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Birth, Death, and Survival
Melanie Whyte’s Birth, Death & Survival is a raw and intimate poetry collection that traces a lifetime of pain, growth, and resilience. It unfolds like a memoir in verse, starting from the innocence of childhood and winding through heartbreak, abuse, motherhood, healing, and eventual renewal. The poems feel deeply lived-in, each chapter marking a phase of her life, from the trembling echoes of a broken home to the quiet triumphs of rediscovered love and strength. There’s a narrative thread that ties every piece together: the human instinct to keep breathing, to keep going, even when the air feels too heavy to bear.
Whyte doesn’t hold back, and I admired that honesty. Her words are simple but sharp, and she lets emotion take the lead. At times, the poems read like confessions whispered in the dark. Others feel like letters written to her past self, forgiving, reflecting, reclaiming. What struck me most was the rhythm of her healing. It’s not neat or linear, and she doesn’t pretend it is. Some verses gutted me with their quiet truth, like “The Room With No Windows,” while others, like “Still I Rise From Shadows,” filled me with soft and steady hope.
As I read, I found myself pausing often, not because the writing was difficult, but because it felt too close. There’s beauty in the way Whyte turns trauma into art without glamorizing it. The collection pulses with empathy, and even in the darkest corners, there’s light breaking through. I liked how she weaves motherhood, love, and survival together; it reminded me that rebuilding isn’t just about leaving the pain behind, it’s about learning to live alongside it.
Birth, Death & Survival is for readers who crave truth, who’ve walked through something hard and come out changed. It’s a book for survivors, for mothers, for anyone who’s ever had to rebuild themselves piece by piece. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to feel seen, or to those who want to understand what resilience looks like when it’s written in poetry and inked with life itself.
Pages: 181 | ASIN : B0FPXNQFMP
A Journey Into Manhood From the Path of an Idiot
Carandus Brown’s A Journey into Manhood from the Path of an Idiot is a raw and deeply personal memoir that chronicles one man’s long, often painful climb from childhood confusion to adult accountability. With each chapter framed as a “lesson,” Brown reflects on his life from traumatic events and broken family dynamics to brushes with the law, misguided relationships, and spiritual reckonings. What starts as a candid account of pain and dysfunction slowly morphs into a powerful meditation on growth, faith, and the courage to confront your past. This is a book about how a boy with no clear path to manhood stumbles, fights, learns, and ultimately walks that road anyway.
Reading this book felt like being handed someone’s journal, written with no filter and no concern for appearances. I admired that. Brown’s writing is emotional and gritty, full of hurt and hope in equal measure. He doesn’t try to dress up his experiences. He owns his mistakes, often with heartbreaking honesty, and that kind of vulnerability resonated with me. Some parts were painful to get through, especially the loss of his nephew and the scenes with his father, but those chapters gripped me. It’s not just the storytelling, though. It’s how Brown unpacks each memory, not just to remember it, but to understand what it meant, what it cost, and how it changed him.
There were moments when the writing got a little long-winded. I sometimes wished he’d pulled back just enough to let the reader breathe. But even in those moments, I could feel the sincerity behind every word. And there’s poetry in how he writes, even when he’s angry or confused; there’s rhythm and raw beauty to the way he strings his thoughts together. His lesson on education, how he faked reading as a kid just to survive the shame, hit me in the gut. And the spiritual themes, especially his talks with God, felt real. Not polished. Not preachy. Just real.
This isn’t a polished self-help book or a clinical story of recovery. It’s a firestorm of memory and meaning, one that will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt lost, unloved, or misunderstood. I’d recommend A Journey into Manhood from the Path of an Idiot to young men navigating tough upbringings, to anyone grappling with forgiveness, and to readers who crave stories that bleed truth. Brown may have taken the long way to manhood, but this book proves he got there, and he brought a whole lot of wisdom with him.
