Dagbøker og memoarer

I should have been a happy teenager...W henever I walk past a particular house around the corner from where I now live ... I am thrown back in time, remembering my teenage years, when I lived in that house for protection from a boy who was stalking me and causing trouble.Growing up in a dysfunctional and sometimes hostile environment, raised by emotionally stunted parents unable to show love except from the end of a plank of wood, my sister and I were unaware that we weren't a normal familyDid it teach me resilience? Although it was no preparation for the dramas of my teenage years and tragedies of my adult life, it may have helped me to get through the fight of my life at the age of fifty-three.

Amidst the ruins of Detroit, two seekers question all that they thought they knew as they struggle to achieve spiritual awakening in this collaborative memoir. Guided by Ryan, an eccentric mystic from the suburbs, the pair explore a ramshackle city while running experiments on themselves in a bid for understanding who they are and what life means. But as the questions Ryan poses deepen, the two are left wondering what happens when you truly "kick out the bottom."

At age forty, with two beautiful daughters, a big house and a crumbling marriage, Jodi finds herself haunted by feelings of an unfulfilled life and the realization that, so far, she has built her life from the outside in. With naivete, enthusiasm, and the gut-wrenching sense that she needed more, Jodi embraces her newly found independence to embark on a quest for self-love, romance, and spiritual fulfilment...and yes, she knows that's a tall order. In this inspiring, funny and sometimes uncomfortably honest memoir, Jodi shares her struggles and triumphs as she takes one giant step away from what she has known and makes peace with herself, her ego and what she believes to be God. Like no other, this book pens a love letter to starting over later in life, showing that your 'second act' can actually be a celebration, a harvest and a victory lap. As Jodi finds peace in unexpected places and releases the hurt of her past, she proves that it's never too late to bloom - In fact, being a late bloomer might be the biggest blessing of them all.

A sassy, heart-breaking and jaw-dropping memoir of life behind the scenes in a funeral home and strip club, written with all the panache, honesty and sensitivity of Rosie Waterland's The Anti-Cool Girl and Sarah Krasnostein's The Trauma Cleaner. Emma Jane Holmes had her dream job, working in the funeral industry, caring for those who could no longer care for themselves. But when the bills mounted after her marriage breakdown, she turned to her other dream - dancing on stage as a showgirl - and her glittering alter ego Madison was born. Emma Jane kept Madison a secret. Madison kept Emma Jane an even bigger one.But what happens when death touches the neon world of the strip club? And sex - in the form of a cute co-worker - encroaches on the funeral home? Could the answer be life, lived in the day, because that's the only day you have?Emma Jane Holmes' debut will take you into the mortuary, cemetery and crematorium - and behind the scenes in night clubs - and answer all the questions you never wanted to ask ... PRAISE'A beautiful insight into two industries we're all curious about, full of warmth and wit' - Carly Findlay OAM, author of Say Hello'Meet Australia's most outrageous mortician ... her stories are deadly' - news.com.au'Emma Jane Holmes shines a beautiful light on love, death and connection' - Samantha X, author of Hooked'We're all going to die sometime ... Emma Jane Holmes brings so much light to the subject' - Andy Dowling, Andy Social podcast

"A moving, witty memoir about a Jewish childhood in apartheid-era South Africa. "There were three other people present, or five, depending on whom one chooses to include... The ceremony lasted precisely thirty minutes, as had been agreed on well in advance, not a second longer." What kind of bar mitzvah lasts only thirty minutes? Which five people could have been present, and where could such a ceremony have taken place under these circumstances? As Denis Hirson gradually reveals the details of his extraordinary bar mitzvah, he explores the familial and political divisions that formed his story. Recreating 1960s Johannesburg through his adolescent eyes, Hirson writes of the silences that surrounded his Jewish heritage, and of the day that one of his family's secrets finally exploded. Witty and deeply poignant, My Thirty-Minute Bar Mitzvah is a beautiful account of one man being confronted by his own past"--Publisher's description.

