Blog Archives
The Three Muscat Years
The Three Muscat Years by K.M. Harikrishan chronicles three years in the life of a young Indian army doctor as he adapts and finds his footing in a foreign country. Life becomes increasingly more challenging as the doctor is faced with the death of his father and a devastating sense of loss and grief.
As the young doctor learns to adjust to his new life and career challenges, he seeks comfort and acceptance from unexpected people he meets, some of whom become close friends. The story reads like a memoir, but it is interesting how it captures the essence of character growth. I found the doctor’s life experiences relatable, much like that of an ordinary person, even with extraordinary circumstances. The author does an excellent job of recounting his life so that we look beyond our first impressions and collective ideas about army personnel and medically trained staff.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, having grown up with Indian culture and tradition. The narrator never wastes a chance to discuss unique characteristics of culture, Carnatic music, and other fond ideas and memories, which provide comfort for loneliness and becoming homesick. It’s an exciting book highlighting the personal impact of traveling and working abroad under stressful circumstances.
I enjoyed the author’s candid writing style and straightforward storytelling which encourages us to identify with the characters in the story while sympathizing with their feelings and hardships. The Three Muscat Years by K.M. Harikrishan is an easy book to read and enjoy, with lots of witty humor, relatable content, and the sensitive narration of one doctor’s journey.
Pages 274 | ASIN 9390882583
Constantly Overcoming Obstacles
Running Dreams is an inspirational memoir detailing your life and the challenges you faced to find a life of purpose and meaning. Why was this an important book for you to write?
It was important for me to write this book because many people face obstacles and have a hard time overcoming them. There are also many people who overcome struggles but don’t write their experiences, especially after going through so many difficulties and setbacks. For me, my dreams of becoming a detective were blown up with an explosion. In addition to becoming blind and losing my right hand, immigrating to the U.S. makes my story unique. I want readers to learn about Peru, immigration, blindness, and most of all hope. Life is about constantly overcoming obstacles. When we have setbacks, we have two options: do nothing and complain or get back up and fight to defeat them.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
It was the moment of and after the explosion. I left that chapter until the end to write. Even after over 30 years, I didn’t want to write about it, to let people know what I went through during those minutes of desperation. Expressing my feelings right after the explosion was very hard. It even brought tears to my eyes when I remember my mother and my siblings and how they must have felt when the accident happened. It was a tough time for our family as the explosion happened shortly after another family tragedy. So remembering their pain is never easy. Now that I have written it in Running Dreams, I feel much better. It is like finally turning that chapter over and moving on. Many times we feel like we have to keep some things to ourselves. They’re private, just for oneself. However, I felt that the memoir was lacking something if I did not include those details: my feelings during the most difficult times.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
I want people to learn about my childhood and my parents’ influence on me as a young person; how I learned to be determined to achieve my goals (like getting admitted into the Officer School of the Peruvian Investigation of Peru). I think it’s important to show the impact my parents had on me at a young age and how that helped me overcome adversity throughout life, and certainly after the explosion. At the same time, I want readers to know about some history of Peru; the situation for people with disabilities in Peru; my immigration experience as a blind person with a missing right hand; and how we are not alone facing our most difficult moments in life.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
To never give up, and to always have hope. We all face ups and downs. However, it is easy to give up when one falls. But, the problems do not go away. We tend to think, when a problem is big, that we will not be able to change the situation. I think that always having hope and faith, that gives us strength from the deepest of our being. With hope, we become innovative. In the most difficult of moments, hope can give you energy and spark imagination.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Running Dreams is a memoir of a man raised in a humble, hard-working family, outside Lima, Peru, at a time of great national political, economic, and social instability. Readers glimpse into the author’s formative years to discover the values and life lessons impressed on him by his family. In an instant, a grenade explosion severs his right hand and blinds him. With scant prospects, he leaves his family and true love to immigrate to the United States, facing a future alone. Beating the odds, he acquires the blindness skills, new culture, and new language necessary to pursue a college education, find a meaningful career, and build a purposeful life
We join Carlos in a treacherous, exhilarating journey to the United States, where he experiences continuous setbacks, but unexpected open hearts and hands restore him. He single-handedly battles hunger, poverty, homelessness, loneliness, prejudice, betrayal, language barriers, and immigration pitfalls.
