In the Shadow of Fame

January 31, 2005
Bloland's father, Erik Erikson (1902–1994), was internationally famous for his research on children's psychological development. When Bloland was growing up, she says, people were drawn to the charismatic Erikson and his equally magnetic wife; they appeared to be "quintessential parent figures—exceptionally wise and knowing and comfortable with the most sensitive of interpersonal issues." But Bloland knew otherwise. Her parents only glowed when their fans surrounded them; around their children, the wattage dimmed. Years after the fact, Bloland's mother revealed that the brother they'd told her died at birth actually had Down syndrome, and that they'd had him institutionalized. Bloland notes in this probing memoir that her parents, by abdicating responsibility, were unable to help each other emotionally. Increasingly, her father's career became a substitute for actual parenting; Bloland languished in boarding schools and later moved as far away from her parents as possible. Only when Bloland became an analyst herself—a profession that lends itself well to writing such an inquisitive work—did she realize that her father, like many famous people, suffered "tormenting self-doubt." Analyzing her parents' damaged childhoods, Bloland eventually understands why they were such poor parents, and why they turned to professional success for their fulfillment. Anyone interested in the problems of fame will find Bloland's memoir useful. Agent, Maria Carvainis.