The Man I Didn't Know

The Man I Didn't Know is a memoir inspired by my dad, Michael Williams Leibert, founder of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Two years after my birth, he brought a theater company to life with his natural gift for inspiring talented people and weaving magic on stage. When I was seventeen, he died of alcoholism, taking a part of me with him.

Ignoring my past didn't make the pain go away. Thirty-two years after my dad's death, I revisit what I chose to forget. This tale of remembering incorporates my experience as a single parent and finding courage to follow my heart. Discovering him as a man, husband, colleague, and friend led me to uncover truths about myself. I hoped to solve the mystery behind his drinking, and what I found changed everything I thought I knew. This is a story about connection.

Meighan Leibert lives in Northern California with her son and daughter and their two dogs. She is a writer, painter, yoga instructor, personal life coach, astrologer, and HR manager for her family businesses in San Francisco: Pier 23 Cafe (www.pier23cafe.com) and Sweetie's Art Bar (www.sweetiesartbar.com). Proud daughter to pioneers Flicka McGurrin and Michael Leibert, she is raising her children to be confident and daring. Find more about Meighan at www.meighanleibert.com.