Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: A compelling read.

I bought this book on a lark, without expectation. I was quite surprised to find it to be a compelling story (memoir) of the plight of growing up in a family whose basic survival instincts were their salvation.There were only a couple of places I felt "lost" in the author's direction/writings, however, I was quickly back on track and following the ongoing plight. Part of the lure/hook of the book was that it was a rather contemporary look at someone's unique life (for a baby boomer like myself).I finally brought the book to work so I could read it during my lunch breaks...it was one of those "can't put it down" books. Enjoy!