Category: Memoir/Biography/Autobiography

“Nothing Left to Give” by Shannon Audrey Swales

May 17, 2024

When you’re in healthcare, or in a helping position – be it personally or professionally, it’s automatically assumed that you’re invincible and omniscient. This is especially true if you’re a psychologist – the expectation is that people turn to you for advice, and you’re supposed to know the way forward. In the book, “Nothing Left to Give: A Psychologist’s Path Back from Burnout,” Shannon Swales shares personal accounts of her burnout experience as a psychologist – what happened, who she turned to, what she was feeling, how she coped, and what she learned about herself in the process. … More “Nothing Left to Give” by Shannon Audrey Swales

“Two O’Clock on a Tuesday at Trevi Fountain” by Helene Sula

May 15, 2024

“Two O’Clock on a Tuesday at Trevi Fountain” is a heartfelt journey through the highs and lows of life, written by Helene Sula, a travel writer who has dared to follow her heart. Set against the backdrop of a middle-class life in America and chronicling the journey of a woman who knew in her heart she didn’t want to settle for what she saw as an ‘ordinary’ life; this book relates the author’s transformation from a place of constant setbacks to one of happiness and fulfillment. … More “Two O’Clock on a Tuesday at Trevi Fountain” by Helene Sula

“I Call Bullshit” by Becca Christensen

May 15, 2024

“I Call Bullshit: Confronting Betrayals and Reclaiming My Self-Worth” by Becca Christensen tells the poignant story of a young woman who was raised in an unhealthy home where her father sought to control his wife and daughters through anger, and by not allowing them to use their voices to speak up when they didn’t feel safe. Becca Christensen spares no details when she discusses her personal journey from childhood through young adulthood. Readers follow along as she discovers betrayal by her first husband who she thought was her lover and her best friend. She reveals how she found her voice and the path she took to find healing and her voice. … More “I Call Bullshit” by Becca Christensen

“Wings to Rise above Divorce” by Loren Cribbs

May 14, 2024

Surviving marital storms and especially divorce even when amicable, is no walk in the park and many people experience the whirlwind of shock, anger, loneliness, and social isolation. During this turbulent time and after, sound judgment often becomes obscured and if left unaddressed, the feelings of pain and guilt can last a lifetime. Still, within the chapters of “Wings to Rise above Divorce: Finding Forgiveness, Redemption, and Renewal during Turbulent Separations” by Loren Cribbs is a comforting lifeline to help navigate this tempestuous period and live a fulfilling life fixed on faith in God. … More “Wings to Rise above Divorce” by Loren Cribbs

“A China Farewell” by May Hsu

May 14, 2024

Have you ever wondered about your family? Or what they’ve been through that brought you to this point? It’s one thing to send off a DNA sample, but it’s another to live vicariously through their stories. In “A China Farewell,” author May Hsu pays homage to her ancestors by chronicling a fictionalized version of their experiences. Spanning the years between 1936 and 1976, the book tracks significant events that shaped the political and cultural landscape in China, and how these impacted the Tsai family on a personal level. It narrates how the family struggled to maintain some semblance of normalcy – raising their children during the years preceding and succeeding the Second World War, as well as the Chinese Civil War that occurred almost immediately afterward. Through the book, we witness the family’s struggles and how living through these times indelibly affected their psyche. … More “A China Farewell” by May Hsu

“The Attraction of Cuba” by Chris Hilton

May 13, 2024

Chris Hilton’s salacious travel memoir “The Attraction of Cuba” is an unapologetic exploration into the author’s travels, experiences, and backdoor dealings in this island nation. Hilton, like many white, Western expats, found an escape from the monotony of his daily life in England within the confines of the Caribbean Island. With the help of some unique characters such as an English inmate, some Cuban gangsters, and one enigmatic woman, Hilton embarks on a wild money-making scheme that leads him across Cuba, into lots of trouble, and several unforgettable experiences. … More “The Attraction of Cuba” by Chris Hilton

“Becoming Modigliani” by Henri Colt, M.D.

May 6, 2024

In “Becoming Modigliani,” author Henri Colt, M.D. takes us into the world of the famed artist Amedeo Modigliani. Modigliani was born July 12, 1884 in Italy.  He was primarily raised by his mother. Suffering severe, life-threatening lung diseases as a youth impacted his health as an adult.  He moved to Paris so that he could focus on his career as a painter and sculptor. Having mycobacterial tuberculosis affected his ability to lead a healthy life. His libertine lifestyle did not help his situation. He was involved in several relationships with women and had a least one child from his partner who tragically killed herself shortly after his death. He might also have been impacted by syphilis. He died in his thirties, on January 24, 1920, from tuberculous meningitis in Paris. … More “Becoming Modigliani” by Henri Colt, M.D.

“Luck or Miracle” by Reginald Bollich

April 26, 2024

“Luck or Miracle” by Reginald Bollich, intimately recounts the remarkable real-life experiences of his 102-year-old cousin by the name of James “Jim” Joseph Bollich, a true American hero. At his astounding age, Mr. Bollich goes into great detail about his life as a United States soldier. Because of his age, the author tape-recorded his actual words to share with all Americans. … More “Luck or Miracle” by Reginald Bollich