Saying It Out Loud

Saying It Out Loud: A Young Widow’s Triumph Over Tragedy by Amy King with Jon Land

Reviewed by Russell Ilg

“SAYING IT OUT LOUD” SCREAMS TO BE READ

So many outstanding memoirs feature a backdrop in grief. “When Breath Becomes Air,” is the first that comes to mind, but I guess you could throw the likes of “Tuesdays with Morrie” into the mix as well.  Purchase Here.

SAYING IT OUT LOUD belongs in that conversation. The widow in question is Amy King, and her book covering a year in the life of losing her superman husband in an Army Reserve training accident, leaving her to raise their seventeen-month-old daughter alone, still short of her 30th birthday, is the embodiment of human resilience in general and a young woman’s triumph over tragedy (which happens to be the book’s subtitle) in particular.

“Ma’am, I’m following behind an ambulance that has your husband in the back.”

With a sledgehammer of an opening line like that, we know we’re about to board an emotional roller-coaster and had better belt ourselves in. Amy pulls no punches in taking us along for the ride, tracing her journey over the twelve months that followed getting a phone call that changed her life forever. But she’s not asking for our tears or our sympathy. Instead, she charts the new path of her life with remarkable frankness, saying out loud what we all need to hear about the aftermath of suffering an unspeakable tragedy.

You’ll never move on, but you have to move forward. I don’t get hung up with leaving all of Andy’s things exactly as he left them. Some people may, and that’s fine if it makes them feel better, but it wasn’t for me. Accepting the new life helps honor the one I lost.

Or . . .

It was so wild to me that Adalyn was having her first little picnic at her dad’s grave, not when she’s fifty, but when she’s two. It might well have been the first burial ever to feature lollipops, and that made me angry.

That’s tough stuff, the kind of life lessons ordinarily learned the hard way. In that respect, the book is a cautionary tale aimed straight for those of us who’ve never received the kind of fateful call Amy received, but know it could come anytime the phone rings. She’s not so much standing on her soapbox as sitting at her kitchen table, inviting us into her life with the knowledge that we, too, someday may have to find the strength and resilience to overcome the unthinkable.

SAYING IT OUT LOUD is a raw, revealing, and remarkable journey through the pain of loss and challenge of rebuilding. Amy King’s year-in-the-life memoir is a testament to one woman’s ability to rewrite the rules of her own story, told in bold and breathtaking fashion. An instant classic destined to take its place alongside other time-tested tales that celebrate the enduring power of the human spirit.

 

 

 

Two swans forming a heart shape.

Believe: A Memoir in Stories by Christina H. Wilson

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

Christina H. Wilson’s “Believe: A Memoir in Stories” is a moving and deeply inspiring collection of life stories that beautifully piece together the grueling journey of a woman who endures painful experiences and most notably continues to grow and believe in purpose, in love, in herself, and in a greater guiding force, amidst daunting odds. Told through short chapters, each giving away a vignette from her life, the book reads like a series of memories shared over a long, comforting conversation. Christina invites you on a journey into her life—from growing up in a large Chinese-American family to facing love, loss, betrayal, and finding peace.  Purchase Here.

The memoir begins with Christina’s childhood in Philadelphia, the daughter of Chinese immigrants with very different backgrounds. Her father came from a humble, traditional family, while her mother grew up in privilege, being the daughter of a Chinese diplomat. Christina candidly details her severe childhood asthma, her close bond with her mother, and the strong values of family as well as responsibility that shaped her early years. Her gentle storytelling skills make you feel like you’re right there in the house, with the chaos of five children, a hardworking father, and a mother trying to hold onto her values while facing cultural clashes.

