Leave Out the Tragic Parts is a raw, honest, intimate, heartfelt journey with Dave Kindred, a grandfather sharing his story of love, addiction, and loss. He shares with us his grandson Jared's struggle with alcoholism, feeling the desperation and grief that come hand in hand with addiction. The narrative unfolds Jared's life as the modern-day hobo, Goblin, weaving personal reflections with stories from Jared's friends, giving you a vibrant yet troubled picture of his carefree but booze-soaked world.

The first thing to highlight about this book is that the author Dave Kindred is an incredible storyteller and writer. This book is heartfelt, well investigated and a powerful story. Those things alone make it a wonderful choice for the reader.

If you have been impacted by addiction at all, or if you work in the field of mental health or addiction, this is a book you will want to have in your library. There are sentences and paragraphs that are so helpful to different people impacted by the life of an addict.

I found the story powerful, the writing engaging. I have recommended this book to so many. Thank you Dave for the work you put into this book.

The publisher made a copy of this book available for review, this is my honest opinion.

This is a personal account of a family In crises due to addiction of a young man. It is told from the grandfather’s perspective and provides deep and moving insight into the twisted, perverse, insidious aspects of addiction. It is so very, very sad yet it offers so much insight that it is worth the heart rending sorrow to read such an important account. Highly recommended. Enlightening on a subject that is affecting a multitude of families.

Leave Out the Tragic Parts // by Dave Kindred

I always feel a little harsh when I review a memoir that I did not enjoy as much as usual. This is someone's life story after all. A glimpse into the very personal. But I really struggled with staying engaged with this one. I see the importance of having written this book and doing the research, soul-searching, and story-gathering for it. You can really tell that this grandfather cared for his grandson very much and that he wanted to both understand and honor the memory of one of the most important people in his life. I admire that a lot and I really hope that this gave him the closure that he needed. But as a reader, much of this book felt very repetitive and I did not find the style of it fitting for a written accounting of someone's life. I think these stories would have been much more effective as little tidbits told around a campfire or told throughout different situations in life, much like he got to hear them out on the road while talking to his son's companions when he gathered them for this memoir. What first drew me to this memoir was the title. Many addiction memoirs are all about the tragedy so I was immediately drawn to the phrase "Leave out all the tragic parts." While we definitely got to hear about some of the difficult times in his grandson's life, this book was very much focused on the happy times and experiences he had and we also got to find out where the phrase originally came from, which was a great way to round this out.

Thank you for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful gift that this grandfather was able to gather so many heartwarming stories about his grandson. It is an eye opening look into the life of a young man who was a chosen wanderer. He had a home but he chose to live on the trains, the parks and wherever the day would take him. He developed close relationships with many in his days on the trains. They all had many tales of life with Jared. It brought peace for his family who only got to spend a few fleeting moments with him over the course of about 7 years. It brings awareness to what it means to love someone with addicttion. Such a touching story, that although there are some tragic parts, Kindred focuses on good things.

I am not sure what I expected from this novel but it was a heartfelt and emotional read about a grandfather trying to connect to a wayward grandson. Overall, it was an honest and emotional journey. The book as felt like a pursuit of closure for the author. This book was really well written and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an honest read.

I had a really hard time getting into this one. It just wasn’t for me. I’m not sure why I just couldnt get into it.

You might think that a person who's dealt with addiction in her family would shy away from books about addiction. But there is a comfort in knowing that you're not alone and that you aren't alone in not having known the "right" thing to do to save your loved one. Perhaps even, selfishly, there is a comfort in knowing that your loved one is one of the lucky ones.

Even if you can't relate to what Dave Kindred and his family went through, this is a book well worth reading. Kindred, a highly respected sportswriter, knows how to tell a story. For Jared's story, it may be even more important that Kindred knows how to research a story. Putting together the story of the life of a "traveling kid" isn't easy; they criss-cross the country, hopping freight trains, traveling with a changing cast of characters, and drinking and using drugs heavily. Jared never entirely lost contact with his family, calling periodically and sometimes paying visits where he brought along some of his companions, which made tracking his life from the time he left home easier to do but not easier to understand. Understanding would never entirely come for Kindred, as it doesn't for most families of addicts. There are no easy answers to addiction, nor to the need of some to be entirely free of the bonds of traditional lifestyles.

This is not, as you can well imagine, an easy read. One reviewer said that it does, mostly, leave out the tragic parts. I don't know that I'd agree with that and I don't know that a book needs to be grittier to make readers understand how hard the life of an addict can be for the addict and those who love them.Included are pieces written by some of Jared "Goblin's" friends that tell the story better than anyone else could. Kindred writes with honesty (Kindred is quick to admit his own shortcomings) but also with deep love and a respect for the reasons that the travelers choose to live the way they do.

