Resilient Memoir

Becky Galli was born into a family that valued the power of having a plan. With a pastor father and a stay-at-home mother, her 1960s southern upbringing was bucolic—even enviable. But when her brother, only seventeen, died in a waterskiing accident, the slow unraveling of her perfect family began.

This is the story of a confident young girl who became a lost teenager, wanted to disappear, started to find herself, discovered love, was wild, reckless, and confused, but ultimately found a way to be okay. Told in her words as she lived them through her diaries, journals, poetry, and letters. Quill says: Author Kirsten Pursell opens up her "memory vault" in a raw, honest, coming-of-age memoir set against the backdrop of the 80s, that is relevant for all generations." Online Book Club: "...Telling her story through journal/diary entries was fresh, unique, original, and rare...sincere and ...

Faced with a shattering loss, a young widow searches for answers, acceptance, and family resilience. After taking her sons on a hike with the family dog one beautiful fall afternoon, Charlotte returned home to find a policewoman, a policeman, and a priest in her driveway—there to deliver the news of her husband’s suicide. Charlotte knew her husband had been stressed about work, but she had no idea he was suicidal. She thought he had stayed home to take a nap.

Whose heart doesn't leap at the sight of a beautifully conditioned runner, effortlessly gliding along, stride-by stride, mile-by-mile? And what runner gets to this place without a thankless—and often lonely—regimen of strategy and self-denial?Isn't this the perfect metaphor of what your heart is longing for—running life's race with intentionality and grace? With strength and focus? Well, you can. Veteran pastor and best-selling author Gordon MacDonald says you must develop resilience.

In a world where cultures clash and traditions evolve, can love and faith guide the modern marriage? Journey into the heart of this crucial question with "Modern Marriage and God," the 7th book in this gripping autobiography series. This isn't just a personal story; it's a thought-provoking exploration of marriage in our ever-changing world. From age-old ceremonies to groundbreaking trends, the author delves deep into the intricacies of love, commitment, and faith in the face of a transforming institution. Why does this matter? Unlock the complexities of modern marriage: As cultures ...

For 650 days Sean Turnell was held in Myanmar's terrifying Insein Prison on the trumped-up charge of being a spy. In An Unlikely Prisoner he recounts how an impossibly cheerful professor of economics, whose idea of an uncomfortable confrontation was having to tell a student that their essay was 'not really that good', ended up in one of the most notorious prisons in South-East Asia. And how he not only survived his lengthy incarceration, but left with his sense of humour intact, his spirit unbroken and love in his heart.

A Stroke of Luck by Aithal is not just a memoir; it is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Imagine facing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with only a fifty percent chance of survival—this harrowing journey is intimately chronicled by Aithal with unmatched honesty and introspection. Through his eyes, readers gain profound insights into the physical, emotional, and psychological battles that come with such a life-altering event. The narrative kicks off with a catastrophic injury that irrevocably reshapes Aithal’s destiny. With gripping ...

In 1987, Staten Island's Willowbrook State School for people with intellectual disabilities closed its doors for good. Broke and almost finished with graduate school, Dan Tomasulo was hired to relocate Willowbrook's most severely disabled inhabitants into a groundbreaking community-based group home. American Snake Pit is the story of the disregarded souls who ended up in Tomasulo's care; of the resilient staff who helped make such a momentous success possible; and, most of all, of one man's persistent struggle to give voices to those who could not advocate for themselves.

A tenderhearted and fierce memoir of healing from loneliness, despair, and excruciating physical pain. Born to a troubled mother, who passed her trauma on to her daughter, Hertha Lund carried this burden throughout her life, always struggling with a sense of not belonging to any group, to any point on the map, to humanity as a whole.

Misty Copeland made history as the first African-American principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. Her talent, passion, and perseverance enabled her to make strides no one had accomplished before. But as she will tell you, achievement never happens in a void. Behind her, supporting her rise was her mentor Raven Wilkinson. Raven had been virtually alone in her quest to breach the all-white ballet world when she fought to be taken seriously as a Black ballerina in the 1950s and 60s.

The Best Life Stories by Reader's Digest are 150 of the best hand-picked real-life tales of resilience, joy, and hope - all in 150 words or less!

James Webb’s life is the American dream in a nutshell. Born to teenage parents in Laurel, Mississippi, and faced with a future working in the town’s only two factories, James chose to change his fate and forge his own path—to become a titan of business, a mentor, and a philanthropist. In Redneck Resilience, James shares stories of amazing wins and devastating losses, of sin and redemption, of recovery and forward momentum. Most importantly, he discusses the benefits and advantages of resilience.

Can you hear the sound? Listen closely, can you hear the silence? It’s deafening, isn’t it? The sound of the silent victim is a fearful sound. The innocent remain terrorized in silence. Victims are voiceless. I’ve walked this path of silent tears for too long, and now, my life is a story of overcoming, growing resilient, losing my voicelessness, and speaking out.

This award-winning memoir became an overnight bestseller, winning the hearts of listeners globally as it follows a young mother diagnosed with breast cancer. Cara Sapida draws listeners in as she discovers a lump, navigates through hair loss and hardship, and ultimately embarks on a journey of healing and empowerment. Praised as a narrative filled with both heart and humor, listeners will find themselves laughing one moment and reaching for tissues the next.

What do you do when multiple sclerosis knocks you on your ass, tells you your rap career is over, and dares you to stay down? You write a new story — and this one’s real as hell. Myelin My Shoes is the raw, unfiltered, punch-in-the-gut memoir from underground hip-hop artist Robert “B-Cide” Cardillo II, who turned pain into power and built something real in a world full of fake. From rocking shows with legends to dodging shady promoters, from touring the country to being forced into a wheelchair by multiple sclerosis — this is the story of a man who refused to tap out. No ghostwriters.

In this poignant, wry, and powerful memoir, Nunn links the politics of Black Power to the movements for Black lives and dignified reentry today. His story underscores the power of coalition building, persistence in the face of backlash, and the importance of centering the voices of experience in the fight for freedom-and proves, once and for all, that jailbirds can fly.

Lauren’s life story is a raw and gripping journey through the darker side of human experience. With the false freedom of quick cash and the harsh reality of hitting rock bottom, Lauren's quest for independence and survival is both intense and inspiring. When adversity strikes, she reaches out for help but encounters predators at every turn, each encounter shaping her understanding of herself and the world. Reflecting on her troubled childhood in a small town, Lauren's narrative captures the delicate balance between innocence and exploitation, strength and vulnerability. Through vivid and ...

From her first strokes as a novice, Ginny Gilder found herself in a new world, training with Olympic rowers and participating in the famous Title IX naked protest, which helped define the movement for equality in college sports. Short, asthmatic, and stubborn, Gilder made the team against all odds and for the next 10 years devoted herself to answering a seemingly simple question: how badly do you want to go fast?

In Parkinson’s and Other Denials, Ron Palmer invites readers into a deeply personal journey through the tremors of life—both literal and figurative. This poignant collection of poetry explores the fragility of the human body and the resilience of the human spirit, weaving themes of love, loss, humor, and introspection. With every verse, Palmer balances vulnerability with hope, crafting a tribute to perseverance in the face of life’s uncertainties.

Bobby and Cheryl Love were living in Brooklyn, happily married for decades, when the FBI and NYPD appeared at their door and demanded to know from Bobby, in front of his shocked wife and children: “What is your name? No, what’s your real name?” Bobby’s thirty-eight-year secret was out. As a Black child in the Jim Crow South, Bobby found himself in legal trouble before his 14th birthday. Sparked by the desperation he felt in the face of limited options and the pull of the streets, Bobby became a master thief.