As the stories unfold, we follow Christina into young adulthood—college, love, heartbreak, and eerie encounters, like unknowingly befriending someone who may have been a serial killer. Here, she shares personal stories of betrayal, family drama, ambition, and resilience through stories that are strikingly honest and deeply vulnerable. One particularly moving segment is about her father’s gambling addiction, which cost their family a great deal, yet she never stops trying to understand him or honor his legacy. Later stories explore loss and grief, especially around the death of loved ones, but Christina always returns to her core belief, in purpose, in timing, in love, and in a higher power guiding our paths.

The book’s structure is unique—thirty-seven short stories that read like snapshots which makes it easy to pick up and digest one story at a time. Christina’s voice is warm, down-to-earth, and sincere, and she doesn’t try to glamorize or dramatize her life, and that’s exactly what makes the story so relatable. Her prose is simple yet effective and readers will appreciate how she makes small moments feel meaningful, for example, when she reflects on her childhood nickname “Tina” as well as when she remembers the exact moment she stood up for herself in a relationship.

Themes of identity, resilience, cultural heritage, and motherhood are present throughout. But the biggest theme is belief—believing in oneself, in love, and in the unseen hands that shape our lives. Her message is clear and will leave her audience inspired to see that things happen for a reason, and if you listen carefully, you’ll see the signs guiding you.

Overall, “Believe: A Memoir in Stories” is deeply enlightening without being preachy and is a book for anyone who’s gone through something hard and come out stronger, or simply wants to. Christina H. Wilson’s life proves that pain and joy often go hand-in-hand, and through it all, we just have to believe. Young and mature readers will greatly benefit from its priceless yet universal lessons.

 

 

Book cover of "Justice Never Rests".

Justice Never Rests: A U.S. Attorney’s Battle against Murderers, Drug Lords, Mob Kingpins & Cults by William Kolibash, with Jon Land and Sheriane Kolibash Taylor

Reviewed by Russell Ilg

“JUSTICE NEVER RESTS” NEVER LETS UP OR DISAPPOINTS

 As soon as I slid the contents from the envelope, I knew it was a bomb.

So opens JUSTICE NEVER RESTS: A U.S. Attorney’s Battle Against Murderers, Drug Lords, Mob Kingpins and Cults (Post Hill Press, $19.99, 320 pages), a scintillating and seminal narrative of groundbreaking U.S. Attorney William Kolibash’s dogged efforts to fight all manner of crime in the Northern District of West Virginia.  Purchase Here.

Being a sucker for John Grisham and Scott Turow, I devoured what read like a factual version of their fiction, employing an occasional pinch to remind myself it was all real. Kolibash is Frank Galvin from “The Verdict” without the alcohol problem, Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller without the Lincoln, and Perry Mason without the theme song.

Writing with bestselling author Jon Land, working in tandem with his daughter Shariane, Kolibash fashions a tale steeped in history, as well as the law. While Wheeling and other West Virginia cities might not have the luster of bigger, glitzier ones, they were facing the very same criminal scourges that were roiling the entire country. To fight them, the crusading Kolibash scored the first successful RICO prosecution in the nation’s history, while also forming the first ever federal investigative grand jury, and pioneering the use of multi-jurisdictional task forces.

A good thing since he took on some truly memorable bad guys that included a moonshining family that traded their stills for marijuana fields, any number of gangsters that included notorious Midwest kingpin Paul Hankish. The chapters covering him shares the book’s center stage with the investigation into a murderous and corrupt Hari Krishna swami based in Kolibash’s backyard, a case that garnered national headlines.

Kolibash puts thriller author Land’s sense of pacing and suspense to splendid use by stitching together a narrative of mostly independent episodes dealing with pretty much every crime imaginable with the help of an “Untouchables”—, or “Magnificent Seven”—like team of specialists from the IRS, West Virginia State Police and FBI. Some of the bad guys they took down were really bad, while others brought a lighter touch to the table.