Pages: 160 | ISBN : 978-1681116082
Dust in the Wind
Michael Triska’s Dust in the Wind is a deeply personal memoir that recounts a life lived on the edge of hardship, heartbreak, and resilience. At its core, it’s the story of Katherine, the author’s wife, a talented and vibrant woman whose life was forever altered by a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis at the age of eighteen. Triska doesn’t just chart her medical decline; he details their love, their marriage, and their lifelong battle against poverty, prejudice, and abandonment. What unfolds is not just a chronicle of illness, but a testament to love, loyalty, and surviving in a world that too often looks away.
I was moved by the honesty in Triska’s writing. He doesn’t pretend to be perfect. He owns his fears, failures, and frustrations. That vulnerability gave the story its power. His pain seeps through the pages, but so does his love for Katherine. The depiction of Katherine’s strength, her passion for music, and her indomitable spirit even in the face of such suffering is inspiring and heartbreaking all at once. But more than anything, what got me was the anger. The unfairness. Watching family vanish when things got hard. Seeing a woman slowly robbed of her identity while society either mocked, ignored, or pitied her. It made me furious, and it made me care.
The writing is raw, and sometimes repetitive, but it pulls no punches. There’s no sugar-coating, no elegant prose, no grand metaphors. Triska tells it like it is. Some might find the tone intense or the sadness unrelenting. But that’s also what makes the book work. It doesn’t try to romanticize suffering. It tells the truth: about chronic illness, about poverty, about caregiving, and about the thin line between holding it together and falling apart.
I’d recommend Dust in the Wind to anyone who has ever been a caregiver, battled illness, or just needed to believe that love can survive even the darkest nights. It’s not a feel-good story, but it’s a real one. And sometimes, that’s even more important. Bring tissues because this one will leave a mark.
Pages: 70 | ASI N: B0DRDM49V6
The Great Exchange
The Great Exchange is Aneasa Perez’s deeply personal and spiritual memoir that explores her journey from trauma, deception, and religious bondage toward a more authentic relationship with God. Through candid storytelling, she walks the reader through childhood neglect in Trinidad, manipulation by false prophets, abusive relationships, and ultimately, emotional and spiritual healing. Her message is clear: God is not found in ritual or human institutions but in truth, freedom, and love. This book is not just a testimony—it’s a warning, a lament, and a triumphant cry all at once.
Reading this book felt like sitting across from someone baring their soul without a filter. Aneasa’s writing is raw and emotional, sometimes scattered, but always sincere. There’s a kind of aching in her words that hit me hard, especially when she described feeling invisible as a child, or the chilling recount of abuse cloaked in religion. Her voice is tender and broken in places, yet unwavering in its hunger for God. At times, I wished for a bit more structure, but then I realized that this is about a heart cracked wide open. And that’s what makes it stick with you.
What really struck me was her critique of religious institutions. She doesn’t just point fingers, she names names, churches, and systems that exploit the vulnerable. And yet, her goal isn’t to burn it all down. It’s to call people back to Jesus, stripped of theatrics and power games. I found myself nodding, grieving, and even angry at how often good people are led astray under the guise of “serving God.” There’s something incredibly brave in how she wrestles with guilt, shame, and the idea of divine punishment, only to find mercy waiting for her every time.
The Great Exchange is a book for those who’ve been burned by the church, but still believe in God. It’s for anyone who has loved and lost, trusted and been betrayed, and still dares to hope for healing. Aneasa Perez writes not from a pedestal, but from the trenches, and that makes her story all the more powerful. I’d recommend this to spiritual seekers, survivors of religious abuse, and anyone wondering if grace still has room for them.
Pages: 98 | ASIN : B0DKQVJS49
Telling Stories That Matter
Women Making a Difference is an anthology featuring women from around the world and their stories of triumph over adversity. Why was this an important collection for you to write?
I knew that there were women making a difference in big and small ways all over the world, and yet so often these stories are not the kind that we hear about, the mainstream media always telling the sensationalist news rather than sharing positive, hopeful and uplifting news. But these stories matter and are so important to be told as they provide real-life inspiration for others to think about how they can make a difference too. You never know whose story will resonate with someone and be the catalyst for them to take action on changing the world in their own way.
