except her honest account of that period of her life.
The story is harrowing and at times makes for very uncomfortable reading. One of the most disturbing aspects is that so many people must have known what was happening, but no one was sufficiently motivated to do anything about it, apart from spreading gossip. There was no one in Margaux's family who would take a stand for her - they were all completely self-involved and she was no one's priority. Peter made her feel like she was his priority though and Margaux did love him - he was all she had. She did not love the sexual side of their relationship and she makes it clear that little by little, her sense of self was being eroded. She felt she was vanishing and found a way around this by making up an alter-ego who could do the things Peter demanded. Maybe this is what ultimately got her through and allowed her to protect a little part of herself from the reality of her life.
This seems to me a very honest account of a tortured childhood and the story will stay with me. Having said that, it is at times quite a plodding account and is not the most compelling read. People have commented that although the memoir could be seen as Lolita giving her side of the story, Fragoso is no Nabokov ... but then Humbert Humbert was the abuser, not the abused - no wonder it was easier for him to embrace the lighter, funnier side of life. Having said that, Margaux was obviously a bright, intelligent girl who loved writing and story-telling and I would have liked to see a bit more of this side of her character coming through.
I have been a shocked and quite annoyed by some of the reviews I have read here about this book - some people seem to be outraged that Margaux seemed complicit in her abuse, others say that she didn't give sufficient psychological explanations for why Peter became the man he was, others say that this is a disgusting topic and just short of pornography. Of course, the subject-matter of this memoir is unsettling - it's about a vulnerable young girl with an abusive father and mentally-ill mother being groomed by a paedophile. Margaux has decided to revisit her stolen childhood and write about it, hoping that the process with be therapeutic for her. It's a very honest account of her life - I guess it would have been all too easy for her to portray herself as the stereotypical victim that some people seem to expect. She certainly was a victim of this man who spotted her vulnerability and drew her in by building up her confidence, to a point, knowing that she would become dependent on him - the only person in the world that showed her any kindness. I don't think Margaux Fragoso owes the reader anything except her honest account of that period of her life.
The story is harrowing and at times makes for very uncomfortable reading. One of the most disturbing aspects is that so many people must have known what was happening, but no one was sufficiently motivated to do anything about it, apart from spreading gossip. There was no one in Margaux's family who would take a stand for her - they were all completely self-involved and she was no one's priority. Peter made her feel like she was his priority though and Margaux did love him - he was all she had. She did not love the sexual side of their relationship and she makes it clear that little by little, her sense of self was being eroded. She felt she was vanishing and found a way around this by making up an alter-ego who could do the things Peter demanded. Maybe this is what ultimately got her through and allowed her to protect a little part of herself from the reality of her life.
This seems to me a very honest account of a tortured childhood and the story will stay with me. Having said that, it is at times quite a plodding account and is not the most compelling read. People have commented that although the memoir could be seen as Lolita giving her side of the story, Fragoso is no Nabokov ... but then Humbert Humbert was the abuser, not the abused - no wonder it was easier for him to embrace the lighter, funnier side of life. Having said that, Margaux was obviously a bright, intelligent girl who loved writing and story-telling and I would have liked to see a bit more of this side of her character coming through.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This is a very courageous and heart wrenching book. Unrelenting in it's honesty it deserves to be read. Tiger,Tiger is the memoir of the relationship....and, sadly, it really is a relationship...between a child and a paedophile.
Margaux is only seven years old when she casually swims up to Peter, aged 51, at the local pool and asks him if he wants to play. Thus begins their story which spans more than fifteen years. Margaux is a lonely child, and her unhappy life spent with a mentally ill mother and a mercurial father, makes it all the more easy for Peter to cast his spell over her. Indeed her mother adores Peter too, and he appears to be a charming family man who is genuinely fond of Margaux. In many ways he treats her more kindly than her own parents. What harm can there be in the fondness he displays for her?
Slowly and insidiously, Peter becomes more intimate with Margaux and, quite obviously, this is difficult to read, but the writing is so beautiful it is almost as if the author has gone back in time and is writing as a seven year old. Indeed, throughout the book, Margaux retells their experiences in an age appropriate fashion. Because Margaux doesn't fit in at school and her homelife is so difficult, she finds herself spending more and more time with Peter. He is the one who loves her the most and he makes sure she knows that for his own benefit.
I have always looked on paedophiles as monsters. This book told me so much more about them and what desperate sadness this "condition" brings to everyone it touches. It was, without doubt, a cathartic piece of writing for Margaux Fragoso and serves as a reminder to parents that not all adults are what they seem. I admire her deeply for her bravery in writing this book.
Margaux is only seven years old when she casually swims up to Peter, aged 51, at the local pool and asks him if he wants to play. Thus begins their story which spans more than fifteen years. Margaux is a lonely child, and her unhappy life spent with a mentally ill mother and a mercurial father, makes it all the more easy for Peter to cast his spell over her. Indeed her mother adores Peter too, and he appears to be a charming family man who is genuinely fond of Margaux. In many ways he treats her more kindly than her own parents. What harm can there be in the fondness he displays for her?
Slowly and insidiously, Peter becomes more intimate with Margaux and, quite obviously, this is difficult to read, but the writing is so beautiful it is almost as if the author has gone back in time and is writing as a seven year old. Indeed, throughout the book, Margaux retells their experiences in an age appropriate fashion. Because Margaux doesn't fit in at school and her homelife is so difficult, she finds herself spending more and more time with Peter. He is the one who loves her the most and he makes sure she knows that for his own benefit.
I have always looked on paedophiles as monsters. This book told me so much more about them and what desperate sadness this "condition" brings to everyone it touches. It was, without doubt, a cathartic piece of writing for Margaux Fragoso and serves as a reminder to parents that not all adults are what they seem. I admire her deeply for her bravery in writing this book.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A disturbing and haunting page turner
I bought this book nearly a year ago but hadn't plucked up the courage to read it after reading some critical reviews. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Loz
Tiger, Tiger....
I wouldn't even rate this book as one star, it's basically pedophilia in paperback form, not my cup of tea and left me feeling quite ill. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Fiona Massey
Moving.
Brave book, brilliantly written, about the relationship between a young girl and her abuser (which she does not see as abuse until well after the event). Read more
Published 2 months ago by RSM
Uncomfortable reading....
This is, according to Fragoso at least, a true account of her abuse by a man 44 years her elder (Peter). The abuse shockingly started when she was just 7 years old. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sam
Harrowing read
This memoir is both intriguing and enlightening. It is by no means an easy read. It is disturbing and harrowing yet at the same time, the author's courage and strength of spirit... Read more
Published 7 months ago by dali
Well worth reading despite the subject matter
I found this book extremely challenging. It tells the story of the sexual abuse of a young girl who holds down a relationship with her abuser, who is in his sixties, until he... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Tiaramum
thought provoking read
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started to read this book as I was a little apprehensive about the subject matter( being a parent myself). Read more
Published 9 months ago by M. A. Coyle
Difficult but worth it...
This was not an easy read and like many other reviewers I wasn't really sure if I wanted to read it at all. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Peter Hartman
Im glad I read it
I'd had this book several months before I attempted to read it - I was worried that the book would be too explicit and disturbing, especially after I read some of the other reviews... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Princess Mononoke
tiger tiger
This book was a good read (after extreme difficulty downloading it, via computer). Although the subject matter is upsetting and heartbreaking at times, it made interesting reading... Read more
Published 10 months ago by kazz
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