The main witness against Jesse was the prostitute’s pimp.  His name was Bobby Mitchell.  On the Friday before the trial, I went to see Mitchell at a Grafton, West Virginia jail where he was imprisoned at the time. I told Mitchell that we were going to call him as a witness and he had no choice but to tell the jury what had happened. Mitchell agreed to testify on one condition: that we let him wear his pimp outfit, which consisted of a purple-blue velour suit and shoes that had a glass heel with a goldfish enclosed.

Mitchell ended up testifying, but sans goldfish, because they weren’t allowed in court. Kolibash’s memoir is chock full of anecdotes like that, injecting a verve and vitality rare for narrative nonfiction in general and legal tomes in particular. Always riveting, sometimes raw and often relentless, JUSTICE NEVER RESTS is an extraordinary achievement that stands alongside F. Lee Bailey’s “The Defense Never Rests” and Alan Dershowitz’s “The Best Defense” as classic works of real-life courtroom drama. A mesmerizing, mind-numbing masterpiece of an evolving criminal mindset that William Kolibash was equal to at every turn. Not only does justice never rest, neither will you until you finish this book.

Gold Bestsellers World Reviewers Choice Award Seal.
First Place: Adult Non-Fiction
Gold Bestsellers World Reviewers Choice Award Seal.
First Place: Biography/Memoir
Gold Bestsellers World Reviewers Choice Award Seal.
First Place: Historical
Book cover with tree and dock scene.

Because Mom Asked by RW Herman

Reviewed by Reyan Mishra

“Because Mom Asked” is author R W Herman’s third and final memoir following his award-winning debut memoir, “The Unopened Letter” and the extended memoir “Against The Current in the Silent Service”. In the first two memoirs, the author takes us into his evolution as a man with dreams and his struggles in the Navy. Of course, the book in question tells the tale of the same man, yet it’s a bit of a departure from the first two. Here the focus is more on his mindset than on moments.  Purchase Here.

The book takes the readers back to the author’s life before he joined the Navy, his time on duty, and his experiences post-retirement. The author makes detailed mention of the events that are left out in the first two books. The stories though simple nudge you to get acquainted with the true nature of life which is not always how you want it to be.

After finishing his second memoir, the author was more than glad to put away his pen for good. But he had to give in to the pressure of his grandchildren and kick off a new book. His granddaughter Alexis asked him, “The (previous) books tell us a lot about our family heritage but now, we’d really like to learn more. Actually, we’ve got even more questions now than we had before you wrote them. Like, it seems my great-grandma and great-grandpa Herman faced a lot of challenges when you were growing up in Minnesota. I’d like to know more about all that.”

During the discussion, his grandson said, “You know how proud I am of you, your military career, and being able to call you Grandpa. From what I’ve heard, I think your mother also could have a book devoted just to her life … it would be neat to read more about her.” The statement did the magic, and RW Herman realized there were indeed tons of more interesting things to tell his readers.

The interplay of the backstory and consequences of every incident is penned down beautifully. The vivid description of the surroundings creates solid imagery that remains in the head for a few days. The first few pages turn you into the author’s pal who is catching up with him after a long time. And the rest of the book becomes an interesting conversation with a good friend about his experiences. No matter how many pages you whip in one go, the next page is always going to feel enticing.

Anyone who is on the lookout for some realistic motivation and lessons about life and work would most likely find some pages that are worth marking. If read properly, the author’s life stories have it to teach you how to steer through adversities and go about your dreams in the face of mammoth challenges. The book is simple, heartwarming, exciting, and sometimes energizing – a mix of traits that’s rare to come by.

 

 

 

Book cover with three children outdoors.

My Father’s Suitcase: A story of family secrets, abuse and betrayal – an

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“My Father’s Suitcase” is a heartfelt memoir that chronicles author Mary Garden’s struggle with sibling abuse, an understudied and rarely spoken kind of domestic violence.  Purchase Here.

