Summary of The Liars' Club

The Liars' Club is Mary Karr's memoir of her childhood growing up in East Texas. It paints a vivid and funny portrait of her parents, their tumultuous marriage and the colorful cast of characters that populated the town. Karr's father, Pete, is a hard-drinking, volatile, larger-than-life character whose antics are both tragic and comical. Her mother, Lecia, is a quiet, dignified woman who is desperate to keep her family together despite her husband's escapades. The book also covers Karr's struggle with her Catholic faith, her ambivalent relationship with her hometown, and her complex feelings of love and guilt for her parents. Through it all, Karr tells her story with wit and honesty, giving readers a glimpse into the intense and often tumultuous nature of family life.