By Claire Dietz
Mary-Louise Parker presents a brutally honest tale of the men in her life that have influenced her, for better and for worse, in Dear Mr. You.
Parker, best known for her role as Nancy Botwin in the Emmy-winning program “Weeds,” will read from her début book at 7 p.m. Nov. 15, at the Englert, 221 E. Washington St. Tickets are $35 and include a copy of the book.
In the novel, Parker, through unsent letters, talks to the men who have been influential to her growth. Some are notable figures in her life — her grandfather, dad, Father Bob, etc. — while some are unnamed — Yaqui Indian Boy, Big Feet, Former Boyfriend, and Oyster Picker.
I was skeptical in the beginning about just what sort of significance these men hold or held in her life that warranted notice. However, I was blown away. Parker showed how important these men are or were to her, explaining the effect they have had on her life, whether they recognized it or not.
The epistolary format allowed an intimate portrait of the way these men have affected Parker, full of anecdotes relating both to the present story she is addressing or to a tangent she goes off on.
However, sometimes Parker does not make it clear how these men left an imprint on her life. Some of the men she addressed her letters to seemed to have played a rather small role in her life.
The chapters “Dear Cerberus” and “Dear Oyster Picker” are two absolutely phenomenal pieces of writing. Parker tackles the issues of death of a family member and poisonous relationships with grace. In “Dear Cerberus,” she compares a toxic relationship to the three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hell. The letter is brutally honest, yet able to bring a tidbit of humor to a dark situation.
In “Dear Oyster Picker,” Parker takes an unlikely perspective of who to thank in helping with the death of her father. The letter is written to the man who picked the oysters her father ate as one of his last meals.
Parker dives into complex topics that aren’t always easy to put to paper with humor and rich, full writing. She draws the readers in and will have them hooked until the final page. Dear Mr. You is a thrilling and brilliant début by an accomplished actor.
WORDS
Mary-Louise Parker
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 15
Where: Englert, 221 E. Washington
Admission: $35