Garden’s life altered radically when her younger sister, Anna, began to physically abuse her during their childhood. Her reaction to this was one of fury and terror at what the sibling, who suffered from mental illness, might do to her next. Garden was always under the impression that her turbulent family life had a significant part in the disintegration of her connection with her sister since she had a violent father and a melancholy mother who was constantly running away from a past she could never bring herself to disclose to her spouse. Garden’s parents made her feel constantly alone by publicly supporting Anna’s actions and holding her responsible for all of her issues.

Her rivalry with her sister did not fade quickly; rather, it intensified throughout adulthood, leaving her deeply wounded and with a warped perspective on life. Garden was especially horrified to hear that her sister had embarked on a project that she believed to be an extension of her abuse. Her brother Robert and other family members were aware of the situation but opted not to notify her. This served as the last blow to her hopes of ending Anna’s pervasive hatred and rekindled her urge to exact reckoning—something she had long resisted doing.

The most prevalent type of domestic abuse today is the subject of this real, thoroughly researched story. Through it, the author exposes the behaviors and potential consequences experienced by those who attempt to conceal and repress their stress. This is the ideal book for people who have controlling or abusive siblings because it provides guidance on self-rescue and clarifies what many perceive to be typical sibling conflict. When sibling violence is ignored and persists in the lives of many individuals, society bears a heavy price.

“My Father’s Suitcase” effectively illustrates the need to close the knowledge gap that currently exists on sibling abuse. “My Father’s Suitcase” is highly recommended.

 

Man sitting on beach looking at ocean.

Travels and Tribulations by Tyrel Nelson

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

An emotional and physical journey, “Travels and Tribulations” is a compulsively readable memoir written by Tyrel Nelson. During the bleak time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tyrel lost his mother whom he had shared a close relationship with, to a kidney disease and thereafter, his job.  Purchase Here.

It was a depressing moment for him pushing him into persistent despondency and it was during this time that he began making a recollection of significant experiences in his life going back from 2008 to 2020 including the people and places that he got a chance to meet and see respectively. This somehow provided a much-needed catharsis for him, relieving him from the agony and grief that hung around him. It was through sorting various compilations that he had written over the years that he penned these captivating vignettes that he shares with us today.

With a unique sense of rare immediacy and keen depth, the author walks us through the memories of his life, his experiences, and his relationships and even goes ahead to share the sorrow that engulfed him during the pandemic period. Part travelogue and part self-reflection odyssey, “Travel and Tribulations” takes us across the physical excursions and super-famous Carnivals in Ecuador, the lowlands in Guatemala, the countryside of Mexico, and back to Minnesota in the United States. Throughout, Tyrel’s voice shines with raw honesty and candidness, not holding anything back, leading us to moments of soul-searching during the reading.

He credits his mother for laying the groundwork and sparking the desire in him to see the world. This is after traveling with her to her homeland, the Philippines for a two-week trip. He does not stop there but goes ahead to celebrate both his parents for instilling in him the values of resilience, compassion, selflessness, and living in the moment from an early age. Across, the author’s writing and travel style are equally affable invoking in his exposition, an inviting feeling of shared thoughts and experiences, both poignant and impactful. “Travels and Tribulations” by Tyrel Nelson is an indelible biography and one that marks the arrival of a quintessential voice in biography writing.

 

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Book cover featuring a colorful butterfly design.

The Butterfly Cage by Rachel Zemach

Book Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“The Butterfly Cage” is a brilliant and thoughtful memoir written by Rachel Zemach, a deaf educator, writer, and activist. Here, Author Zemach recounts her remarkable navigation through the intricacies of teaching while Deaf in a California public school. It is a crucial and sometimes disquieting panorama of the patchiness of deaf education in public schools offering necessary advice for educators and families alike.  Purchase Here.

She fuses these experiences with her own heartfelt story of sudden deafness at the age of ten, and her ensuing and rather challenging journey toward a deaf identity and taking up a teaching role. With a striking foreword, the text does not tally in its progress but carefully details what it is like as a deaf teacher to strive for her pupils in a system that does not understand their needs and identities and which may end up damaging their potential and psychological well-being.

