The River Lock: One Boy’s Life along the Mohawk

by Stephen Haven

Pulled between the disparate spheres of homelife with his minister father and the world of sex, drugs, and violence of his closest friends, author Stephen Haven relates his journey of self-discovery in this poignant memoir. After a fourteen-year absence from his home in Amsterdam, New York, Haven returns to the streets that molded his character. Through memories of his adolescence, Haven relives his youth in this economically deprived community and explores the values of friendship, loyalty, and privilege. A true bildungsroman, The River Lock traces the forging of Haven’s identity from the clash of the two worlds of his youth-home and street. His return to his childhood past allows Haven to understand and describe how his growing understanding of art, culture, spirituality, and class melded to create a man able to live fully in two distinct worlds, the foundation of the man he is today.

Genres: Memoir, Mental Health, American, Contemporary

175 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2008

Reviews

[James Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good portrayal of the period. Realistic story and lively characters.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tale of a young "preacher's kid" or PK, that falls in among a rough crowd, but eventually moves on to college, the study of literature, and a good life. Stephen Haven's tale showcases the Northeastern part of the United States and describes some of the changes that occurred post-World War II including the sixties, heavy metal, job changes, changes in the church community. It's a tale of growing up and deciding what one values most in life.

[Casey Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love his poetry. enjoyed the memoir.

A piercing look into the life of a young man who grew up to become a wonderful poet. Perhaps because I too spend a good many years in upstate New York, I found this memoir not only a captivatingly honest read, but a rare opportunity to glimpse the inspiration for his art.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Haven shares the years he grew up and the battle between the work-a-day world, the teenage drug scene, the desire for an education and respect for his father helped lead him down a path different from his peers. He helps illustrate the collapse of the Iron Belt region and its affects while sharing some of his college age lessons.