This memoir is more about hope and love than loss
343597
This memoir is more about hope and love than loss. Although the reader is taken on a journey that no one should have to endure, Sharp maintains an open-hearted perspective on family, loss and human endurance that anyone can relate to. Well-written and thoughtful, I would recommend this book to every adult reader regardless of gender, age or circumstance.
4166267
Free Spirit is an incredible memoir and the most highly intense I have come across in all my memoir reviews. The story of Joshua Safran, aka Joshy, begins when he is just four years old and his mother Claudia takes him on the road in search of the perfect life and commune. This left them living in deplorable conditions with a constant struggle for shelter, food and medical care. Some of their living arrangements included a van, trailer/ice cream truck, bus, and in the woods in a lean-to on a stump. Toward the end of the book Joshua finds some deliverance from his oppression when his mother and him move into a rat infested apartment. Joshua is happy to at least have running water and electricity. But that was a short-lived relief as the man his mother chose to marry continued his mental and physical abuse of this mother and Joshua.

At times I could I feel Joshua's pan and distress, even becoming angry with his mother for not protecting her young son, especially because his mother lacked sound judgment. Other times I was left feeling sorry for her as she seemed trapped and brainwashed by her lover. While her abuse and use of drugs was no excuse for the neglect of her son, her immaturity was very clear. Having children of my own including a son, I felt angry and sad when Joshua was bullied immediately on his first day of school and wished I had been there to protect him. Yet I also felt his determination to keep going to school, considering his circumstances which at that time included living in a shack on a bunch of stumps. At those times he struggled to do his homework, while his stepfather sabotaged him and downpours left him soaked through the night, yet he continued to fight for his education.

This book and its testimonials are a mixture of happiness, sadness, at time appalling, shocking and disturbing. There are some funny moments in this story, but they are few and far between and I felt Joshua threw in these lighthearted moments at times to disperse and make sense of the craziness.

This is one of those stories that made me take a look at my own life, taking into perspective how lucky I have been considering my own childhood abuse. As well as years during my first marriage when I was immature, nave and lived through many years of abuse. I felt a close connection to Claudia and found myself taking notice at the end of the book to the timeline, as ironically I was starting my life in an abusive marriage the same year Joshua's and his mother finally freed themselves from their abuser.

I was really hooked on this memoir, at times found it very difficult to put it down, mostly because this book is written from the heart and as a reader I could tell these memories in Joshua's past affect him now and will forever. What happened to this little boy not only stunted his childhood it affected and shaped his whole outlook on his adulthood in good ways and in bad. I have nothing but admiration for his intelligence, his strength and for keeping it together through all those years of abuse and neglect, as there is no justification for what he experienced. I am happy he has accomplished all his dreams and that he has chosen to help other victims, but must importantly I am happy that he brought an end to the cycle of abuse in his family.
863300
I heard an interview on npr with the author and immediately wanted to read this memoir. It is not a light read but I read it quickly.  Because it is a true story, I knew I was not guaranteed a happy ending, but I read on hoping this for the author.  However, the author's honesty both endeared me to her and angered me to some of her decisions. It was interesting to me how I could cheer for her decision to place her son for adoption while at the same time hoping she would keep him.  Definitely worth reading!
4817599
This is a painfully honest memoir.  At times, it's despairing, but there's also hope in it.  Sessums' writing keeps us reading through good times and bad times.  There's something to learn in the reading of this.  I felt called to cheer him on in his spiritual search.  Hopefully, the man will be with us long enough to write future memoirs.
3974042
No, it's not a cheerful book.  It's not as engaging as many other memoirs, and certainly not as engaging as most of the author's fiction.  A good editor might cut it in half and make it better.
Throughout the book, there are lines, sentences, and paragraphs that made me stop and pause and wonder (and that's a good thing).  This author overcome many obstacles -- not just the "typical" obstables that we associate with race and poverty, but also the additional stigmas of being gay AND depressed.
For me the epilogue was especially inspiring; I wished the author had included more information about his writing, and about events after his first novel was published. I liked this book.
1325837
Anna Whiston-Donaldson is a beautiful writer.  If you follow her blog, An Inch of Gray, you already know this to be true.  If you do not follow her blog- for the love of all that is holy, why are you not following her blog??

At first glance, it might seem like a tough sell.  A memoir about a woman who lost her beloved son, Jack, in a freak flash flood.  It sounds heavy and heartbreaking.  I cannot lie to you, there are sections of this gorgeously written book where my heart was cracked WIDE OPEN, and I wept openly.  There were parts that made me shake my fist furiously at Heaven at the senselessness of such a staggering loss.

There were also passages that made me laugh out loud.  Where I marveled at the resiliency of the human spirit.  Where I nodded my head and thought, "Me too."

