Choices and consequences John Fear was born into a religious sect known as the Exclusive Brethren. This sheltered him from the outside world as he grew up, but could not hide him from its influences. A struggle began in his mind that led him to leave the Brethren, along with his young family. Rather than reacting as many do and totally abandoning any belief system, John remained true to his convictions and continued a strongly religious way of life. Still serving God he worked in many places throughout the world, rubbing shoulders with famous people such as Billy Graham, Mother Teresa and Cliff Richard. The writing style of this book is dynamic and engaging. John’s personality shines through and he paints an insightful account of his personal life and surrounding historical events. This account is not a sensationalised expose of the Exclusive Brethren. Instead, it follows one man’s life journey and is brought to life through his diary entries and family letters. This beautifully edited book is more than a memoir. It is a delightful mix of history, social customs, travel and belief. An honest, personal and emotive account of how religion can touch and shape a person’s life…

  From her childhood in a North Korean mountain village to a successful life in the United States, the years have brought Mae Adams many challenges. With the past full of ghosts, her final challenge is to share her story. Rejected by a mother who did not want a second daughter, Mae grew up on the periphery of her aristocratic Korean family. Her loving step-grandma (a commoner) took care of her, allowing her to explore the joys and perils of their rural home. Mae describes her emergence into Korean culture, from her Japanese-style education to her most prized possession: her pair of silver chopsticks. She endures her mother’s abuse, almost-tragic accidents, and her father’s funeral. But things would get much worse. At the end of World War II, Mae and her family flee to South Korea, while her grandma stays behind. Within five years the Korean War erupts, and again they spend several years as refugees before Mae came to the United States for a college education. Her memoir delves into Korean history and the Japanese occupation, following Mae until her happy ending: marriage to a US Marine colonel and a family and career of her own. Precious Silver Chopsticks…

  Mountains, rivers, deserts and decades stand between them. Their countries are bitter enemies. Will these long-ago lovers find their way back together? When Geddy Mason falls in love with 17-year-old Annie Yousefian, an exotic undergrad from Iran, he considers abandoning his dream to move to Israel. But when he graduates, he leaves Annie brokenhearted in Indiana. 2006, Israel. Canadian-born Geddy Mason has served in the army, married, raised his family in Israel. Yet 35 years of memories and guilt continue to haunt him and he still wonders about Annie. Then he discovers Annie will be the featured speaker at a conference in Ottawa. He decides he must go to her, risk all his memories, try to make amends. Will Annie turn him away? Or will she welcome him, putting an end to decades of estrangement?   A well-crafted Romance of love and longing. Reviewed By Piaras on March 22, 2020 for Emerald Book Reviews IF WE COULD SEE FOREVER by Gadi Bossin is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted romantic story of love and longing, based on true events, that will captivate the reader’s attention from the…

  A holiday can change everything… …it did for Fred. He went on a two-week break with three friends to the Spanish island of Ibiza in July 1976. It was so enjoyable they all vowed to come back for the following season. In April 1977, Fred returned to Ibiza, alone, in pursuit of his dream. Behind him, he left his family, his girlfriend, and a promising career in banking. Challenges lay ahead. This would be no holiday. He needed a place to stay and to find work that would sustain him through the next six months. This true to life memoir follows 21-year-old Fred’s adventures as he acclimatises to living abroad. In a time before instant communication, he keeps in touch with family and friends by letter. They are his lifeline to home. If you enjoy reading about people’s life-changing experiences, then this book is for you.     Plenty of sunshine, sex and sangria! Books are not just words, paper, and nice-looking covers. They are powerful representations of ideas and philosophies that are just waiting to be heard. Some books are revolutionary, some are reserved; while some are just waiting for the right reader to absorb their words and…

  My Journey Around Mont Blanc is a story of the fragility of human nature, testing its endurance and overcoming its fears, played out on the stage of one of the most beautiful and popular treks on earth. Dan Karmi is a software businessman from Israel who had had virtually no contact with the outdoors, even in childhood. To celebrate his seventieth birthday, at the invitation of a neighbor, he decided to leave his protected office environment and try engaging with nature for the first time. A journey that starts as a normal tourist walk to enjoy the well-known scenery of the Alps turns into a major challenge to overcome the limitations of physical age, loneliness and lack of knowledge of mountain surroundings. This book is a frank account of the author’s unexpected adventures, as well as his insights into the complexities of human nature and his serendipitous discovery of the beauty and importance of the natural world.     Numerical age is meaningless after reading this book! Reviewed by Piaras on March 3, 2020 for Emerald Book Reviews Books are not just words, paper, and nice-looking covers. They are powerful representations of ideas and philosophies that are just waiting to be…