Thanks to PublicAffairs and Publishers Weekly for a free advance Netgalley of this title, which was published on Feb 2, 2021. I'm writing this review voluntarily--

Leave Out the Tragic Parts is not a simple or straightforward book to review. On its face, this is a nonfiction work, but it's a blend of journalism and memoir. Dave Kindred is mostly known as a sports journalist, but in this text he's speaking as a grandfather, telling the sad story of his grandson Jared--a traveling train-hopping addict who took on the moniker "Goblin" and died an early death. Kindred decides to use his reporting skills to talk about his grandson, including tracking down Goblin's friends for interviews, following his cross-country journeys, reading his medical reports. He also delves into his family's personal struggle to support Goblin and to attempt to help him.

In many ways, this project is an impossible paradox: Kindred tries to apply objective journalistic standards to Jared's story, which is an effort doomed to failure. He's just too close to the subject matter, and the subject is too painful. What we end up with is a text that's oddly bifurcated, with sections of fairly straightforward reporting on Jared's behavior and movements, juxtaposed against incredibly intimate and private family moments--moments that often don't depict the family in a very flattering light. As someone who thinks the concept of complete objectivity in journalism is bullshit to begin with, I found this narrative problem fascinating. Unfortunately, it makes for an awkward, jaggedly uneven read.

What this book does do incredibly well is honestly and openly explore the difficulties of loving an addict--those tough moral gray areas, where it's hard to see the difference between enabling and protecting, where refusing to help whatsoever might lead to tragedy faster than harm reduction. As someone who's been in this position myself, I get it and I'm not going to judge. However, there are many strange moments in this book, where I found myself completely confused by Dave's choices. Ultimately, I think that bewilderment comes down to a generational divide. To me, a millennial who constantly rents and moves and chases opportunities, Dave's obsession with having his kids and grand-kids live near him seems downright bizarre, a bit controlling, and perhaps indicative of a lack of healthy boundaries. Overall, I found myself identifying much more with Goblin.

This one hit hard. Overall, I really enjoyed the story, even though my heart broke. I liked the writing style and format, especially all of the stories. I’d recommend this to anyone, but definitely mentally prepare yourself before you start reading.

This is a beautiful memorial of a grandfathers love, a tragic tale of the grips of addiction, and a, at once both haunting and whimsical story of life on the road. I can always tell when a book truly touched me by my reaction to the acknowledgements, and this one made me teary. In those acknowledgements, Kindred mentions that he wanted his editors to help him make this narrative “sing” and there’s really no other way to describe it.

I read a lot of books on addiction and recovery.

This book is okay., but the writing style for me was so stilted and guarded. I realize the situation does not bode itself to laughter and joy, but the writing made me feel as though I was reading a book that was written with "military" position.

Its hard for me to explain, but I could not wait for it over.

A heartbreaking, poignant story of love, loss, addiction and grief. Sportswriter, Dave Kindred has written a beautiful love story about one of his grandsons, Jared Kindred, who becomes "Goblin", a traveler, a wanderer and an addict. Recounting the years of Jared's life, sharing memories of those who travelled with him on the rails and in and out of a multitude of towns and states, we see Jared through the eyes of others,as his addiction ultimately makes his life choices.
An unflinching account, at times difficult to read and comprehend but a personal, harrowing account of addiction and it's powerful hold on those we love.
Thank you Perseus Books, Public Affairs and net galley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

A grandfather researches and then described
his Grandson’s life as a nomad addict. Tragic. Heartbreaking. While I appreciated the thorough research and details of his grandson’s life when he was roaming the country by various means, I wanted more emotion and feeling and less narrative. It very much felt like a reporter’s project which makes sense as the author had a
Career as a sport’s writer.
Thank you to NetGalley and PublicAffairs for this advanced copy. I’m grateful.

DNF at 36%

**I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion**

I had to leave this unfinished at 36%. The author continuously switches between his narrative and interviewing transients who knew his grandson. It's confusing and hard to follow. In the vein of other similar memoirs like "beautiful boy" the author blames himself for his grandson's addiction and is selfish at times instead of helpful.

When one is lost to addiction, what can you do? This is the story of a grandfather trying to make sense of his grandson Jared’s (aka Goblin) unconventional and dangerous life, and ultimately, death.

