My Mantelpiece

Overview

Carolyn Goodman's life was punctuated by tragedy, including a brother's premature death, childhood molestation, a father's suicide, and a son's infamous murder. But hers is foremost a tale of survival, of turning personal anguish into social conscience. When her twenty-year-old son, Andy, was one of three civil rights volunteers to disappear in Mississippi in the summer of 1964, the story galvanized the nation. A half century after the Mississippi murders, this is the first time that a victims family member has expounded about the experience and the myriad emotions from guilt to resolve that it spawned. More than simply a memoir, My Mantelpiece is the story of a century's seminal progressive movements seen through the lens of a remarkable woman's singular journey. **Along with a foreword by National Book Award-winner Maya Angelou, MY MANTELPIECE includes back-cover testimonials from Senator Elizabeth Warren, Congressman John Lewis, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and performer-activist Harry Belafonte.

Reviews

"Evocative...Still felt fresh to me, telling the story through the eyes of the mother of one of the victims." — New York Times

"From the perspectives of daughter, wife, mother, activist, and psychologist, Goodman details the tribulations and triumphs of her life. Poems and letters included in the memoir illustrate the love and devotion of the Goodmans and the joy of their relationships." — Booklist

My Mantelpiece captures "the essence of Bobby's love for Andy, just as Carolyn's moving anecdotes do. With such well-crafted poetry and prose, Andy's personality becomes vivid and full of life… Readers interested in learning more about who Andrew Goodman really was and how his family worked for social justice will enjoy this book." — Foreword Reviews

Author Biography

Before she passed away in 2007, Dr. Carolyn Goodman collaborated with Brad Herzog to recount a life of courage and conviction, love and loss, tragedy and triumph. A half century after the "Mississippi Burning" murders, this is the first time that a victim's family member has expounded about the experience and the emotions—from guilt to resolve. More than simply a memoir, My Mantelpiece is the story of a century's seminal progressive movements seen through the lens of a remarkable woman's singular journey. Half the proceeds from the sale of My Mantelpiece go directly to THE ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION.Brad Herzog is the author of more than three-dozen books for children and five titles for adults, including MY MANTELPIECE, the co-authored memoirs of late civil rights icon Carolyn Goodman (with a foreword by Maya Angelou). He has written three critically acclaimed travel memoirs about his travels through small-town America. Brad's five-book nonfiction series for Free Spirit Publishing celebrates inspiring true sports stories reflecting five character attributes--sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork, generosity, and courage. His series of children's alphabet books for Sleeping Bear Press include G IS FOR GOLD MEDAL, H IS FOR HOME RUN, and S IS FOR SAVE THE PLANET, which was a finalist in the National "Best Books 2009" Awards and won a Mom's Choice Award. As a freelance magazine writer, Brad has been honored several times by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), including a Grand Gold Medal for best feature article of the year. He has been interviewed on "The Today Show" and "Oprah" and has been profiled in publications ranging from People magazine to Reader's Digest. Brad (www.bradherzog.com) lives in California with his wife and two sons.Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and was credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. The foreword to My Mantelpiece is her last known work to be published before she dies on May 28, 2014.