Summer is such a wonderful time to enjoy the better weather, even take some extra time with family. As this time of year also affords us time to slow down and reflect, The Women’s Eye has pulled together a Bookshelf focusing on memoirs. They have become more popular than ever to write as they attract a bigger audience than ever to read.
These memoirs for our TWE Bookshelf range from gritty, gut-wrenching and shocking to eye-opening and, in each case, inspiring. I’ve found a real connection in reading these stories, discovering what is relatable and human in all of us. TWE hopes these women’s gutsy insights and experiences give readers some good wisdom to ponder and maybe even act on.
Alenka Vrecek‘s She Rides: Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico is a remarkable story of a woman whose life seemed to be totally shattered. Yet Alenka knew she could heal and deal with her tough challenges by riding her bike. It took courage to complete the 2,500 mile ride alone through remote trails and mountains. Her undaunted authentic spirit and humor helped Alenka realize her dreams and reclaim her life.
“Traveling opens our mind and our heart and there is never too late to shed our prejudices against people of different race, religion, culture and sex. I wanted to explore the life on the ranchos, the unique and quickly disappearing way of life in the hard to reach mountains and areas where people have to depend on each other for survival.
In the eyes of many people across United States, Mexico is perceived as a dangerous place, driven by violence and drug cartels. To the contrary, I was met with kindness, respect and love in my travels.”
Alenka Vrecek
Nicole Chung‘s A Living Remedy reveals her challenging compassionate story that tackles dealing with grief, loss, being a transracial adoptee and a broken health care system. Nicole’s insights on family bonds and our country’s medical shortcomings are thought provoking and motivational. Nicole’s first memoir All You Can Ever Know was an award-winning national bestseller in 2018.
From Nicole Chung’s NPR interview on MORNING EDITION/Majd Al-Waheidi
“I’m thinking about readers……..and how will it help them perhaps think about or relate to their own lives, their own losses, their own loved ones.”
Nicole Chung
Barbara Rubin‘s More Than You Can See chronicles the tragedy of her 17-year-old daughter’s traumatic brain injury from a car accident. She deals with what it took to cope with and respond to her daughter’s realities, as she could no longer communicate in a traditional way. It is a compelling story of triumph and impactful life lessons learned from navigating a devastating family situation.
“Over 5. 3 million people in the United State suffer permanent disabilities because of a traumatic brain injury. I think it is important for everyone to understand the complexities of this injury as survivors are in our schools, workplaces, families, and communities.
In my memoir, readers follow my family’s journey and experience the lessons I learned about tolerance, kindness, unique caregiving, and the role humor plays in healing.”
Barbara Rubin
Leah Myers’ Thinning Blood delves into four generations of her family to preserve the truth about her heritage as possibly the last member of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Leah includes tribal folktales, tragic stories of Native American genocide and Native mythology. Her fascinating and heart-wrenching experiences are truly stirring.
In her Thinning Blood introduction, Leah writes:
“I don’t want other Native Americans to go without, like my family has for so long. I want to give my generation a voice. I was born to tell my story and the story of my people, to make everyone aware that we exist still, that we breathe still.”
Leah Myers
Dana Killion‘s Where the Shadows Dance explores the reality trying to save her husband, the man she loved who was an alcoholic. She found herself becoming more damaged as she put aside her own needs for her husband’s sobriety. Ultimately, Dana looked at what love actually is and saw how important it is that we look to love for ourselves.
“As women, we often use silence as a protective mechanism. And being the loved one of an alcoholic, I became a pro. What I didn’t know until much later was that my silence became toxic, eating away at me from the inside. I’d like women to walk away from my book questioning their own silence.
Has it served you? Have you moved from protected to damaged? Is it time to let go of the pain or the regret or the guilt that you carry? Can you find a small step that will move you toward release?
I firmly believe we cannot heal from trauma if we don’t start speaking our truth. That’s my own lesson from writing this book and the lesson I want other women to share. I’m learning that the strength found in telling our truth is profound and powerful.”
Dana Killion
These self-reflecting books are but a few of the introspective memoirs being published. We thank these authors for giving us an opportunity to appreciate their journeys. They are also giving us the chance to learn from the unvarnished looks into their own lives.
Here are a few more authors we have featured sharing their stories on TWE:
Brooke Siem, May Cause Side Effects
Lisa Guerrero, Warrior: My Path to Being Brave
Laurie Zaleski, Funny Farm
Jillian Haslam, A Voice Out of Poverty
Katie Spotz, Just Keep Rowing
Some links in this post may be “affiliate links,” meaning TWE receives a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.
Such a great website!!!! Inspirational.