Memoir Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: The Guide by Greg Munck

A straight-shooting memoir of turmoil and triumph on the many battlefields of life, The Guide: Survival, Warfighting, Peacemaking by Greg Munck is an astute and unflinching look at military life through the eyes of a native son.

Carrying readers through decades of growing up too fast, straightening out in the Marine Corps, falling in love, finding a deep commitment to God, and working hard to find a more peaceful path, this is an emotional and evocative account of survival and resilience. Within the recollections of Munck’s past, particularly those from childhood and his direct experiences in warfare, there are starkly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-05-13T17:40:00+02:00May 13th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Military Book Reviews|

Review: Walking with Evaristo by Christian Nill

Passionate and personal confessions from a justice-driven storyteller, Walking With Evaristo: A Memoir of Celebration and Tragedy in the Land of the Achí Maya by Christian Nill is a captivating account of a nearly forgotten calamity.

After embarking on a journey to Guatemala for extended service in the Peace Corps, the author is exposed to the eye-opening wonders of a culture far removed from anything he’s ever experienced, yet he soon finds connection through shared values, curiosity, and basic human kindness. While working on various infrastructural and ecological projects in the municipio of Rabinal, he engages with the local Mayan […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-06-13T17:41:40+02:00May 10th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: History Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: From Utopia to the American Dream by John Czingula

From homemade bunkers in rural Hungary to the bright lights of Hollywood, author John Czingula takes readers through the historic highs and lows of a unique life in his memoir, From Utopia to the American Dream. Exploring the perils of living in a communist country and celebrating the freedom of opportunity in a new world, this book captures a fascinating and unlikely journey in the post-war era.

The book opens with a dramatically detailed account of wartime occupation, particularly because it’s depicted through the eyes of a young child, although the narrative voice is mature. As the specter of […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-28T16:07:55+02:00March 28th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: The Buddha and the Bee by Cory Mortensen

Inviting readers on a wild ride from Minnesota to California, The Buddha and the Bee: Biking through America’s Forgotten Roadways on an Accidental Journey of Discovery by Cory Mortensen is an atypical adventure for wanderers and workplace dreamers alike. Part road guide and part diary, biking lovers can follow the well-laid route on these pages, learn to sidestep critical unpleasant lessons, and gain the confidence to take their own big swings of adventure without fear.

Pedaling through the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the unforgiving Southwest desert, and the Sierra Nevadas, this is far from a casual trek, particularly given […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-03-19T14:27:08+02:00March 18th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Sports Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: The Wandering Pianist by Congyu Wang

Heartwrenching, humanistic, and beautifully told, The Wandering Pianist: From the Street to the Concert Hall by Congyu Wang is a humbly penned memoir that grips the imagination and offers renewed hope to artists and lost souls alike.

Swimming smoothly through time, the narrative weaves tales of Wang’s upbringing and childhood challenges with the humbling successes of his later life and moments of desperation along the way. From the humblest of beginnings to the grandest stages of Europe, Congyu demonstrates a remarkable belief in himself and a relentless determination to persevere. Despite facing doubt and derision from his family, as well […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-02-07T14:18:39+02:00February 6th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Music Book Reviews|

Into the Heart of the Infinite by Maetreyii Ma Nolan Ph.D.

A beautifully told memoir in the spirit of a self-improvement guide, Into the Heart of the Infinite by Maetreyii Ma Nolan Ph.D. is a revelation of personal enlightenment.

Explaining the lifelong journey towards realization and grace, from a miraculous and precocious childhood to studying in the presence of a legendary guru in India, this narrative journey balances universal truths and musings with deeply intimate portrayals of a mystical Self. There are accounts of detailed psychedelic experiences, inexplicable predictions come true, and mysterious links to the minds of others, told in such an empowered and confident tone that their veracity becomes […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-01-16T14:07:40+02:00January 16th, 2024|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Spirituality Book Reviews|

Review: Little Boy, I Know Your Name by Mitchell Raff

Gripping autobiographical reflections from a child of Holocaust survivors, Little Boy, I Know Your Name by Mitchell Raff is a visceral, heartrending, and timely work of history and memoir.

Growing up in a non-traditional Jewish family permanently scarred by concentration camps and gulags, young Mitchell also had to navigate split custody with his unpredictably violent mother, acting as guardian to his half-sister while having to endure familial abuse. When he is uprooted and moved to Israel, he doesn’t escape his mistreatment, which is compounded by a life of isolation and uncertainty about the future, without his beloved family members there […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2024-01-08T19:10:17+02:00January 8th, 2024|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: History Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Hair on Fire by Larada Horner-Miller

A charming collection of poems, stories, and memories about Christmastime, Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir by Larada Horner-Miller is a spirited and inspiring take on the holiday season.

Starting from Joseph and Mary, Horner-Miller has put together a lovely compendium of personal, religious, and cultural anecdotes around Christmas that serve as a gentle way to transition to that wonderfully busy time of year, nudging our own memories forward, and refreshing our knowledge about this festive occasion. Both personal and informative about the holiday season, the book asks questions like when do people put up their Christmas […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-10-30T16:05:01+02:00October 30th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Religion Book Reviews|