Feature interview: The Power of Parting

As children, Eamon Dolan and his siblings were regularly beaten and subjected to emotional abuse by their mother. As an adult, Dolan tried to maintain ties with his mum, but she remained a destructive presence. So, 12 years ago, he cut ties and never spoke to his mother again for the rest of her life. Dolan is now the Vice President & Executive Editor at Simon & Schuster publishing. He's helped bring some of the most important literary voices to the page. Now he's using his own voice to challenge the idea that family is always sacred and that forgiveness and reconciliation are the only ways forward. His new book is called The Power of Parting: Finding Peace and Freedom Through Family Estrangement. Jesse spoke to Eamon Dolan.