Because, explores with extraordinary literary power and sophistication the toxic power of adults who prey on the children in their care. It begins when Joshua Mensch is ten years old and meets Don, the charming director of a youth wilderness camp and a lifelong friend of his parents. What follows is a harrowing account of sexual and psychological abuse, told from the evolving perspective of a child entering adolescence. The memoir's swift, convincing music, propelled by the powerful litany of the word "because", builds a heartbreaking tale of power whose characters are as complex and fully realised as those in a novel.

An unflinching take on the vulnerabilities and dangers of childhood, Because succumbs neither to self-pity nor platitudes but instead finds consolation in the healing power of its own narrative act.

About the Author
Joshua Mensch is a poet, visual artist, and a founding editor of the literary journal B O D Y. He grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada, and lives and works in Prague, Czech Republic.

Reviews
"[Because] is a rare and remarkable text. Although it deals unswervingly with abuse, violations of trust and the deeply damaging effect of both of these, it is also literary, powerful and consoling...A deeply achieved record of human truth, earned at cost and beautifully expressed." -- Eavan Boland


Awards
Short-listed for Governor General's Literary Award 2018.



Book Information
ISBN 9780393635225
Author Joshua Mensch
Format Hardback
Page Count 144
Imprint WW Norton & Co
Publisher WW Norton & Co
Weight(grams) 284g
Dimensions(mm) 218mm * 147mm * 18mm