Can you share with us a little about your process for selecting stories for this anthology?
Each author submitted a written application to be considered for this anthology. We received over 100 applications from women all over the world. When selecting authors for this anthology there were a number of factors we were particularly looking for – representation is important to us, so ensuring that we had a diverse collective of voices ensures that when someone reads this book they’ll find someone who’s story, experience or perspective they can relate to. We also looked for tales of courage, resilience, and overcoming significant challenges to reach success. We wanted to acknowledge that making a difference is not always an easy road, yet if you’re committed to your vision it is possible, no matter what obstacles that stand in your way.
Did you learn anything about yourself during the course of putting this book together?
During this process I learned that the work I do makes a difference too! I realised that by providing a platform for women to tell their stories I’m providing a powerful way for them to share their voices on a global stage and a powerful tool for healing through rewriting their narrative.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Our next anthology is Begin It Now! This one is a call to action to women to step into their greatness, to follow their dreams and to overcome self doubt, fear and the feelings of not being enough which so often hold women back from taking the first step.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Featuring Authors
Dr. Cara Lenore Antoine, Comfort Dondo, Ellen Hooper, Florence Kayungwa, Gaëlle Berruel, Heather McCarthy, Iris Mhlanga, Janette Salmi, Justine McLean, Kabinga Mazaba, Kate Fisher, Laura Goldberg, Leanne Butterworth, Lisa Benson, Melanie Wentzel, Nicola Baker, Patricia Gonde, Rebecca Rylands, Dr Sarifa Alonto-Younes, Zara Celik
Women Making a Difference
Women Making a Difference is a stirring anthology spotlighting the voices of women across the globe who have transformed adversity into impact. Compiled by Peace Mitchell and Katy Garner, this collection features personal stories from trailblazers in tech, social justice, education, business, and healing, each chapter a testament to resilience and purpose. Through raw honesty and bold vulnerability, these women share what it truly takes to be a change-maker—not just in theory, but in practice and not without scars.
What stood out to me most was the way the book cracked open the illusion that making a difference is about big stages or perfect plans. Dr. Cara Lenore Antoine, in her chapter “Be the First,” writes with sharp clarity and warmth about being a woman in tech, often the only one in the room. She didn’t just show up—she redesigned the room. Her story of fighting for women’s PPE in male-dominated industries struck me hard. It was funny, frustrating, and deeply human.
Comfort Dondo’s chapter, “Transformative Healing and Proactive Advocacy,” pulled me into a different kind of storm—one made of trauma, community pain, and quiet, fierce courage. Her words are heavy with truth, like when she says, “I was trying to continue to offer a lifeline for other women, while my own was still shaky.” I felt that in my bones. She makes it clear that advocacy without healing is a path to burnout. The idea of healed healers reshaping the systems that once broke them resonated deeply.
The Silent Difference by Dr. Sarifa Alonto-Younes is a quiet storm of a chapter—calm on the surface but brimming with strength underneath. She writes about the power of leading with humility, compassion, and integrity, even when no one is watching. Her story, rooted in her Muslim faith and her experiences as an educator and global advocate, reminds us that dignity, patience, and purpose can move mountains in silence.
This book isn’t about polished resumes or highlight reels. It’s about messy, brave women who said yes to something bigger than themselves. It’s about pain, yes, but also purpose. If you’ve ever doubted your ability to make a difference, this book will call you out, lift you up, and push you forward. I walked away from it feeling seen, inspired, and more determined than ever to keep showing up—not because it’s easy, but because it matters.
I would wholeheartedly recommend Women Making a Difference to women leaders, aspiring changemakers, or anyone feeling worn down by the weight of trying. This book doesn’t give you permission to give up—it gives you a hundred reasons to keep going. And it reminds you, beautifully and powerfully, that you’re not alone.
