Particles of Joy

Particles of Joy is a memoir about growing up with a mother whose love was as fierce as her storms.

Matt Parker takes us inside a childhood shaped by laughter at midnight, slammed doors, and the tender moments that glowed between the chaos. Through vivid scenes — fireworks in the driveway, whispered goodbyes, snow falling outside a hospital window — he gathers the fragments of a life lived alongside bipolar disorder, caregiving, and complicated love.

What emerges is not a tidy portrait, but a constellation of memories: some sharp, some luminous, all unforgettable.

This is not just the story of Joy — it is the story of resilience, survival, and the enduring bond between mother and son.