Shrug

Martha Goldenthal isn't your typical 1960s Berkeley radical. Her rebellion isn't sex, drugs, or rock 'n' roll—it's doing well at Berkeley High and planning for college. Her father, Jules, is a raging batterer who disdains academia. Her mother, Willa, is arguably worse. Meanwhile, Jules's classical record store, located directly across from the UC Berkeley campus, is ground zero for riots and tear gas. No wonder Martha has a nervous tic: a shrug of the shoulder. Martha survives, and even manages to achieve academically. Her best friend offers laughter, advice about boys, and hospitality. But when Willa and Jules divorce, Willa becomes increasingly angry, neglectful, and suspicious of Martha and her siblings—and then she takes off altogether. Jules has just lost his store and livelihood, but he sues for custody of Martha and her younger brother and wins. Now stuck with her father, Martha must weather his putdowns and volatility to do the one thing she knows she must: go...