Pages: 245 | ASIN : B0DNY75MZQ
Steel Soldier: Guadalcanal Odyssey
Steel Soldier is a deeply personal memoir of James J. Messina, a young Marine from a steel town in Pennsylvania, who found himself swept into one of the fiercest battles of World War II: Guadalcanal. Told in vivid vignettes and brought to life with images and hand-drawn illustrations, Messina’s account captures not just the brutality of war, but the camaraderie, innocence, and gritty determination that defined the “Greatest Generation.” Coauthored by his son Chuck, the book is both a labor of love and a preservation of living history.
What struck me right away was the honesty in the writing. Messina’s voice doesn’t dress things up, he tells it like it was. That first chapter, where he recounts his decision to join the Marines instead of going back to the wire mill, felt raw and real. His disappointment at being turned away by the Navy and then stumbling into the Marine Corps recruiting office by chance shows how much of life, even in wartime, is decided by the smallest twists of fate. And when he writes about his father’s reluctant blessing, I felt a tug in my chest. The emotion’s all there, simple and direct.
The battle scenes are gripping, not because they’re loaded with military jargon or dramatic flair, but because of how plainly they’re told. In Chapter 8, “Battle of Little Tokyo,” there’s a moment when he describes a fellow Marine getting shell-shocked. It’s just a few sentences, no fanfare, but it hit me like a punch to the gut. You can feel the fear, the exhaustion, the surreal nature of it all. And yet, even in those moments, Messina manages to hold on to humanity. There’s a scene in “The Banana Caper” (Chapter 12) where he and a few others sneak some bananas during a brief lull in fighting. It’s almost funny—boys being boys—but it’s also a sharp contrast to the chaos around them. Those little pockets of normalcy are what make this story unforgettable.
I also enjoyed the illustrations. They’re full of heart. And Chuck’s dedication to preserving his father’s story, especially after the heartbreaking loss of the second volume to water damage, adds another layer of emotion. His note about finding his father’s book collection in the attic made me tear up. You get the sense that this wasn’t just a project, it was a promise.
Steel Soldier isn’t just for military history buffs or fans of war memoirs. It’s for anyone who values truth, grit, and the strength of everyday people. This isn’t a sweeping epic or a tactical breakdown of battles, it’s one man’s truth, told without pretense. I’d recommend it to readers who want to understand what war really feels like, not from a general’s view, but from the boots on the ground.
Pages: 372 | ASIN : B0C96LP71N
That Guy
That Guy by Larry Hankin offers a vibrant dive into the life of its author, a stand-up comedian turned actor whose journey through the pulsating heart of show business is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. From precarious beginnings in Greenwich Village to navigating the highs and lows of Hollywood, Hankin intersperses his tale with encounters with iconic figures like John Huston, Lenny Bruce, and Bob Dylan. This autobiography is as much about the grit and glamour of the entertainment world as it is about personal resilience and transformation.
This book is a delightful read, brimming with juicy backstage stories and heartfelt moments that make you feel like you’re catching up with an old friend over coffee. Hankin’s knack for storytelling shines as he draws us into his world, packed with eclectic characters and pivotal moments that shaped his career and personality. The book excels in depicting a wide array of individuals—from mentors and icons to rivals and friends—who influenced Hankin’s career and life. The narrative can sometimes feel disjointed, especially when transitioning from one era to another, which might leave readers wanting a smoother storytelling experience. While the insider anecdotes are fascinating, they occasionally overshadow broader thematic developments, making some sections feel more like a collection of vignettes rather than a cohesive story. The book’s engaging style and rich detail effectively portray the entertainment industry’s challenging yet rewarding nature. Themes of perseverance, identity, and transformation resonate throughout the text, making it a worthwhile read for anyone fascinated by the complexities of celebrity life or seeking inspiration in overcoming their hurdles.
Larry Hankin’s witty and reflective style, along with his ability to draw vivid characters and settings, makes That Guy a notable addition to the autobiography genre. For fans of showbiz tales and personal journeys alike, That Guy offers a unique glimpse into a life well-lived and hard-won victories in the face of adversity.
Pages: | ASIN : B0CW18F4D3
LITERARY TITAN 