Mama Jean is unforgettable and definitely the best character in the book next to the author. Her unflappable attitude when dealing with divorce, raising three boys pretty much on her own, and dealing with the 'coming out' of one of her son's is one of the highlights of this book. Then there's the author dealing with this from his perspective, cutting no corners, letting us in on all the nitty gritty episodes that shaped his life. This is a book that is going on my favorites shelf.