Surviving My Birthright by Casey Hammer

 

Summary (from the publisher): This is a revealing and inspirational memoir by Casey Hammer, sole granddaughter of the American billionaire, industrialist, art collector and philanthropist Armand Hammer.

Surviving My Birthright is a story of hope, love, and the reclamation of empowerment. Casey's is a journey of discovery - recounting many years of blocked memories, violence, nightmares, hazardous behavior, guilt and feeling unworthy of joy or happiness.

By taking responsibility for her life, no longer being prepared to accept the role of victim and by facing the truth, Casey began to heal.

Hopefully, her story will inspire many others to do the same.

Review: This memoir details the author's experiences growing up as the only granddaughter of American billionaire Armand Hammer. While from the outside, anyone might expect that she grew up in luxury and excess, in reality, Casey grew up in an abusive situation, feeling unloved and forgotten, and her whole adult life has been marred and overshadowed by her dysfunctional childhood and unhappy family. 

There are parts of this story that are very hard to read. Casey experienced and witnessed absolutely horrible abuse and violence. Her whole life, she seems desperate to earn the affection and attention of her parents and grandfather, with little success. The depictions of drugs, physical violence or threats of it, brandishing of guns, rape, and more were wild. Yet in the public eye, the family presented itself as a philanthropist with a loving and stable family. 

Like many others, I found this book because Casey was interviewed in the House of Hammer documentary as Armie Hammer's aunt, and I was curious to learn more. The book (as you might guess from the cover art) is chaotic at best. It is not in any sort of chronological order. Nor does the author provide any sort of context or history on her family but assumes everyone will know the Hammer name. The opening chapters were particularly bizarre, where she relays childhood memories where she perhaps hallucinates, perhaps dreams during an episode of physical abuse of her mother to her father. It was difficult to follow. She is undoubtedly a victim. But she also takes no responsibility for anything at any point. She seems deeply troubled due to what she experienced growing up, which is understandable, but does not make for a super coherent read. 

Stars: 3