Anna's writing is honest, and clear, and graceful.  After finishing this book, which I read in one sitting, I felt as though I knew some things about the world, and about myself, that I didn't before.  Honestly, what more can you ask for in a memoir?
2334332
My Story by Elizabeth Smart is a memoir that expresses the themes of endurance, hope, and survival. In this memoir Elizabeth has to live with her captors Wanda Barzee and Brian David Mitchell for nine months. The author Elizabeth Smart lives in Salt Lake City, UT. She is now an American child safety activist because of her experiences she went through.
My Story starts out with her abduction from her home in June of 2001. She was taken from her home in the middle of the night. She had to live with Wanda Barzee and Brian David Mitchell for nine months. Five of those months were spent in California, even further away from her home. She faced many hardships including rape, starvation, dehydration, and home sickness. Though she went through torture for nine months she never gave up hope.
This memoir is very memorable because of the courage and hope Elizabeth had during her trials. I agree with the author that we can get through our hard times that we go through. We need to not give up and persevere. Pain is temporary and happiness will come again. This book suggests that this life is hard. If Elizabeth can get through nine months of torture, we can get through life. This book affected me in a positive way. I now will have more faith and hope when I go through hard times. I know that things will get better. After reading this memoir I feel sympathetic with people that have to face being kidnapped and being taken from their home. This memoir relates to my life because even though I might not have gotten kidnapped, I still have to go through hard things. Seeing her go through her hard challenges with courage and faith gives me strength to meet my own challenges with likewise conviction; seeing that my own trails are not as dire. I realized through reading this memoir that I need to relay more on my faith. I love this book because it is different from other books that I have read. It shows real life events and not just fantasy. I wish the book shared more background on not just the girl, but also her family and what they went through while she was gone.
I recommend this book to people who are over 15 years old, because it has a few topics that are too mature for younger people. I would rate this book 5 stars.
4689151
Readers will grieve as author Pam Cope chronicles her life's sudden and tragic transformation, brought about by the unexpected death of her 15 year-old son, Jantsen.  Undoubtedly, readers will feel pain as Pam bares her soul through her letters to her son.  Yes, you will cry--yet you will also laugh, as you read this brutally sincere recounting of a mother's determination to make meaning of her life after experiencing what all parents fear--the loss of a child.  Jantsen's Gift is an exceptionally moving memoir, but don't be surprised if this book becomes a catalyst for life change.  The memoir is abundant with experiences to which insightful readers will instantly connect, and reflection upon said connections may be just what it takes to realize that the time has come to prioritize what is important in life and to fulfill our own personal commitment to make the world a better place to live.
3673705
Robert Rave has written his memoir with the help of his mother and Jane Rave captured my heart. The first chapter opens with the letter Robert wrote his parents to tell them he is gay.  All Robert remembers is that his mother pointed out all his grammatical mistakes.  His mother remembers it quite differently, but that fact she didn't respond to the elephant in the room in a way to make him uncomfortable and instead focused more on his writing skills, which seems unintentional, but it is a mother's love that stays positive while she was distressed.  This give and take between the two is quite magical and honest.

I can really see where Robert gets his skill for words since his mother has a very conversational tone about hers.  This book isn't really about Robert coming out, but more about the close relationship he shares with his mother and how that bond was built.  I swear there were some points when I was thankful she asked some of the things she did and Robert had such a strong relationship with her that he could answer so honestly.  There is a lot of humor woven in as well as those bittersweet moments. If you are a fan of humor-filled memoirs with a skewed look on life, then you will enjoy this one!
3524588
Under a Desert Sky by Lynne Hartke is an inspiring memoir of one woman's journey with cancer. Cancer is the toughest path one finds in life. It takes hold of us, crushing us under its pressure. Sometimes, we feel like we've lost the battle and want to give up. However, this book, redefines hope, beauty, and faith in the hardest places. Lynne Hartke's words grabbed my attention immediately. Her words made me cry and feel that hope never dies. Pain only makes one stronger. Beautifully written by a survivor, who went through it all. Pain, grief, and hope. Overall, I deeply recommend this memoir to all.

(I got this copy from the publisher. This, is my honest review.)
759320
Bryan Davis uses creative images and poetic language in the story of a family that faces the ultimate loss. This is not a light-hearted book by any means, but it is a book about hope, love, and God's saving grace. While the story is fictional, it certainly illuminates the truths of dealing with losing a loved one. It is a story of the comfort we gain from believing in a Lord who does not desert us during the hard times--a Lord who prepares a better place for us and offers a hope of a future beyond this world.

Technically, this is not a YA book, as Bryan's other series are, but it is appropriate for nearly all ages in my opinion. It may have been written for adults, but teens, tweens, and maybe even some mature preteens would benefit from this book.
4403329
In this beautifully written emotional memoir of love and loss, Ms. Covington generously shares her emotions at the loss of her husband with whom she shared her life and love for only a few brief years on earth. She is grief stricken that she wasn't by his side when he died, and desperately wants to be with him, to have him communicate with her from the "other side." She doesn't know how she can live without him. Then, she discovers that something isn't quite "right" about the way he died, and his death begins to haunt her waking moments and sometimes her long dark nights.

