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Based on a True (Traumatic) Brain History
In the blunt and honest book, Mark Allen narrates his life story Based on A True (Traumatic) Brain History: A Short Memoir. Covering topics like his struggle of living with a brain injury, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and some deep reflections about his ways of coping with difficult circumstances, Allen gives readers a look into his world with the hope that his story will help others.
The book is divided into multiple short chapters, but you can trace a clear pattern between the first and second half. The first part deals with his early life, college, experiences as a professional MMA fighter, while the second part deals with the challenges that come with TBI, feeling suicidal and mental health struggles. In the course of the memoir, you’ll learn that the author struggled with substance addictions, but he overcame them and went on to donate a kidney to his ailing mother. Likewise, the author felt heartbroken after the traumatic brain injury (TBI) because it took away his passion, but he managed to sail on.
The best part of this book is that the author never dwells on self-pity. It’s more about the journey and process, how an individual deals with unforeseen circumstances with a practical approach, and how to find a purpose in life. His positive outlook towards life gives the readers hope, rendering a universal appeal to the story. The book starts off candidly as if the author is sitting right in front of you in a coffee shop and having a casual chit-chat. He keeps this conversational tone alive throughout the book, occasionally tinged with his refreshing humor.
The storytelling is honest and easy-flowing. The language is lucid. It gives the readers a glimpse into the author’s life so far, his battles, his practical approach to move ahead in dark times, and his realizations. There is no preaching, only heartfelt expressions and actual incidents recollected from the author’s memory.
Based on A True (Traumatic) Brain History: A Short Memoir is more than just the story of Mark Allen’s life. This through-provoking book is an excellent read for those struggling with addiction, medical injuries, TBI, or anyone that just needs a quick motivational read.
Pages: 242 | ASIN : B08TQNXDPF
Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins
![Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins by [Crown, Robert]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517ASFNXk0L.jpg)
As a reader of Robert Crown’s Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins, from the moment I started reading to closing the book, I was completely hooked. The mix of of suspense and the unknown along with themes of death, betrayal, and loyalty is a great example of the new age and spirtuality genre. Crown does an amazing job at writing this inspiring true story whilst still inflicting a sense of uncertainty and eeriness to his readers.
Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins is based on a true story about childhood and growing up. A book complete with struggle, hardship, journies, and belonging. Robert Crown attempts to captivate his readers by using a dark childhood to demonstrate the importance of positivity and embracing the future.
What really enticed me whilst reading this book is the narration. The first person narration created that extra appeal. Reading an account of a person’s life really puts things into perspective for me. I love this idea that you can really learn from someone else’s life experiences, no matter how far away they are from your own.
For me, the book acts as a great reminder that no matter what you face in life, you will be able to conquer anything you set your mind to. No matter the hardship, no matter the isolation, no matter the fear, everyone has a tough interior – they just need to find it and use it!
Although Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins provides an epic depiction of the author’s challenges in life, we are also subject to a particular thought process. As I was reading I was constantly thinking to myself: if he could overcome these tragic moments in life, then so can I. This book left me feeling a sense of positivity. Although I have no idea what the author’s events could possibly have felt like, I felt as though my own struggles in life really help you to connect to the author and to the narrative.
The writing is clear and focused, which has a heavy focus on descriptions and impact. The writing provides a clear account of how one’s life can be instantly turned upside down. The writing assumes that, despite the rollercoaster ride of events, you can still come out of it a much stronger, happier person. This is something I think that everyone longs for, isn’t it? And reading this book is a great demonstration of just that!
Suffering Ends When Awakening Begins was by far one of the best books I have read for a long time. It has everything – originality, a clear thought process, a personal touch. For this reason, and all of the above, I would like to award this book an extremely deserving 5 out of 5 stars. I could immerse myself in the events of the book, and despite not actually going through these events myself, I felt as though the author described them to the point that I felt as though they were real and emotional.
I have very little negative points to say in regards to the book. The writer expertly conveys themes of betrayal, relationships, past vs. future and childhood. An emotive, beautiful piece of personal writing brought to you by Robert Crown. A fantastic read for anyone who enjoys themes including life experiences, childhood, longing, journeying on, and betrayal. This book is bound to get your heart racing whilst putting you on the edge of your seat!
Pages: 290 | ASIN: B077DWRSK5
Walking Over Eggshells: Surviving Mental Abuse
Walking Over Eggshells: Surviving Mental Abuse by Lucinda Clarke is an autobiography where she has changed all the names to protect the innocent and guilty. The novel is about Lucinda’s life and how she survived growing up and living with mental abuse. Lucinda’s mom had narcissistic personality disorder, and this impacted her entire life. She uses this novel to show that despite growing up with this abuse she still lived a life full of adventure, had a family and eventually had a successful career. You will laugh at some of the stories, cry at others, and be outright shocked by many and wonder how this girl survived to write this. Through it all Lucinda was able to grow and keep up with the times, she was born in the 1950’s and has had to adapt with a drastically changing society while continuing to endure the mental abuse of her mother at every turn even into her adult years.
The beginning chapters of the book tell of how Lucinda’s parents met and the eventual death of her father when she was only two. From there we are introduced to the never-ending criticism, punishments, and agony that Lucinda as a child endured. It is heartbreaking reading her words begging for a cuddle or a word of love and compassion from the women that called herself her mother. As a teen, the typical back and forth arguments continued, the younger generation is ungrateful, they need to do their part, so selfish, these are common themes even today we hear about the millennials. With Lucinda though, it is deeper, her mother really did expect her to do everything for her, and even when she did it was never good enough. The emotional struggle and need for love and acceptance is one that many readers can relate to, those that live with constant mental abuse will relate to Lucinda and see how she coped with the abuse while understanding why she continues to have a relationship with her mother.
Once Lucinda meets and marries Jeremy her life adventures take off. They never stay in one place long, always moving from one job to the next, involving everything from traveling encyclopedia sales to sketchy engineering jobs in South Africa. In a way Lucinda traded one form of abuse for another, she loves Jeremy but he takes advantage of her and plays on her need to be loved. This is the part of the story where you read and think ‘is this real?’ how can one person put up with so much? That, I think, is the real story behind this book. You can survive though mental abuse even when that abuse spans the majority of your life.
Throughout the book, Lucinda finds a way to make the best of her situation. She is willing to work be it animal breeding, filling, cleaning hotel rooms or writing. She never gave up no matter where she lived or what was going on with her and Jeremy, or her children, or her mother, she pushed forward and didn’t just survive the abuse, she made something of her life that she is proud of and even enjoyed at times. It is emotional, and at times hard to read; but Lucinda will make you believe anything is possible to overcome with the right mindset.
Pages: 239 | ASIN: B00E8HSNDW
LITERARY TITAN 