The Splendid Things We Planned: A Family Portrait

The Splendid Things We Planned is a memoir by literary biographer Blake Bailey that chronicles four decades of his family life in Oklahoma. At the center of the narrative stands Bailey's older brother Scott, whose path through life impacts everyone around him. The book traces the transformation of a middle-class American family from the 1970s through the early 2000s, with a focus on the relationship between the two brothers and their parents. Bailey reconstructs key moments and turning points through detailed scenes drawn from memory and family records. The narrative examines addiction, mental illness, and the limits of familial responsibility against the backdrop of suburban American life. Bailey maintains an unsentimental perspective while documenting both everyday moments and major crises. This memoir raises questions about the nature of family bonds and the boundaries between helping and enabling loved ones. Through one family's story, it explores universal tensions between obligation and self-preservation.

Readers describe this memoir as a raw, unflinching look at family dysfunction, particularly focused on the author's troubled brother Scott. The narrative draws readers in with its honesty about alcoholism, mental illness, and family relationships. Readers appreciate: - The author's direct writing style and dark humor - Detailed portrayal of complex family dynamics - Honest examination of grief and guilt Common criticisms: - Some sections feel detached emotionally - The pace drags in the middle - Several readers found it overly depressing Review Scores: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (130+ ratings) Representative reader comment from Goodreads: "Bailey manages to tell this heartbreaking story without self-pity or melodrama. The writing is precise and unsentimental." Amazon reviewer notes: "Not an easy read, but an important look at how mental illness affects entire families."

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🔷 Author Blake Bailey is renowned for his literary biographies, including acclaimed works about John Cheever, Richard Yates, and Philip Roth, making this personal memoir a departure from his usual subject matter. 🔷 The book's central figure, Scott Bailey (the author's brother), was once a promising student who spoke fluent German but gradually descended into drug addiction and mental illness over several decades. 🔷 The memoir spans nearly 40 years of family history, from the 1970s through 2000s, chronicling the effects of addiction and mental illness across multiple generations in Oklahoma. 🔷 The title comes from a quote by Joan Didion: "Life changes in the instant. The ordinary instant. The ordinary instant and all the splendid things we planned." 🔷 The book was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Autobiography (2014) and received widespread critical acclaim for its unflinching portrayal of family dysfunction.