Immediately after high school, Jared chooses a life of a hobo — hopping trains across the country, drinking a handle of vodka a day, and meeting other “travelin’ kids” on the streets. Jared’s grandfather, a successful sports journalist by trade, aims to piece together the story of how Jared became immersed in this lifestyle, and why it was so hard to get out of it. He interviews Jared’s friends — who know him as Goblin — to paint the picture of what happened to his grandson. What unfolds is a fascinating but tragic love letter to a boy so obviously adored by all who encounter him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group, Inc. for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

this was a very interesting book written by a grandfather who wanted to understand the life of his grandson who lived in an alternative lifestyle of a train hopper. It was a well written and I enjoyed reading about the alternative lifestyle I didn't know existed. It was a story of heartbreak, love and compassion

Leave Out the Tragic Parts: A Grandfather's Search for a Boy Lost to Addiction by Dave Kindred was the story of a grandfather reflecting on the loss of his grandson. As he navigated the grief of his grandson's short life, he decided to learn more about who he was and what exactly happened to him. His grandson Jared left home at 18 and lived on the road as a train-hopper. With this, he struggled with alcohol addiction. The author reflects on Jared as a kid that he knew, then takes the time to explore Jared as the man on the run. Even in this, he is able to find good in what Jared brought to the friends he met along the way. He also finds the challenges he encounters throughout. This is a story of love told through loss. It's about a grandpa wanting to find answers, but knowing these will not bring Jared back. The story is honest as the author reflects on if he could have done more to save Jared, but also candidly shares this as a tribute to the life he did live. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this moving memoir due to be released in February 2021!

Dave Kindred, who worked as a sports reporter, wrote this book about the death of his grandson. It is a memoir about addiction, the stories we tell ourselves, the stories others tell us, the stories we choose to believe and grief. In his Author's note he writes "I have never written anything more true than this book. I have also never written anything in which I was less certain of the facts." That is because of the unreliability of those who spent time with his grandson Jared. But he shares that he believes that they told the truth as they knew it. He provides their names and dates when applicable.

"Some people don't choose to be homeless, but all train riders chose trains."

Jared Kindred left home when he was eighteen years old. He wandered around and traveled all over America on freight train cars and lived on the streets when now riding the rails. He named himself Goblin and made close connections to those he met riding the rails. Jared was an alcoholic and did not tell the entire truth to those who loved him.

"The mistake we make with addicts is thinking they have any kind of logic."

Jared's family did not understand his life choices. Naturally, they were extremely difficult for them. Jared's mother was not happy with tattoo on his face. She was scared for her child and once asked him did he want to be buried or cremated to scare him into going to yet another rehab. Like me, she along with his other family members did not know that were still train hoppers a.k.a traveling kids, and that they were mainly made up of teenagers and young adults.

"Look at them. Look past the dirt and the tattoos, and look past the scars of their lives, those real and those no less real for being unseen. Look again. See them. Really see them. They are our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters, our grandchildren. They are us..."

Dave Kindred tells of his love for his grandson. He also lays bard how he does not feel that he himself was the best father, he admits his regrets with his own son, he is honest that his love for his twin grandsons, Jared and Jacob were stronger than his love for others in his life.

"Some memories break your heart into so many pieces that those pieces float in the bloodstream to your brain and force everything else out."

He also shows the way addiction affects not only those who are addicts, but on family members as well. He shares that even though Jared/Goblin was hospitalized multiple times, that he still drank. He shows the grip that addiction holds on someone.

"Sometimes we believe what we want to believe rather than what is believable, and I wanted to believe Jared could be an exception, that he could tell me the truth, and maybe he did tell me the truth. But I learned he didn't tell me the whole truth."

I found this to be an unputdownable memoir full of honest admission, pain. love and grief. I liked how he spoke to those who were train hoppers with him and to those who he sang with in New Orleans. Dave Kindred included the memories of Goblin/Jared’s friends and fellow traveling kids, their stories, and phone texts when he could. He showed the kinship between his grandson and the other traveling kids. He also shares how those he rode the rails with came from Maine, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, New Orleans, California and Indiana to attend Jared's funeral. How one sang outside at his funeral. How they shared pictures of Jared with them riding trains, drinking and looking happy with his arms around them. They told the story of a happy young man who put his friends first, who was quick to smile and had his friends back. Throughout this book it is evident that Jared was deeply loved.

I found this to be a powerful and moving memoir. Dave Kindred laid bare his own flaws as well as the flaws of others in his family. He showed his love, his grief and choices. If you have ever been an addict or if you have ever loved someone who was/is an addict or lost a loved one due to addiction/overdose, you may find some things that you can relate to in this book.

Powerful, moving, heart breaking and informative. Highly recommend.


Thank you to Perseus Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book hooked me from the very beginning and, three days after finishing it, still hasn’t let me go. Its narratival flow is easy to read and ensures that you come back to finish the book. Although it is a different story, it reminded me of Beautiful Boy by David Sheff both in style of writing and the grace in which it speaks about addiction.

It is a story told by a loving grandfather about his grandson’s alcoholism and life hopping trains all over the country. Kindred weaves together information he gathered after seeking out those who knew and traveled with Jared during the height of his addiction as well as recalling their family dynamic.

I loved this book and not only because it was written well. As much as it broke my heart, it did what all good books about addiction do: it presents the addict as a human being rather than just seeing them as their disease.

Content Warning: Alcohol (and some drug) abuse.