“Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life” by Linda K. Olson

Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life

Linda K. Olson
She Writes Press (2020)
ISBN: 9781631527890
Reviewed by Rachel Dehning for Reader Views (2/21)

“Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life” by Linda K. Olson is Linda’s story of past and present and when she lost her legs. Back in the 1970s, she had graduated from medical school, was a happy newlywed, athletic and adventurous, and had everything going for her. While in Germany with her husband, friends, and family, she lost her legs and an arm involving a train wreck. Always the one with a smile on her face, she was determined to pull through this situation and make the most of it. Still human though, she worried that her husband wouldn’t see things as optimistically as herself and leave.

Thankfully, she didn’t have to suffer through that trauma as well and had married a good one. The rest of the book includes stories of her life as a physically “disabled” person who was and is still mentally together. Linda has achieved so much in her life, more than most other people have or will. She has beaten the odds and remains optimistic throughout her trials. Her story is an inspiration to everyone if only to follow your dreams. If you find yourself in a tough spot, think of what Linda would do and go from there.

Her story flows so smoothly that you feel like you’re flipping pages back to back. Even if you’ve never been handicapped, we’ve all found ourselves in difficult situations; her story is relatable to everyone out there. Linda writes with such a description that you feel that you are in the room with her everywhere she goes. It is amazing to read the amount of pride that her children have in her; this speaks volumes about her personality and workmanship.

Within the pages of her story, you will find comedy, drama, happiness, sadness, confusion, and all of the feels. Her story is about family as much as it is about herself because it’s hard to differentiate the two for many people. So of course, if you enjoy memoirs, you are sure to enjoy this one as well. If you don’t, then maybe you should give this one a try and see what kind of impact it has on you. I highly recommend “Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life” by Linda K. Olson.