A story about three pensioners who finally caught up again after some fifty years and discovered that their curiosity and sense of adventure has not diminished - just got a bit creaky; which is why the walks were kept to a reasonable distance with a pub at the end as a reward - friendship hasbecome more important than distance. With a lead from Wainwright the Fell-Wanderer, and a few beers, it was decided to walk from Derby to Malton via Sheffield - through the places where they now live. This was a journey in a number of stages where individual strengths and weaknesses enlivened an adventure and when curiosity was still allowed to surface unselfconsciously. A relaxing and companionable walk spread over nearly three years taking in cultural attractions and a beer festival (twice). A time when they continued to learn and to conjecture about nature, the weather and why things are built that way. They couldn't decide whether this book was going to be a travelogue, a guide book, tourist information or an advert for the Yorkshire Wolds and North Derbyshire, but it doesn't really matter. It's about the importance of friendship, trust and sharing; perhaps inspiring other old friends to try something similar - it's really worthwhile.

Synonymous with glamour and sophistication, the House of Dolce & Gabbana is one of the best-known luxury fashion brands in the world.Founded in 1985 by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the Italian duo have been impressing the fashion world from the very beginning with their unique, show-stopping collections, bold and daring designs and detailed embroidery.Packed with stunning photographs and expertly written text, the Little Book of Dolce & Gabbana pays homage to the brand, from the most-coveted pieces - the sexy floral dress, iconic D&G belt, Miss Sicily bag, statement sunglasses and gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana pumps - to their forward-thinking approach towards body positivity and inclusivity for women.

When her husband leaves her on her 40th birthday, only hours after radical surgery to cure her "incurable" disease, Kat Finnerty's world is shattered.But then something remarkable happens. She overcomes his betrayal in 12 hours. It's almost as if her absurd, disaster-prone life has been arming her with the superpowers to master her disaster. So begins Kat's astonishing and inspiring true story. Spanning the globe from her hometown of Toronto to the rugged outback of Australia, Kat discovers from an early age that being gifted with nine lives isn't enough to offset her suffering. She sets out on a high-stakes adventure to squeeze more meaning and purpose from her life, only to be cruelly struck down at 24 by a crippling disease. Kat contemplates the unthinkable. Until fate intervenes in the form of a tattooed Maori Buddhist teacher, an unorthodox Canadian yoga guru and a Zen motorbike-riding spiritual renegade. They open her eyes to the truth about suffering. And this changes everything. Just like the pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle, the lessons from Kat's catastrophes slot into place to reveal the bigger picture. She transforms herself into a master of disaster and ultimately cures her "incurable" disease. Infused with humour and the wisdom of Buddhist and Stoic philosophy, this life-changing memoir will move, inspire and empower you to never let a good disaster go to waste.

Años estelares de pleno auge de la Radio en Lima Perú, Walter Gonzales, aparente distraído observador de los vaivenes de las comunicaciones, supo asimilar la estratagema que algunos advertidos productores y directores de los años sesentas y setentas le inyectaban a las principales Emisoras que acaparaban la sintonía de esos días, cuando las radionovelas se adueñaban de la audiencia hogareña, pilar indiscutible del encendido y cuando la televisión no avizoraba el encendido matinal. La Frecuencia Modulada, estaba en ciernes y la AM se convertía en la frecuencia mas sintonizada, Walter supo construir un mundo musical matizado por el pop mundial que atraparía a las amas de casa con la música post tropical. Emisora que dirigió la convirtió en estaciones llenas de simpatía y entusiasmo que se complementaban con el norte que toda joven madre presagia en el futuro de su vida. Siempre preocupado por los tópicos de actualidad que un conductor radial debe poseer como líder de opinión, obligaba a sus colaboradores a la lectura del momento. Hasta el día de hoy, nunca escuchará a Walter manifestar que lo pasado supera el ritmo de hoy. Música Escondida es un documento inmarcesible para la consulta obligada de hoy.

My life is not what one would call normal. From my birth, I have faced and overcome many challenges to become the person I am today. Life is rarely easy even if it appears so for others.Everyone has to deal with their own adversities in their own way. Most stay silent on their struggles believing they will a burden to their loved ones.After reading my story, I hope to relay the message, You Are Not Alone. You are stronger than you think, and I believe you are a survivor.

Braiding together personal, collective, and historical explorations of what it means to "go west," Amy Kaler offers deep reflections on the meaning of life, middle age, and climate catastrophe. She explores "ruins" of the human history of the North American settler west--faded hamlets, bunkers, fields of cars, bends in the river--that serve as emblems of hope, generational commitment abandoned by contemporary heirs, faith, hubris, even carelessness. These stops are intertwined with reflections on aging, temporality, and change, making the book feel like a deeply satisfying road trip with a thoughtful friend. Moving from meditative to ardent to sobering in compelling and measured ways, Half-Light shimmers with urgency and suggestion.