The author's generous and excellent use of dialogue moves the story forward. But what most impresses me is her skill with description. She eloquently and vividly portrays her turmoil and inner struggles as she tries to comes to personal terms with her loss while attempting to uncover the truth of her husband's death.

Using skillful flashbacks that are often in dialogue, we get glimpses of Dino, the man she married, "the charismatic and natural leader" who was "often on the wrong side of the law" but had since "repented" by the time she married him.

Upon his death, she begins plodding step by step toward a future life without her beloved Dino beside her, in reality not an easy thing to do as I know from my own life of many personal losses. I empathize with her pain and struggle, and in the end experience a catharsis that I'm certain she also experienced in her writing.

I like suspense, and this memoir is filled with a credible and satisfying tension that compelled me to keep turning the pages. I especially enjoyed reading the paperback edition. In this format, the black-and-white cover is stunning as is the small color photograph on the back where Dino and his bride Misty, eighteen years his junior, are standing in front of the LDS ("Mormon") Temple where they were "sealed" as husband and wife not for this life only but for all eternity. Such "sealing" is a comfort to the broken-hearted narrator when she's left to move on in her mortal journey without him.

I highly recommend this memoir to those who have suffered a deep loss or know someone who is currently grief-stricken. Or to anyone who simply enjoys a good memoir, one that has enough twists of the "plot" to maintain a reader's interest. Whiffs of danger kept me tense with expectation, but at the end I felt peaceful and satisfied.
3531539
Mathias B. Freese pours his heart and soul out in this thought-provoking memoir. The author, a psychotherapist himself, describes how Woodstock affected him and the relationships that followed. Having lived through this period myself, I found his voice authentic and touching. It wasn't an easy time for either sex, not when all of societal's rules were changing. In fact, the author weaves in as well the times he underwent therapy for his personal issues, which I found incredibly brave. A gifted writer, Freese, shares the joys and pain of love and loss from his childhood to his senior years. It's a book I could easily read again.
1771174
I read Dr. Nancy Saltzman's touching and inspiring memoir, Radical Survivor: One Woman's Path Through Life, Love and Uncharted Tragedy and can recommend it highly.  As the title might suggest, this book has a tragedy which unfolds fairly early on but the tragedy itself is not the important theme of the book.  To me, the most important theme of this incredible book, is the courageous way in which Dr. Saltzman lived with and grew from the tragedy, grabbing the life preserver and helping herself and others to find their own path through the darkness of the soul. In this book, she continues to be not only a life preserver for others but also the light for others to find their way.  When I started to read this book, I did so as a stranger.  However, by the end of the book, I felt I found a friend.
1126035
This touching memoir is the account of the first year following the death of an exceptionally talented young man by his mother.  Ms. Novak's willingness to expose her heart in this way is possible because her faith is personal and strong and her raw honesty, though painful, is key to the book's ability to encourage others - both those who are on a grief journey of their own, and those whose personal walk with Christ is strengthened and edified by her courage.  Buy this book.
737896
This is not a typical "how to" book in the religious or spiritual genre.  Rather, it is a memoir of the authors's quest to find his way back "home" in the spiritual sense.  He tells the story with a certain authenticity and desperation that really resonated with me.  Clearly, his path and mine are not exactly the same; no two paths ever are.  Yet, his successes and failures, wrong turns and doubts, all gave me hope that I'm not alone on this journey, and that all is well.

"Pastor" Dave is a wonderful, kind and caring man who was the pastor at the church that I grew up in during much of my childhood and young adult years.  He always was open to other viewpoints and treated everyone with love, respect and dignity.  I always held him in the highest personal regard.  However, after reading his new book, I now feel like I know him as a friend and fellow sojourner on the path home.  It's a beautiful story by a beautiful human being, and one that I will treasure and turn back to for years to come.
2243204
Different from his other novels, Sparks's latest creation is a memoir; a trip around the world to exotic places with his beloved older brother Micah sets the stage for this author to tell readers the story of his life.

From Easter Island to Ethiopia, from the Killing Fields of Cambodia to a dogsled ride in Norway, Sparks tells of growing up in poverty with his parents and siblings.  Three in all, sister Dana is the youngest and the only girl; as the middle child, Sparks tells of his many insecurities growing up--with Dana being "special" as the only girl (they had exactly the same birthday but only Dana would get parties) and Micah being the bigger and better older brother--better at everything--it is amazing that the author was able to stay positive and maintain the extreme love for his siblings as he so clearly does.  Adulthood, while not spent in the same poverty as his childhood seems beset with tragedy; sudden deaths, terminal illnesses and the like.  Through it all, the author of course survives and one can only marvel at his strenth and courage.

While not the usual fictional story of love that he is known for, this memoir seems to me to be one long autobiographical love story...the love of the author for his parents, his siblings, his wife and his family.  And apparently for his readers for bestowing upon us a gift such as this.

DYB