In Running Dreams we experience the creation of an exceptional life of purpose and meaning. Those who cherish happy endings will not be disappointed.
In His Hands
In the book, In His Hands: A Spiritual Journey, Olie K. Teeter Jr. takes the reader on his spiritual journey, discussing various aspects of religion, sharing lessons, and demonstrating how faithful God has been. This book is written in a clear-cut manner, in that as much as it feels religious; the reader is able to see the human aspect of it all. Olie K. Teeter Jr. starts the book by introducing himself to the reader. He writes of where he comes from, his parents, friends, and acquaintances he has made throughout the year. This part of the book is a favorite because the author intentionally created a bond with his audience. By telling his background story, the author makes the reader connect better with his discussions and even feel like they can relate to certain issues.
Olie K. Teeter writes with zeal, love, and genuineness. The author’s authenticity is visible throughout his narration, and one can point out the objectivity in his writing with ease. In His Hands: A Spiritual Journey is a straightforward book to read. Apart from the division of the book into two major parts, the author added an appeal to the book by arranging the chapters into categories that discussed God and his divinity and those that had discussions on the author’s personal experiences and of others. The first chapters in part 1 of the book taught me about my personal relationship with God, while most of the chapters in part 2 of the book made me reflect on life and my spiritual journey.
Part II of the book was meant for anyone trying to find themselves in their spiritual journey. The teachings shared, his style of sharing the word of God, and the multiple real-life examples of how God’s work manifested in his life that the author wrote about are enough reasons to enjoy this book. In this section, the author touches on topics like deception, power, love, holiness, and the church. I thoroughly enjoyed the bible teachings and the scriptures that the author shared in this part of the book. If you want to learn your bible well, then you need to look at what Olie K. Teeter Jr. writes in this chapter. Everything imperative from the Old Testament to the New Testament is discussed with precision, and the reader fully comprehends the holy book.
As a reader, I found discussions on the silent voice of God, prophecy, prayers, ministry, and the Holy Spirit to be eye-opening. Olie K. Teeter Jr. was insightful in each of these topics, giving comprehensive explanations and throwing in personal tales when he wants to drive the point home. Reading about his encounters was both fascinating and inspiring. The best thing about Olie K. Teeter Jr’s writing is that his stories easily flow. His storytelling skills are astounding, and the author understands how to fuse more than one story without losing the reader.
Pages: 186 | ASIN : B08P8482VZ
I Was Dying…Then I Changed My Mind
Güngör Buzot is a woman from Turkey who takes exceptional pride in her appearance with perfectly manicured nails, neatly combed hair, and an exceptional sense of style. She exudes love for her children and her husband. She showcases an empathetic heart to friends and strangers alike. She, however, has been riddled with pain for 61 years. The first illness presented itself when she was only 6 -months old. During the 61 years, she underwent 20 surgeries and was prescribed countless medications. She traveled between 5 countries in search of a cure. Ultimately, she was in so much pain that she begged her family to end her life.
I Was Dying, Then I Changed My Mind, by Güngör Buzot, is an exceptional story of a woman who has lived in pain for 61 years but undertook a difficult journey to release herself from the pain. Buzot, aged 69, provides an incredible insight into her journey of chronic illness. Her book reminds you of journal entries, which lean into the authenticity and transparency of her story. The book immediately captures your attention when Güngör decides that euthanasia is the only remedy to end her suffering. Güngör takes you back to Turkey in 1953 and takes you along her life journey, where every moment of joy was overshadowed by her pain. The reader spends the entirety of the book rooting for her healing.
