We All Scream
The Fall of the Gifford's Ice Cream Empire
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A family's sweet legacy melts into a bitter tale of secrets, betrayal, and madness in Washington, D.C.'s iconic ice cream empire.
For over 70 years, Gifford's Ice Cream and Candy Company was a beloved institution. But behind the happy facade lay a dark truth: elaborate schemes, a crushing bankruptcy, millions missing, and a tragic suicide. Andrew Gifford, the last heir, unearths the byzantine betrayals that destroyed his family's legendary business.
From its modest beginnings to its troubled end, We All Scream reveals the dark influences that shaped the Gifford family. This true crime memoir explores family dysfunction, mental illness, and the high cost of a tainted legacy, perfect for readers seeking a chilling blend of nostalgia and suspense.
Customer Reviews
We All Scream
I decided to read this book because I wanted to know the author better and also because when I moved to Maryland in 1992 within the first few days of living here I heard about Gifford’s Ice Cream and how people went crazy over it. It has been a few years since I was actively reading. I used to read 25-30 books a year but lately nothing I picked up engaged my interest or was well written. This book made me want to start reading again like I used to. Not only is it very well written but it is also hard to put down. I was able to empathize with the author but also found great solace in the fact that many of us grow up with mentally ill parents. The author excellently manages to remove his personal emotions and biases during the telling of the story making it much more credible and interesting. The reader is able to determine their own feelings about the characters actions.
The author not only breaks down the happy facade of the business, he also strips the reader of their precious yet false memories. It is somewhat sickly comical as well and I found myself either laughing with both disgust and glee throughout. This is a story of perseverance and it is very inspiring. The author suffers great emotional and physical pain in his life and it seems that only through the writing of the book does he heal his psyche.
Corruption, lies, manipulation, mystery disappearances, missing money, rotting barrels of ice cream, and so much more make this one of the best memoirs I have read.