Disappearing Act

Tom Soter's follow-up to OVERHEARD ON A BUS (which former ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY critic Tom Sinclair called "humorous and heart-wrenching") is, in critic Ian Prior's words, "proof that the New York-based writer isn't a one-shot deal when it comes to penning his memoirs. As in BUS, many of the essays in DISAPPEARING ACT focus on the extended Soter clan and are a mix of funny, touching, and revealing [tales]. But this time around the writing is far more muscular, the gems far more populous. Highlights include “The Heat Is On,” which lays bare the author’s father, George’s obsessiveness and playfulness, as he tries to wring satisfaction from the publisher of a celebrated magazine (watch for echoes in “War Is Peace,” about the son’s battle with an Amazon client – one essay that probably should’ve been a tad shorter). The titular story, “Disappearing Act,” shines a light, both amusing and tragic, on Effie, Soter’s beloved mom, as she sinks further into Alzheimer’s and is found in the early hours at the door of a former residence. The stand-out essay is surely “I’m Still Standing,” wherein Soter reveals his own struggle with disease and the nightmare of a doctor who first diagnosed him. If BUS whetted the appetite, ACT is the full course meal that follows. Highly recommended."