I Was Dying, Then I Changed My Mind, by Güngör Buzot is a great read for those who are open-minded, as they will thoroughly enjoy this book about the power of self-healing and alternative medicine. Buzot’s journal-style writing makes this book easy to read. It is not peppered with medical terms that are difficult to understand. I highly recommend this book to everyone on a journey of healing the mind, body, and soul.
Pages: 132 | ASIN : B0BNP5WH7D
Born Into Crisis
Kenneth Nixon Jr. plainly explains his childhood in Born Into Crisis. From start to finish, he has survived and conquered many trials. He leaves nothing out while detailing the abuse of his childhood. Along the way, he gives advice on handling loved ones suffering from mental health issues. His own mom suffered from them, which is why he became an advocate for mental health. Finally, he tells his story of overcoming great odds to have healthy relationships.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Expertly written and easy to read. I, unfortunately, can relate to a lot of his childhood trauma. His advice and tips for helping those struggling with mental health issues are accurate. He is very knowledgeable about how to handle his mental health issues as well as others. His childhood is very similar to mine. The emotional, mental, and physical abuse that he went through at a young age is comparable to what I went through. His messed-up childhood takes place mainly in Arlington, Virginia. From poor parenting to a parent with bipolar disorder, he lets the reader know just how stressful life can be.
Throughout everything, he ultimately maintains hope and becomes a parent himself. I found this book to be dramatic, informational, and thrilling. I appreciate how plainly he explains the trauma he went through. He doesn’t over-exaggerate anything or make it overly dramatic. He calmly tells his story as though he has done it a thousand times. Which he probably has due to therapy. Hardships like his can either make or break a man. Truly broken men don’t write memoirs. His entire book is written like he was speaking. He mentions his ADHD, and you can tell from his writing style that he wrote the book to be like he was speaking. There were several mannerisms in his writing that, on a side note, were quite comical. He goes in-depth with all of the mental health issues he discusses. It was a truly fascinating story to read.
Pages: 232 | ISBN: 1950476561
Captain Communicator
Captain Communicator by Blaise Hunter is an insightful book that will help readers develop communication skills. Blaise discusses topics such as how can we communicate better as people, and transcended the variety of barriers between us. She breaks the topic down by discussing communication with the different types of people we regularly interact with such as our parents, partners, friends, and co-workers. The author discusses more than just communication and looks at the connection between trauma, healthy relationships, boundaries and more. She uses these topics to broaden the discussion around communication and shows the links between them.
The author helps the reader critically think about their ability to communicate. In order to help the reader, she gives an honest account of how she recognized her positive and negative communication traits and how she used her experiences as an opportunity to improve hers.
Blaise allows the reader to connect with her by sharing her raw and unfiltered thoughts and emotions. There are sections where the author discusses her thoughts and feelings about her past traumas which read more like a diary. I felt as though I was having a conversation with a friend or a mentor. Blaise’s writing allows the reader to reflect upon themselves and their past experiences and see how to improve themselves.
I was expecting a book that gives the reader a step-by-step account of how to communicate better, but this book has more of a storytelling element. This was a pleasant surprise and made for an interesting read rather than having facts and information thrown at you. If you are looking for a book that gives you a personal account of how one individual improved their communication skills, and learn a lot about their life along the way, then this enlightening book is definitely for you.
Pages: 215 | ASIN: B0BKG2HNR2
The Crop Duster’s Daughter
The Crop Duster’s Daughter is a heartwarming and enjoyable read. Author Rhonda Colia shares her story and that of her mother with us in this loving memoir. Author Colia shares many fond memories of growing up with her mother and father, starting with Mary Leota Mae Burks, Rhonda’s mother. We learn of her mother’s past, how she became a crop duster, and how her father was a mechanic. We are taken on a timeline of Rhonda’s parent’s life from getting married, having children, starting a career, and divorcing. Then their children grow up, starting their own families, and soon after losing their parents.