"A member of the so-called Silent Generation, Michael Hadley has a great deal to say in his twilight years. Opening with his Depression-era childhood on a lonely lighthouse on the west coast of Vancouver Island, this remarkably nuanced memoir spans decades, countries, and oceans."--

It has been over a decade since Marion Crook arrived in the Cariboo for her first job out of nursing school. The vast rural territory that once left her awestruck now feels like home, as she embraces life on the ranch with her husband, Carl, three young children, and numerous farm animals. But things are far from idyllic.Overseeing a small staff of irrepressible nurses serving a public health district the size of a small country brings new challenges every day. From runaway patients and needle-phobic hockey players to cultural misunderstandings and heartbreaking cases of abuse and neglect, Marion never knows what is coming next. The 1970s bring signs of social progress as women gain more autonomy and the region grows more culturally diverse. Yet, old prejudices persist, and Marion must fight for her patients, as well as for her adopted son.Recounted with warmth, compassion, and riveting detail, Always On Call is a fascinating portrait of the hectic life of a rural nurse and highlights the importance of the helping professions.

Fragmented and hybrid in style, On Comics and Grief examines a year in comic book publishing and the author's grief surrounding his mother's death. This book connects grief, memory, nostalgia, personal history, theory, and multiple lines of comics studies inquiry in relation to the comic books of 1976.

Volleyball is not just a sport. It is one of the many beautiful languages that help us understand, express, and experience life. Join Aziz, a senior volleyball player, as he recounts his experiences with coed volleyball at Montgomery Blair High School, retracing the journey that led him to discover the sport and come across a group of individuals who would come to be his family, capturing the ups and downs of the three years that would eventually culminate in a season unlike any other, and helped him gain a new perspective on life. Dear Volleyball is his love letter to the sport of volleyball and like any love letter, one must come to intimately know another for a letter to truly capture a sense of genuine love and appreciation. Anyone who has ever loved any endeavor can find something to connect to in this story. Above all else, this story is one about learning to live life with a smile on our face, letting the journey take us wherever while enjoying the view, the people, and the beautiful times along the way.

Outtakes asks the difficult questions with humor and a deft, lighthearted hand. Why are we here? How can we exist? Why do we make art? Joanna Acevedo portrays a young memoirist's experience of a life that is broken, beautiful, and confusing all at once. In one essay, the narrator navigates being a literary citizen while going to readings and finding strange and surprising things. In another, she anticipates her partners' violence, undoing years of learned trauma and trying to believe people can be good. In yet another essay, the narrator falls in love with a woman for the first time and relishes in the experiential pleasure of simply being with someone. Born of misplaced love and frantic experimentation, Outtakes explores the confessional through the lens of the universal, yielding up unexpected joy, inevitable pain, and brilliant light.

In 1941, the Philippines was a mountainous island country populated by some seventeen million people that included Hipolita Chapman, the young widow of an American, and her children. But when the Japanese bombed Clark Airfield, Hipolita had to make the agonizing decision to evacuate her family and go into hiding in the mountains for nearly a year. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning of their struggles.In a fascinating narrative, Evelyn Chapman Castillo recounts the experiences of her Filipino-American family during the Japanese occupation of her homeland during the Second World War. As she details how her mother kept her family together during the Japanese occupation, she also chronicles their journey to join the resistance movement, the experiences of other family members and their house staff, the bloody assault of the US soldiers for the liberation of Leyte, MacArthur's landing at Red Beach, the desperate struggle by the Japanese forces to take back the island, and their attempts to survive the indiscriminate bombings by the Japanese on the American-held island.And They Returned chronicles the atrocities of war and one family's will to survive while providing a window into a Filipino community desperate to preserve its culture.

