We Should Hang Out Sometime
by Josh Sundquist
This memoir is a great story of how Josh found himself single and wondering where it all went wrong from this first crush as a kid all the way to adulthood. Josh goes back to the beginning of his relationships with girls/ladies and asks them, "What did I do wrong?" I enjoyed this book, because Josh isn't afraid to make fun of himself, and he also addresses living the majority of his life with one leg. Today, Josh is a well traveled motivational speaker, but throughout this journey, you are rooting for him to find the right girl! Remember, memoirs are a true story! Yes, this really happened to Josh!
by Josh Sundquist
This memoir is a great story of how Josh found himself single and wondering where it all went wrong from this first crush as a kid all the way to adulthood. Josh goes back to the beginning of his relationships with girls/ladies and asks them, "What did I do wrong?" I enjoyed this book, because Josh isn't afraid to make fun of himself, and he also addresses living the majority of his life with one leg. Today, Josh is a well traveled motivational speaker, but throughout this journey, you are rooting for him to find the right girl! Remember, memoirs are a true story! Yes, this really happened to Josh!
Positive by Paige Rawl
Paige Rawl was born with HIV. Neither one of her parents knew they also had the disease until Paige was three years old. By then her parents were divorced, her father was no longer in the picture, but his HIV had developed into full-blown AIDS and Paige's mother and herself were lucky to discover their diagnosis early on and right as new medicines were coming out to help HIV victim's bodies fight against AIDS. This nonfiction memoir does a wonderful job of explaining the difference between HIV and AIDS and not to stereotype what an HIV infected looks like or how they live their lives. Paige, one evening in middle school, shared the fact that she had HIV with her closest friend and soon realized that her best friend would turn on her and spread the news to the whole student body. From that day forward, Paige's life completely changed. The target of bullying, suffering, and eventually redemption and happiness, Paige's story is a very engaging one. I would highly recommend this true story about a very resilient young lady.
Paige Rawl was born with HIV. Neither one of her parents knew they also had the disease until Paige was three years old. By then her parents were divorced, her father was no longer in the picture, but his HIV had developed into full-blown AIDS and Paige's mother and herself were lucky to discover their diagnosis early on and right as new medicines were coming out to help HIV victim's bodies fight against AIDS. This nonfiction memoir does a wonderful job of explaining the difference between HIV and AIDS and not to stereotype what an HIV infected looks like or how they live their lives. Paige, one evening in middle school, shared the fact that she had HIV with her closest friend and soon realized that her best friend would turn on her and spread the news to the whole student body. From that day forward, Paige's life completely changed. The target of bullying, suffering, and eventually redemption and happiness, Paige's story is a very engaging one. I would highly recommend this true story about a very resilient young lady.
A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley
This was an amazing memoir by an individual that got lost from his family at the age of 5 in India, was homeless for a month, then lived in an orphanage for many months before being adopted by a loving Australian family. Not only does this book tell the story of what his life was like from the day he became a missing child to the day he eventually was reunited with his Indian family, but you will learn a great deal about Indian culture, how children live in other parts of the world, and the disturbing fact that there are too many children in India that have been orphaned or are homeless and need a family to take care of them. This was a very intriguing true story from start to finish!
This was an amazing memoir by an individual that got lost from his family at the age of 5 in India, was homeless for a month, then lived in an orphanage for many months before being adopted by a loving Australian family. Not only does this book tell the story of what his life was like from the day he became a missing child to the day he eventually was reunited with his Indian family, but you will learn a great deal about Indian culture, how children live in other parts of the world, and the disturbing fact that there are too many children in India that have been orphaned or are homeless and need a family to take care of them. This was a very intriguing true story from start to finish!
My Story
by Elizabeth Smart and Chris Stewart
I was very familiar with the news story of Elizabeth Smart, as I remember her being kidnapped when I was in college, prior to reading her memoir. Even so, I found the book to still keep me on the edge of my seat even though it's quite obvious that Elizabeth does get rescued based on the cover, (even if you do not have knowledge of her disappearance when she was a fourteen year old girl). What I didn't realize, prior to reading her story, was how bad her ordeal really was. During her nine months of captivity, Elizabeth endured mental, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse on a daily basis. How she survived is miraculous. Smart does not go into painstaking detail of the abuse, compared to other memoirs of child abuse (Ex: A Child Called It), but a lot of that has to do with her personality (very tactful) and her religious beliefs (conservative). Smart doesn't sugar-coat it either. I found the degree of her description of events allowed me to stomach her story much easier than if she would have been more graphic with her retelling. She explains how her faith got her through the most difficult times and I am in complete awe that such a young person was able to find a happy ending.
by Elizabeth Smart and Chris Stewart
I was very familiar with the news story of Elizabeth Smart, as I remember her being kidnapped when I was in college, prior to reading her memoir. Even so, I found the book to still keep me on the edge of my seat even though it's quite obvious that Elizabeth does get rescued based on the cover, (even if you do not have knowledge of her disappearance when she was a fourteen year old girl). What I didn't realize, prior to reading her story, was how bad her ordeal really was. During her nine months of captivity, Elizabeth endured mental, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse on a daily basis. How she survived is miraculous. Smart does not go into painstaking detail of the abuse, compared to other memoirs of child abuse (Ex: A Child Called It), but a lot of that has to do with her personality (very tactful) and her religious beliefs (conservative). Smart doesn't sugar-coat it either. I found the degree of her description of events allowed me to stomach her story much easier than if she would have been more graphic with her retelling. She explains how her faith got her through the most difficult times and I am in complete awe that such a young person was able to find a happy ending.