Charismatic, good-looking, intelligent, sweetly sly - what could go wrong? In David Payne’s Barefoot to Avalon…everything.

In this extraordinarily raw memoir, Payne gives readers glimpses of what could be anyone’s life and family, jam-packed with dysfunction. Beginning the read, my assumption due to the title was that the book would be a memoir of a brother dealing only with the difficulties of another brother, whose successful life took an abrupt and devastating decline. But that quickly changed to more of …A Brothers’ Story, revealing deep cracks and crevices of each brother, to include their parents as well as various extended family members, which helped to explain destiny.

Throughout, Payne recounts his life away from George A., but always with that familial attachment — ahh! heredity tendencies. At times shocking, Payne’s gritty, tough truths about himself leads to a [possibly] better understanding, if not an uncomfortable honesty, regarding oneself, the reader.

With much gut-wrenching work through therapy, Payne has renewed himself, to sustain a more fulfilling life. However, the one story that remains forever unchanged is George A.’s. ( )