What do readers think of A Box of Darkness by Sally Ryder Brady? Write your own review.

For many years, one of the themes of my reading life has been the many forms that relationships take in our lives: mothers and children, brothers and sisters, lover and lover, men and women, friends and friends. A Box of Darkness will take its place among those already on my shelf with its painfully honest look inside a marriage that was never quite what it may have seemed to those outside it and as Sally Brady reveals, ultimately a surprise even to herself. Well worth reading and sharing.

This book is a clear example of the carnage and delusion that surrounds alcoholism. Homosexual and indeed many forms of sexual acting out is very common when men or women are in the throes of active addiction. There are consequences for behavior and Sally missed her opportunity to give her husband the possibility to change by constantly enabling his loving relationship with the bottle and make no mistake he was having an affair with the bottle. She should have left, gotten help for herself and her family allowing him to understand that it was action that was needed not co-dependency.
The writing itself was good but she remained a victim to the end and it was tiresome for me. I only hope other women see this as an example of what not to do in these very circumstances.

This book left me awash in emotions. I could not stop reading the back, and looking at the photos, trying to grasp the reality that Sally Brady was so honest and transparent in this memoir. Her account of a long and complex marriage was touching, and real, and affected me greatly. I love this book and am now searching for some of her other works.

This is a beautifully written book that resonated with me on so many levels. By the end of the book I felt as if I had spent an extended period of time with a beloved friend. Brady takes us on a roller-coaster ride of emotions seems, to me, to be brutally honest.
I loved the quote from which the title of the book is taken. I would recommend this book to people who like memoirs. I think it would make for an excellent book group discussion because there are a couple of big issues to explore.

I read “A Box of Dreams” with interest. Sally Ryder Brady was brave to write the book. While it was well written, this memoir of a marriage left me with questions. How could she be married to Upton Birnie Brady for over 40 years and not have some idea that he was homosexual? Does ones love of someone allow them to be abused both verbally and physically?

A Box of Darkness is a good read. The writing style flows and keeps the reader involved. It is a story of a long marriage struggling with homosexuality. The plot if realistic and describes the emotional difficulties in a marriage troubled by unfaithfulness. It is also a family story and one that is quite believable. I recommend it.

Sally Ryder Brady is a magnetic story teller. Readers will follow her journey with the same sense of wonder, mystery, pride, and pain that she encountered in her 46-year relationship with an extremely complicated man. I felt bewildered by some of the choices that she made, but also understand how they seemed to make sense to her. This story will give book groups a LOT to discuss!

The story of Sally Ryder Brady's tormented marriage to Upton Brady must be read with an open heart. "It is was it is" can lead to an enlighten conversation about what each partner brings to a marriage, the laughter and the tears. This book can begin a soul-searching discussion with others or a private re-affirmation. It will be sure to go on my book club to-read list.