Overview
“Elliott’s graceful prose is filled with the philosophical musings that come with the passage of four decades. And the joyful book is permeated with gentle humor that brings to life the exuberance of youth. Cheerful, more thoughtful than most reminiscences, and quite enjoyable.” - Kirkus Reviews. December 2018
The Sons of Starmount: Memoir of a Ten-Year-Old Boy is the story of a wild band of boys living on a once-in-a-lifetime street. Most of us have a time and place in our childhood that sets the course for the adult we grow up to be. The author found his: Starmount Drive, Tallahassee, Florida,1977. This book may well enable the reader to discover theirs as well. Starmount is filled with poignant, hilarious, and soul-stirring stories of adventure and friendship, uniquely told through the prism of 1977. We were blood brothers on homemade rafts, defying alligators, water moccasins, and common sense. Muhammad Ali fought on the TV while we built boxing rings in the backyard. The Space Shuttle Enterprise shot through the heavens as we launched wooden spacecraft down metal guy wires from high atop our fort.
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Description
The Sons of Starmount: Memoir of a Ten-Year-Old Boy is the story of a wild band of boys living on a once-in-a-lifetime street. Most of us have a time and place in our childhood that sets the course for the adult we grow up to be. I found mine: Starmount Drive, Tallahassee, Florida,1977.
Starmount is filled with poignant, hilarious, and soul-stirring stories of adventure and friendship, uniquely told through the prism of 1977. We were blood brothers on homemade rafts, defying alligators, water moccasins, and common sense. Muhammad Ali fought on the TV while we built boxing rings in the backyard. The Space Shuttle Enterprise shot through the heavens as we launched wooden spacecraft down metal guy wires from high atop our fort.
The campfire-like glow of our streetlight hosted weighty conversations that ranged from remaining friends forever and finding all the best fishing holes on the planet Mars to Ted Bundy's murderous rampage through the Florida State campus.
Starmount is in the tradition of other coming-of-age standards, such as The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sadaris, and Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father, and Son by Michael Chabon. It also captures elements of Southern life in a style akin to My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South by Rick Bragg and The World's Largest Man by Harrison Scott Key.
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About the author
Mark Elliott grew up in the vibrant cultural scene of Washington, DC, and began making a name for himself as a singer-songwriter through high school and college. While still a teen, he caught the attention of legendary songwriter, Tom Paxton, who lit a fire in the young writer, leading him to Nashville and a publishing deal with Cherry Lane Music.
Today he is a well-published and critically acclaimed songwriter, having won distinguished songwriting awards, including the Kerrville New Folk Award. He has written for many of the top publishing houses in Nashville, enjoying major-label and independent artists recording his songs. Top industry publications including Billboard, Sing Out!, The Sounding Board–Martin Guitar Company, and the UK's Maverick magazine have all heralded his work. Alongside an active touring schedule with his band, Runaway Home, Mark is now writing books, blogs, and essays. The Sons of Starmount: Memoir of a Ten-Year-Old Boy is Mark's first full-length book. Kirkus Reviews said of the book, "Elliott's graceful prose is filled with the philosophical musings that come with the passage of four decades. And the joyful book is permeated with gentle humor that brings to life the exuberance of youth."
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