Momentum

In this poignant memoir, Emily Brown takes readers on a quest for belonging through a labyrinth of family secrets and hidden wounds. Spanning from her childhood in Beverly Hills to her adult years in Canada, Momentum delves into the challenges of reconciling the past with the future, as Emily seeks to heal fractured family ties and find her truest self.

The story begins at the memorial for Uncle Bib, whose generosity and warmth left a lasting mark on his extended family. The gathering sparks Emily to reflect on her painful and tangled past. The aftermath of her parents’ divorce becomes the backdrop for life-defining decisions made in adulthood—such as her eight-year, full-time commitment to a San Francisco based, feminist activist organization fighting for social change, a year spent in Hungary before the collapse of the Soviet Union, motherhood, and ultimately settling down in Canada.

Through vivid recollections of her childhood and the many twists of her adult life, Momentum traces Emily’s journey as she grapples with love, loss, and forgiveness. As she reflects on the emotional toll of family expectations and uncovers long-held secrets, Emily comes to realize that understanding her past may not be about finding answers but about learning to live with the questions.

Ultimately, this memoir offers a compassionate and nuanced portrayal of a family and one woman coming to understand her place within it.