First Light Book Reviews

First Light by Lucas Matthiessen Book Summary

A deeply felt literary memoir of one man’s journey to redemption through vision loss, alcoholism, and the burden of a family legacy.  

Born to the author Peter Matthiessen, young Lucas traveled through life believing himself a disappointment to his famous father. From an early age, Lucas was exposed to the fanciful ideas of his parent’s group of renowned bohemians as well as to their addictive pastimes. Within the shadow of his father’s professional success came another source of darkness—the deterioration of Lucas’s vision from retinitis pigmentosa. With blindness looming imminently, Lucas spirals downward, unsure of how to turn his degree in English Literature into a job and relying more and more on alcohol. As Lucas’ drinking and eyesight worsen, so too do his interpersonal relationships and first career in publishing.

First Light is a memoir of loss and learning. By pulling himself out of addiction and accepting that he will lose his sight completely, Lucas transitions from being “the son of” someone famous to an individual with his own strong sense of self. Despite continued personal tragedies, Lucas develops a second sight that is aimed inward, laying his triumphs and failures bare.

With great honesty, Lucas Matthiessen creates a vivid portrait of self-destruction and rebirth, which is, above all, a vision of hope.

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First Light (Lucas Matthiessen) Book Reviews 2024

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