God Bless Our Mess

This is a powerful story of a mother, Isabel Nesrallah whose husband Ed (Adip) from the start of this incredible memoir deserts his family four times over a period of dight years, resulting in serial evictions, dislocation. Each time Adip disappears he returns mysteriously with enough money to start over again, transporting them back into middle class lifestyles. For reasons of her own Isabel takes her husband back each time, until the final desertion two days after his sixth baby boy is born. Isabel is forced to turn to welfare, and for the first time takes control of her children, with a determination to keep up a good face, It is not long before she is no longer able to keep the real meaning of poverty from them. Throughout she maintains the reassuring routines of day to day life, ensuring her growing boys are spared from realizing the worst. Isabel draws on her stoicism and steel determination and somehow engenders a strong sense of family, loyalty, and love against all odds. until events overpower her and she is forced to make some harsh decisions. Isabel manages all this unil her husband returns after being absent eight years. Eight years he spent in prison after being convicted for grand larceny in first the United States, and Canada. But Isbel has a plan; one which through cunning and manipulation she keeps him in line until her goal is achieved. He will be the instrument that will ultimately reunite her sons, and She decides to let Ed return home but only on certain conditions which through cunning manipulation she sees as her only hope of reuniting her sons, and giving them lives of prosperity. It is also the story of a gay son who grew up knowing from an early age his fascination in the male body, and who -because of the times- must keep his family from…