A few years after the island of Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain, people and cultures collide and navigate life as Shakti, a little girl tries to make sense of the world and find her way.Testimonials Jackee Holder: Author, Coach, Trainer"Thank you dear one for sharing this powerful story with us. I really appreciated the way in which Shakti tells her story. I was totally engaged. The chapters were so readable. I found myself swooning as she shared her mystical experiences in the temple. Shakti has this way of going deep without saying a lot. I noticed this in her collection of autobiographical poems "I: A Woman Speaking Up". This is a powerful testimony of overcoming life's adversity. Shakti explores taboo subjects such as colourism with honesty and grace. This is a story of moving from turbulence to triumph. The shortness of the chapters kept me wanting to keep turning the page. Shakti's voice encourages the reader to reclaim their lives and to frame a new empowered story."Dr Janet Balabanovic: Counselling Psychologist"Shakti bears her soul in this intimate collection of childhood memories. Please Paint Me Caramel delivers a beautifully evocative account of a childhood of relative privilege in Mauritius, a childhood which is richly suffused with vibrant and colourful memories of religious festivals and cultural traditions. Disturbingly, this is uneasily juxtaposed alongside a powerful undercurrent of emotional abuse disguised as love and protection. Suffocating demands and expectations are justified to protect and safeguard the future of a young girl who was born "too dark", "with bad blood" and "in the wrong month". The crushing weight of her family's fears is keenly felt as the little girl grapples with her perceived defects and secretly and repeatedly prays to be painted caramel to secure her place in the world as a marriageable woman in a society that dictates only one path to a good and worthwhile life. A poignant reminder of the devastating impact of parental and culturally-bound conditions of worth on individual self-acceptance."Jane Yeadon, Author, Scotland "This is an important book written from the heart- breakingly honest viewpoint of a child bewildered and marked by tradition and her family's adherence to it. Care, compassion and humour are the colours Shakti brings to her pages. She has brought the characters, traditions, and the emotions of her Mauritian childhood brilliantly to life.

Waves of Faith depicts the author's personal journey shared through hardships of faith, struggles and victory obtained; because for better or worse every human being is born into a family that shapes who and what we become. The Lord has seen Dorothea through joblessness, poverty, homelessness and separations. Through her story she hopes future readers will see that new love can be developed and experienced through nurturing a Christian family. The author has persevered through much and wishes to leave her story as a legacy; letting them know that if you continue to put your total trust and confidence in Almighty God, He will bring you out of any future adversities that may abruptly push you out of your comfort zone. Dorothea shouts that the Lord sits high and looks low and has brought her through her waves of faith. Dive in and enjoy this journey through waves of faith. The Rev. Dr. Dorothea King-James is the beloved wife for forty-two years to Rev. Willie James, Pastor Emeritus of New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church of the Ville. She is the magnificent mother of four daughters and three sons; with their eldest son who was chosen to serve, "the few, the proud, the Marines". A retired educator who served Saint Louis Public Schools for thirty-six years, she served the district as a Resource Specialist who developed curriculum to meet the needs of mentally challenged youth. The author enjoys quiet walks and communing with God daily. Dorothea is also a grief coach for the Circle of Love grief support recovery ministry. Dorothea endeavors to share frequent challenges and tests in her relationship with God Jehovah and others as depicted in the manuscript.

In Confused, Fauneil Fremont tells the story of Brio as a warning to would-be victims of scammers. Brio, a lively middle-aged woman, finds herself gradually controlled and manipulated by Richie, a younger man whom she mistakenly and tragically trusts during a desolate period of her life. Richie's constant switching between a sweet and generous nature and an abusive and callous nature deeply confuses Brio, leaving her weary and, at times, utterly terrified. During thirty months of physical, emotional, and financial abuse, Brio gradually learns to know the "true Richie." But, is it too late? Will life ever return to normalcy for her? Fauneil has lived in Nebraska, Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. She has a BSc in Ed from the University of Nebraska, an MEd from the University of Arizona, and a BA and MA from San Jose State University. In 2023, Fauneil returned to California, where she currently resides in Stockton. She has had careers as an English teacher and a pipe organist, both described in her writing, along with a study tour of Europe sponsored by the University of South Dakota. Since beginning her third career as a writer, she has published with Xulon the following books: I Didn't Really Know Him 2019 The Seeds of the Prairie 2021 The Spirit of the Prairie, a sequel 2022 Confused 2023

The story of a young man leaving home for the first time to experience life beyond the small conservative Midwest town in South Dakota. The narrative expresses the young man's thoughts and actions on the new experiences and people that cross his path during his time in the military in other countries and the Vietnam War. There are many tales of combat and soldiers' experiences by the author. These stories express strength and will power. Will power and faith walk hand and hand through injury and death as a show of strength in body and soul to live or die. The living helping the wounded and dying call on the same strengths of will power and faith to be able to help someone and comfort them during their painful ordeal. The book is honest and blunt about the issues. The author grew up in a small conservative Midwest town in South Dakota. After high school he decided to enter the army to get training in a field he could use after returning home. He also needed the educational benefits to attend college. In the army he had an eye opening experience. He met many different people from different parts of the US that did not have his same values. He also observed different people from different countries and their values. He made a point to share his values and learn from others their customs and values. This gave him an insight to how to act and react with the people around him. From this point on this learning experience guided him through his life experiences when interacting with other people. His conservative upbringing projected kindness, understanding and a tolerance of other people's differences.