I enjoyed reading about Rhonda’s childhood, and I felt her love and admiration for her mother through her words. Her mother was intelligent and determined, and went against all odds, even during tough times. My favorite part of reading this memoir is when the author shares with readers her memory of waking up at 2 am with her mother to make homemade cake doughnuts. These are the memories that stay with you forever, and this is something Rhonda can pass down to her children. The author included pictures of her family along with a quick description of the image, which was nice to put a face to the names, but I felt like this was very personal and something that the author should’ve shared with just her family. There were times when it was a little hard for me to connect with some of the author’s stories because I did not know her family, and there was much detail included that I felt was not necessary.
The Crop Duster’s Daughter is a beautiful journey into the author’s world and the life that her mom provided for her. The lessons her mom imparted to her daughter have helped shape the woman she is today, and that is a legacy worth telling. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a thoughtful memoir of a family who shares a love for airplanes.
Pages: 188 | ISBN : 1956529918
Together We Can Redefine And Heal
Rooted HEIR shares your story of self-discovery and healing from your past traumas and abuse while helping others start the healing process. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I didn’t start with the intention of writing a book my intention was to heal. I knew that I had to stop running, and get completely honest with myself. I had to allow myself to remember, to feel every emotion that either I couldn’t at the time or had suppressed, and to tell what was true to me. I had to tell myself my own story. Writing became an intracule part of my healing process. I couldn’t help but wish that I had someone or something to shed light and guide me while going through all the difficult moments that life was preparing me for. I began to see how this was so much bigger than just me. It pushed me to go deeper, be more transparent, to be as authentic as I possibly could be so that my readers knew I could feel them, I could see them, and I could hear them, because I was them. If by chance somehow Rooted HEIR made it into their lives I wanted them to be empowered and inspired. To know that they matter, their stories matter, and together we can redefine and heal.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The whole process was emotionally hard but the most freeing thing I have ever done. There were countless times I wanted to quit and say forget it but the calling was too great. If I had to choose just one thing, I would say the most difficult part to write about was not about what was done to me but the realizations that came to me when holding up the mirror and looking at myself. It is easy to blame the actions of others for why our behaviors may be a certain way, the hard part is getting completely honest with ourself to see where we need to take responsibility. The cleansing the roots to bare good fruit. I had only wished it didn’t take me over 20 years to start the process.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
“Healing is not leaner my dear, it is an everyday journey.”
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
Things are not always what they appear to be and we just never know who is dealing with what no matter how it looks on the outside. I truly hope my readers can walk away inspired to continue their healing journey with hope remembering to JKG. We just never know who’s testimony can be someone else’s survival guide.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Trauma f*ucking sucks! There is nothing gentle, pretty, or rosy about it! Its painful, dark, and lonely. Rooted HEIR is a vivid and transparent memoir that takes you on one woman’s journey of suffering, self-discovery, and forgiveness.
In a span of three days the illusion bubble burst. Christina finds herself sitting in a dark room feeling so small and insignificant. She has a choice to make, more of the same or change. After more than two decades of avoiding the painful truth, running from herself, and pretending it was time to drop the shackles of shame.
Have you ever asked yourself, who am I, when you strip away the titles and roles that you’ve been defined by? Well, she did, and she didn’t have a clue. She needed to hold up the mirror, grab the shovel, and start unearthing the traumas that held her freedom. But where do you start? …At the beginning.
In her own words Christina reveals the most intimate parts of her life from the childhood abuses to her own self-destructive ways, and the lessons she has learned along the way. Rooted HEIR is a courageous story filled with the voice of brutal honesty. Her voice that was silenced so many times now can be heard in hopes that others will know they too can speak. Let’s heal, be empowered, be inspired, and redefine our lives. THE TIME IS NOW!
LITERARY TITAN 