Her inspiring role in a deaf public school offers a role model that parents wish for their children in a school setting but whom deaf students rarely get in their classrooms. Zemach further details her struggles with the administration, staff, and aides who try to cripple teachers’ efforts at every turn, a scene all too frequent in mainstream schools.

“The Butterfly Cage” is one of those indelible memoirs that you finish reading and feel a little like you have lost an old friend. Readers will learn from the true stories of individual students told in an artful and affecting manner, what the deepest struggles of deaf and hard-of-hearing students are, and why the majority of these students in the country may end up losing their birthright due to a broken system that urgently needs restructuring. Zemach is unflinchingly honest and accomplishes much in this appealing and intelligent tapestry by rallying the society behind her to help these vulnerable group attain their budding capabilities.

That’s what places the book squarely among the best memoirs written out there. Her writing passion has adroitly amplified a thousandfold in the quiet world of the deaf. Her generosity of spirit is bound to encompass every reader who puts their hands on this hard-to-put-down memoir.

Indeed, “The Butterfly Cage” by Rachel Zemach makes a major contribution to our understanding of deafness, the challenges deaf students meet, and a call to legislators and educators alike in creating a conducive environment for them to learn in public schools. It is an oeuvre from a quintessential voice in America.

 

Book cover: person underwater with bubbles.

We Are All Made of Scars by Christopher Morris

Book Reviewed by Lily Andrews

Christopher Morris’s new memoir “We Are All Made of Scars” rivets with arresting echoes of his life’s moving and highly volatile episodes while at a tender age in the hands of a dipsomaniac mother.  Purchase Here.

This book offers a gripping prologue that aptly introduces the reader to a roller coaster of childhood memories and events that foretell a teenager’s story in dire need of survival. Chris’ life seemed like a pushover and his dreams were an afterthought after finding himself surrounded by nurses and doctors who couldn’t stop taking tests on him to bail him out of dejection that set him up as a pledged suicidal kid.  A few days earlier, the frustrating lifestyle exhibited by his mother was getting the best of him as efforts to acquire her attention became futile. She was always sunk on her rocking chair while ceaselessly imbibing and smoking her lungs out without a care in the world.

Her long calls meant that Chris would never get a chance to talk to his girlfriend and this was quickly breaking the swelling banks of his emotions. It is a sad affair to see him give a five-minute ultimatum to his mother if she didn’t drop her long call to which he would openly harm himself if ignored further.  An unforeseen twist into Chris’s daily routine would however beautifully have him gasp in amazement as his oblivious mother showed up to pick him up from school wearing a rather different outfit- a super concerned mum, only to prove otherwise when the mother mentioned the word, doctor.

This magnificent memoir carries a unique tone and style which ably captures a reader’s emotions and feelings from the beginning to the end. The author’s experience is one to sympathize with as he narrates the devastating nature of being a supposed psychic patient due to a foolish decision that left him broken and unstable. Readers may however find themselves shedding a tear due to the author’s family’s horrific lifestyle that brims with gloom and despondency but will quickly jump back to their realities and deep reflection on experienced situations that may have occurred through unsound planning, emotional breakdown, and desire to prove a point.

In conclusion, Christopher Morris’s new memoir “We Are All Made of Scars” is a perfect family read whose voice and moral lessons will echo for years to come. Readers are bound to incalculably draw strength and hope from this new magnum opus, which undoubtedly stands out as one of the most real and inspirational stories ever written.

 

Hand with watercolor and origami boats.

Midpoint: A Memoir by Patricia Angeles

Book Reviewed by Daniel Ryan Johnson

In Midpoint: A Memoir, author Patricia Angeles reveals many of the important moments in her life that helped shape the person she has become. The stories contained in this memoir help paint the picture of a woman growing up in the modern world. One of the reminders found throughout the book is how small the world has become and that there are more ways in which people are alike than different.  Purchase Here.

