This Childhood of Mine Audiobook By Laura Meer Barkley cover art

This Childhood of Mine

A Memoir of My Last Summer with My Mentally Ill Mother and Alcoholic Father

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This Childhood of Mine

By: Laura Meer Barkley
Narrated by: Laura Meer Barkley
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About this listen

A chilling true story of a ten-year-old girl struggling to survive in a dysfunctional family in Russia.

The sweet-natured Laura Meer dreams of a superhero and spends days trying to provide for herself while being half-neglected by her parents, who couldn’t take good care even of themselves. Her father constantly tries to kill her mother, and the police refuse to help.

Developing faith in God is Laura’s only strength. But will she be able to protect her mother?

Hauntingly beautiful, This Childhood of Mine is more than a tale of survival, resilience, and unconditional love—it’s a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to heal. The memoir will resonate with anyone who has experienced adversity, reminding listeners that even in the darkest of times, there’s hope.

©2024 Laura Barkley (P)2024 Laura Barkley Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Murder True Crime
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Laura’s upbringing was quite different from mine. I used to believe my overbearing mom and my alcoholic dad were the worst. But then I read about Laura's reality—her parents’ constant neglect created many scars far deeper than anything I experienced. It’s astonishing to see how different our childhoods were, and the trauma Laura faced puts my situation into perspective.
“This Childhood of Mine” captivated me from start to finish. Stopping wasn't an option—I needed to know the ending. Would there be a glimmer of happiness for this lovable child who deserved much better? Maybe with a bit of faith in God, all would work out. If you love gripping survival stories or inspiring stories about healing, this book is a must-read. I’m so glad I read it, and I highly recommend it for those facing adversity or simply for anyone seeking to lose themselves in a powerful true story.

This book is both chilling and entertaining.

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Listener received this title free

Most stories have a beginning, middle, and end but not This Childhood of Mine, which starts off with a determined and strong stride and just keeps going and going with hardly a pause. More time machine than story (which is an amazing feat for an audiobook) we get to experience the voice inside the head of 10-year-old Laura as she navigates a childhood in 1990's Russia living with her unpredictable, but always loving, parents. A stream-of-consciousness narration takes us along the troublemaking antics of this headstrong adolescent and delights us with the varied ways she gets into and out of the dangers she caused, or which were about to be caused to her. Told through innocent-but-knowing eyes, the author's narration is immediately intelligent and addictively charming. I would have normally finished a book of this length in a day or two, but stretched it out to keep enjoying the experience. A must-listen. [Disclosure: I received this title for free and listened at 1.6x]

A wondrous time machine awaits your ears

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Laura’s story tells of the gritty realities of growing up in extreme poverty and her childhood with parents who weren’t able to break free of mental illnesses. She’s able to depict scenes and introspective realities in a way that inspires great empathy for her younger self. A fantastic book!

Shockingly Captivating

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Listener received this title free

Chilling story of Laura's childhood, abusive father, mother dysfunctional, but also love of others for her. Eye opening.
I received a free copy for an honest review

Dysfunctional

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