Christine Rose's One Reason to Live: A Memoir About Surviving Trauma opens with a moment of crisis in the author's life. She already considers herself a failed author and filmmaker. But failing as an author is far less than what Ms. Rose has experienced in life. She has suffered from multiple traumatic events, including sexual assault and divorce after fifteen years of marriage, and it is more painful because she didn't make the choice to leave her husband. Her life has been characterized by depression and suicidal thoughts, and having hit rock bottom, she wakes up with a strong desire to reinvent herself. On a scrap of paper, she writes the words: ''Reasons to Live.'' After a few days, she remembers her dream of traveling to Europe. She knows what to do to change her life and heal. Follow her on a journey that evolves against the backdrop of new landscapes, new cultures, and the company of animals.
The opening pages of this memoir document a tragic incident involving the author's husband, Ethan Rose, with poignancy, and the reader's connection with the author is immediate. Her desperation and sense of despair are captured in descriptions that are vivid and in prose that is clear. Her personality is wonderfully sculpted and as readers follow her journey from page to page, they become acquainted with the darkness that invades her soul. It is a tale of healing, but also one of self-discovery. The author unveils a lot of learning through her therapy sessions but what makes this memoir a winner is the compelling message that when broken individuals make the decision to face their past, they begin to create a life of purpose and significance. One Reason to Live: A Memoir About Surviving Trauma is an irresistible story about surviving trauma and life-changing decisions. It is a moving story that is seasoned with the author's literary intelligence, and while the pathos rubs off on the readers, they can't fail to note the many lessons on the connection between choice and healing.
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