In interviews surrounding the memoir, Brolin describes a childhood marked by unpredictability and danger. His mother, Jane, was a wildlife conservationist, and the environment she raised him in was far from ordinary. When Brolin and his brother Jess were young, their mother sometimes employed what he describes as a terrifying “parenting tactic.” She would shout commands like “Sic ’em” to nearby wild animals—cougars, coyotes, bobcats—prompting them to chase the boys.
Brolin writes that there was a clear rule in those moments: if you didn’t reach safety fast enough, you would spend the rest of the day tending to fresh cuts and blood. Looking back, he admits he is “loath to say” the experiences were horrifying, even though they clearly were. Despite the chaos, he says his mother remained someone he deeply wanted in his life, illustrating the complicated loyalty children often feel toward difficult parents. Continue reading…