These Good, Rewarding Years

I was born in a middle-class family at the end of the Second World War. The first six months of my life, my relatives and a housekeeper took care of me because my mother was ill. I had a brother who was a couple of years older than I am. He was from early childhood an exceptionally talented person. I myself was mediocre in almost every respect. Both my parents were completely sober, intellectually active, and well-educated--useful members of our community. My father died of cancer when I was twelve years old. I developed strong negative feelings of insecurity, jealousy, fear.