An orphan boy. Life under a fake identity. A heroic tale of survival. Marek Herman’s life had not easy from the beginning. And yet, not even growing up an orphan in the city of Lvov, Poland, had prepared him for what the future had in store. Nazi Germany invades Poland in 1939 and changes the lives of people in the entire continent. Jews instantly come under persecution. In order to save himself, Marek, lives under a borrowed identity, and crosses the border into Italy together with the Italian soldiers who were stationed in Poland. A chance encounter he happens to witness, completely transforms the rest of his life. Marek immediately joins the resistance in Northern Italy, where the Jewish boy fights side by side with his new friends, the anti-fascist fighters. Survivor’s Journey From the Alps to the Red Sea is a spine-tingling book of memoirs, describing Marek Herman’s life, heroism and hope for a better future during all the vicissitudes he goes through from Poland, through the Alps, and all the way to the Red Sea.   An inspirational memoir of a man’s triumph against all the odds. Reviewed by Piaras on February 23, 2020 for Emerald Book Reviews Survivor’s Journey…

BOOK SYNOPSIS Another poignant tale of shattered dreams and soul-crushing despair from the award-winning author of the Daddy’s Curse Series A Harrowing Life Between the hard life growing up in the village of Ishwaripur, Bangladesh and the ever-present threat of deadly floods, Azam Samad never had the type of childhood that would make any adult nostalgic. Filled with suffering, hardship and the ghost of a dead sister lost to the flood hanging heavy on their psyches, the Samad family were close to breaking point. Mussarat, Azam’s mother, had tried to convince Ahmed, the Samad patriarch, to leave Ishwaripur due to the increasing incidence of deadly floods, but Ahmed, being a traditionally minded Muslim, was obstinate. He was finally convinced to depart with his family for greener pasture in the city of Dhaka, but another wave of flood hastened their exodus. A Plan Gone Awry All wasn’t smooth sailing on the way to Dhaka. Robbed and captured by a gang of Golam Bhuiyam’s bandits, injuring Azam who was trying to protect Saleeha, his younger sister, the Samad family are unable to escape the cycle of incessant tragedies that has become their curse. An Unexpected Betrayal Brought to New Golam, the stronghold…

  With a mere 5% chance of recovery from cancer, Eyal Eltawil’s struggle to survive includes the use of comedy. Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at the age of 31 and with metastases in his body, Eyal Eltawil was given a mere 5% chance of recovery. Eyal decided to look at his cancer from a humoristic point of view and find laughter in the process. The topic of his life’s story was not one he chose, but he did make the choice to create “stand-up comedy” while he struggled to survive. Using a humoristic perspective during the entire process, he turned the C word (Cancer) into one relating to Comedy. This, was Eyal’s way of dealing with his illness and enabling recovery. 3 years after his full recovery, he was told that there was a fair chance the cancer had returned. Despite the harsh news, and while waiting anxiously for the lab results, he decided to laugh again and relates his experience in a book. The stand-up comedy kept working and the recovery was there to stay!   REVIEW Offering inspiration and encouragement for people facing serious health issues. Reviewed By Piaras O Cionnaoith for Emerald Book Reviews The Cancer…

  From a diagnosis of advanced stage cancer, to competing in a triathlon at the age of 68 Dr. Gilkis’ unique memoir and life-changing message is: physical activity is for everyone at any age and it can improve the quality of life as well as physical and mental health, dramatically. This message comes from Gilkis’ deep personal understanding due to his own choices, which he suggests everyone implement! In this book, Dr. Gilkis dismantles the myth that sporting activities are only for the young and strong, or that it has to be an unpleasant and difficult task. It shows how sporting activities can be almost effortless while being a source of joy and satisfaction. “A little is a lot” is the message the author wants his readers to receive, so each and every one – at any age and physical state, can be encouraged to start!   REVIEW What an inspiring book! What an inspiring book! The Secret of Life: A Memoir Of Getting Younger by Dr. Zeev Gilkis is a unique biography with a life-changing message: ‘physical activity is for everyone at any age and it can improve the quality of life as well as physical and mental health,…

  Limited-Time Promotional Price! Please review and rate my story on Amazon! Life is exactly what you make it, if you allow yourself to quit you will become a quitter. Our Lord fought and died for us so that we may have peace, longevity, and prosperity. I believe that failure isn’t achieved when you don’t reach a goal, but by allowing the outcome of not achieving a goal to make you feel as though you have failed. Failure doesn’t occur when a goal isn’t achieved, but rather when one allows his or her spirit to be broken by life and simply stops trying. I say that one day soon the hardships in and of my life shall make me very fortunate and it shall inspire the world. This is an autobiography about my life. This is also an inspirational message to all people. Self-Value: The Story of Me, is an eye-opening, poignant, often hilarious story that explores my twelve years of childhood homelessness, juvenile delinquency and success. My life story is about a mother and son in peril that finds serenity through their faith. In sharing my story, I highlight many problems society is faced with today such as domestic…