Irresistible Calling by Sean Mitchell

Not usually a fan of memoirs, I was offered a few pages of Irresistible Calling to preview and was hooked immediately. The book begins in childhood. Sean and his parents moved from the dying steel town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to Dallas, Texas to start a new life. The impetus of which was a holiday travel magazine!

The family lives a typical suburban lifestyle of the era, the early 1950s. While the author is a few years older than me, I could certainly relate to his experiences. Sean was lucky enough to win a place at a prestigious private boy’s school in Dallas where he made lifelong friendships. From there it was on to college, and the heyday of the 1960s. Mitchell then takes us through his career in newspapers, first in Washington D.C., then Dallas and on to Los Angeles as a theater, film and music critic. Along the way, he interviews many of the biggest stars in Hollywood, from Ann-Margaret to Clint Eastwood. The most entertaining review/relationship is with Tommy Lee Jones, whom he met at the all boy’s school.

Along the way he talks about the cultural changes in America, his disappointment in the failure of the 60s counterculture, his parents’ yearning for ‘something more’ and his own desire to leave his mark in his chosen field of journalism. I really appreciated his parents’ story as they tried to break out of the rigid molds of the time. I loved that his mother found her joy and passion and was sad that his father remained unfulfilled.

I really enjoyed this trip through the America of the 60s-70s-80s. The writing is fantastic, and the book reads as more than just a memoir of one man, but also of the America he knew. I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a good memoir, who are interested in American culture or just enjoy a great read.