Memoir Book Reviews | Self-Publishing Review

Review: Sojourner to Stoner by Gordon Schwerzmann

Sojourner to Stoner: The Journal by Gordon Schwerzmann is the second exhilarating installment of the author’s travel adventures, a mix between a memoir, guidebook, and travelogue. This memorable piece of non-fiction feels like a visit to a far-off place, as the best travel memoirs do, full of enchanting and exotic anecdotes, and people who seem like fictional characters.

After Soldier to Sojourner, this book recalls the second phase of Gordon Schwerzmann’s longstanding relationship with traveling the world. Journeying through Southeast Asia in the ’70s, the author breaks down his journeys in snappy episodes, while also allowing himself to linger […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-04-07T11:28:15+02:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Travel Book Reviews|

Review: African Graffiti by Lokhilesh Takoor

Following the author’s wandering career and adventurous spirit, African Graffiti by Lokhilesh Takoor offers a thoughtful story of self-reliance, courage, and the ageless search for belonging.

Takoor’s journey begins in Madagascar, where his work as a field engineer opened doors for advancement, while his affable personality gained him strong connections. However, the uncertain nature of politics and quick twists of societal opinion forced him to leave, once again seeking new open spaces and safer shores to explore.

The author’s professional skills took him across various African nations, giving him a broad-spectrum introduction to a variety of cultures, work practices, cuisines, […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-04-05T15:45:45+02:00March 2nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Dreaming in Chinese by William Tsung

Raw and unflinching, Dreaming in Chinese: Memoirs from a Taiwanese Prison by William Tsung is an unforgettable tale of injustice and perseverance.

When Tsung landed back in Taiwan for a short trip from Los Angeles, he had no idea that his freedom was about to be taken from him. After being caught with marijuana-infused snacks that he relied on for anxiety, he was dropped into the faceless machine of Taiwan’s overcrowded prison system. Tsung was quick to adapt to life behind bars, and found use as a translator, but this behind-the-scenes peek reveals just how dehumanizing, dangerous, and depressing prison […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-03-28T10:52:26+02:00February 16th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Prison Book Reviews|

A Date with Lima by Dr. Michael Abraham

A sensational and gripping memoir, A Date with Lima: Dreams Not Surrendered by Dr. Michael Abraham recounts the author’s tireless efforts to find his two young daughters when he discovered that their mother abducted them.

In July 1997, Brigitte Abraham told her ex-husband, a doctor and recovering alcoholic twenty years her senior, that she was taking their two children – Stephanie, age 9, and Lia, age 7 – on a vacation to her native Germany. What she did not tell him was that with the help of her boyfriend, a Peruvian foreign diplomat, she planned to disappear with the girls […]

SPR2023-01-24T17:44:01+02:00January 24th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: The Delivery Man by Sebastien Taveau

Bolstered by the experience of decades working in the heart of Silicon Valley, The Delivery Man: The Art of Turning Ideas into Products in Silicon Valley by Sebastien Taveau is an accessible and revelatory glimpse into top-shelf innovation and personal achievement.

Most people can rattle off half a dozen major tech CEOs, but the critical product designers and dreamers behind those success stories are normally hidden from view. As the delivery man – the person trusted to deliver “dreams come true” – Taveau goes deep into the tangled weeds of product development. Though this memoir and manual is inspired and […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-24T14:14:02+02:00January 16th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Business Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Being Different by Ada Glustein

Being Different: From Friday Night Candles to Compassionate Classroom by Ada Glustein is a deeply moving memoir about childhood, education, and the challenge of fitting in.

Ada Glustein was born in Canada into a devout Jewish family who had migrated decades before from Europe. Excluded at school and at times bullied for being Jewish, Ada was painfully aware of how different she was from her peers. However, her experience taught her to be inquisitive, curious, and compassionate – the opposite of those who made her feel left out. Ada always chose to embrace diversity and learn from these early struggles, […]

Marina Dora Martino2022-12-20T14:11:34+02:00December 20th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Education Book Reviews, Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Midpoint by Patricia Angeles

An engrossing memoir telling the story of a formidable woman who has never turned down a challenge, Midpoint by Patricia Angeles is a heartwarming story about an inspiring businesswoman, mother, and author.

As the title hints, this is not a standard memoir – instead of looking back on a life already lived, Angeles is a woman in her prime who decides to take a moment to observe the present life she has built, reflect on her key memories, and her plans for a future that is still a blank page. An inspiring example of finding yourself through the act of […]

Marina Dora Martino2023-02-10T16:55:33+02:00December 20th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews|

Review: Kidadkill by David Chick

Launching a scathing rebuke of the family law system in England, David Chick details his own harrowing battle against this secretive bureaucratic nightmare in Kidadkill: Spiderman of Tower Bridge.

More than 20 years ago, the author’s life was turned upside down when his relationship with his partner Jo began to break down. As an unmarried father to his beloved daughter Lauryn, he had very few rights to protect, house, and safeguard her. Instead, backed up by bogus claims of violence and abuse, Jo was able to control the narrative and prevent David from seeing his daughter for extended periods […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2023-01-09T13:45:09+02:00November 29th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Memoir Book Reviews, Parenting Book Reviews|