This book was inspired by my life and the disappointments that I have had to face. Through all of my disappointments, I have always made it through. There in no secret nor magic tricks. It's something that we all can have; this book gives you some ideas as to how to fight the devil and your enemies. Once you read this book, you may never look at disappointments the same again. You may even have a testimony. Virginia was the only girl born to Rosa and Henry Murphy. She had five brothers who included her in everything that they did, including boxing. She was raised in a very religious setting and spent lots of time worshipping and serving God. Her brothers and her belief in God made her very strong when she faced challenges. It is that faith and the loss of all her brothers, that helped her when she was challenged to write her Memoir. God released the words, that over the years she had stored in the recesses of her brain. Hopefully you will enjoy reading this book.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5) The wounds we receive among the many paths of life - whether they be physical, emotional, or spiritual -have the potential power to lead to a spiritual legacy of faith in Christ, one great enough to transform individuals and families alike, creating beauty and renewal from the ashes of pain and loss. Author Michael Christian Shaw has experienced this powerful and lasting spiritual transformation firsthand. Shaw's entrance into this world was surrounded by profound and intense loss at the tragic death of his four-year-old brother, Brucie, when he died a mere nine days after the author's birth. Having to navigate personal and family grief, the author's faith was also tested many years later with his own child's battle with cancer. Faithful are the Wounds: A Memoir explores both the realities of death, grief, and trauma, as well as the healing and strength that come from knowing a God who loves us and is bigger than life itself, including its sorrows. This haunting and deeply personal story chronicles the author's journey from darkness into light, from fear to faith, from grief to joy, and from death to life. This memoir combines the stark reality of emotional pain, with the gift of humor, and the ability to laugh at ourselves.

The blued steel was cold to the touch and bitter in taste. All senses were heightened as the foreign object made its way to the appropriate resting place. Lodged against the roof to minimize any chance for survival, the answer was just one heartbeat away. A deafening silence filled the room at the moment of truth. My thumb pulled back the steel hammer as if acting by its own power. Why did God cast me aside? Life began with an abundance of His favor. A divine intervention adoption followed by eight years of love and security in a Christian home. Suddenly, without just cause, one by one the life sustaining blessings of a child were stolen. False hopes were followed by unanswered prayers. Direct challenges to God were answered swiftly and harshly, without mercy. Abandoned by the God I was taught to trust, the well of life had run dry. The day of reckoning had arrived. With nothing to lose, I would have no regrets. I was the foundation of nothing. A promise for no one. The .357 revolver was my only hope for peace.

"Inspired by family lore, a young writer embarks on an epic quest through the Argentine Andes in search of a heritage spanning hemispheres and centuries, from the Jewish Levant to turn-of-the-century trade routes in South America. One Thanksgiving afternoon at his grandparents' house, Jordan Salama discovers a large binder stuffed with yellowing papers and old photographs--a five-hundred-year wandering history of his Arab-Jewish family, from Moorish Spain to Ottoman Syria to Argentina and beyond. One story in particular captures his that of his great-grandfather, a Syrian-born, Arabic-speaking Jewish immigrant to Argentina who in the 1920s worked as a traveling salesman in the Andes--and may have left behind forgotten descendants along the way. Encouraged by his grandfather, Jordan goes in search of these "Lost Salamas," traveling more than a thousand miles up the spine of South America's greatest mountain range. Combining travelog, history, memoir, and reportage, Stranger in the Desert transports readers from the lonely plains of Patagonia to the breathtaking altiplano of the high Andes; from the old Jewish quarter of Damascus to today's vibrant neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. It is also a fervent journey of self-discovery as Salama grapples with his own Jewish, Arab, and Latin American identities, interrogating the stories families tell themselves, and to what end." --