Despite growing up in Manila, the majority of the tales from Patricia’s childhood could just as easily have been set somewhere in the United States. The stories contained within Midpoint: A Memoir mostly focus on growing up and finding your place in the world. The author makes it clear that while the book is meant to be an enjoyable read for anyone who picks it up, the audience at the forefront of her mind is her daughters. The stories aim to show that anything is possible while also demonstrating that things are not always easy and that everyone makes mistakes.

The snippets of Patricia’s life vary in tone. However, she carries a level of humor throughout the book. Refreshingly, she does not shy away from admitting to not being perfect, which is not always the case with autobiographies. Rather than ignore her mistakes, she highlights them and takes us through where she went wrong with the invaluable tool of hindsight. Throughout Midpoint: A Memoir, Patricia carries a feeling of good cheer. Whether writing about a funny story from her youth, or a trying time that left her shaken, it is clear that she realizes it all led her to the life she has now, which she wouldn’t trade for anything.

While almost anyone can find relatable material in many stories throughout this memoir, there are still moments when the unique challenges faced by an immigrant and a minority remind us that this small world we live in can be experienced very differently depending on your background. Midpoint: A Memoir is an easy read full of the short stories that make up a life. Patricia Angeles has a thoughtful and elegant way of writing that enables the reader to immerse themselves in her life, one tale at a time.

 

 

Book cover of "Against the Current.

Against the Current in the Silent Service by R.W. Herman

Book Reviewed by Timea Barabas

Against the Current in the Silent Service is a gripping memoir by R.W. Herman about navigating the uncharted waters of life. Through the pages of the book, the author takes a deep dive into his personal life while in the service of the Navy and his winding road of self-discovery.  Purchase Here.

While this memoir was written as a continuation of the author’s debut book, The Unopened Letter, it is well-rounded enough to stand as an independent read. This first book details the author’s experiences in the Navy during the Vietnam War Era, offering a peek behind the curtain of history from a uniquely personal perspective. Readers already familiar with the author’s life will finally know the answer to what happened next and why the author is called Commander. Those freshly introduced to R.W. Herman’s writing will discover an alluring and thrilling personal universe.

After building a reputation as an exceptional sailor (with an intriguing rebellious streak) R.W. Herman aims to become a commissioned officer. However, career advancement lies at the end of a winding road sprinkled with obstacles. To succeed, Herman must navigate the troubled waters of the system, inner struggles, and family life. At one point – which turns out to be a stepping stone for his dream future – the author is thrown into the foreign universe of submarine service.

Herman’s life story of trials and tribulations is an inspiring illustration of how hidden currents may guide our lives to the shores that we recognize as home. Also, his drive and ingenuity in thriving in adverse conditions keep the reader glued to the pages of his life. What is more, Herman skillfully decodes hostile conditions and uses the data and his knowledge as a world-building kit.

Readers might expect the setting for Against the Current in the Silent Service to be within rigid Navy and Marines confines. However, that is not the case. The story expands from within these systems touching on some of the great literary themes of love, loss, self-discovery, and freedom. The author interprets freedom as self-acceptance and allowing oneself the liberty to pursue the realization of a future self and a future us.

What is truly impressive about the read is the multiple levels of complexity that embrace the core story. The systematic exploration of social dynamics stands out as particularly relevant. Herman captures the fragile and subtle couple dynamics as two individuals jointly venture into a shared future. However, he also peers into the cracks of a seemingly rigid and stern system to uncover shifting and often unpredictable dynamics driven by a complex mixture of self-interest, duty, preservation, and sacrifice.

Against the Current in the Silent Service is an effortless read that can easily entrap readers into its flawless web of writing. While Herman displays an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Navy and communication systems, his life story is not weighed down by technicalities. All that remains is to witness a most captivating life unfold in the pages of this book.