(dis)Empowered: How I Turned an Academic Death Sentence into My Life’s Greatest Adventure by Ellen Busch is a captivating memoir that examines the author's journey from a traumatized kid and an abused wife to a successful and inspiring woman. A memoir that delves into the themes of determination, grit, and surrender, challenging the status quo, and reconnecting with self will resonate with readers who have lost their sense of self-worth because of the traumatic situations in their lives. A wonderful story with an epiphany on a highway that turned the author’s life around and set her on the path towards success and purpose.

Ellen Busch, beautifully documents her struggle to overcome the traumas and stigmas that have plagued her life. Living with the stigma of dyslexia, the scars of a troubled childhood always looming over her, and her internal struggles are just few of the challenges that she ingeniously captures in this immersive memoir. As a dyslexic child, the author survived an education system that actively worked against her and believed she was brain damaged. In the first pages of her memoir, she summarizes what it felt like as a child: ''At the time, I couldn’t see how all the pieces were connected: my shattered self-esteem, my lack of self-worth, the abuse from my husband, and my upbringing in an education system that insisted that my dyslexic mind made me incapable.'' Her resilience and refusal to let others define her worth is truly admirable and serves as a source of inspiration to readers.

(dis)Empowered delves deep into the concept of surrender, highlighting the transformative moment on a crowded highway when Busch realizes the need to let go of her past and embrace a new path forward. Through her raw and honest storytelling, Busch challenges societal norms and the expectations placed upon individuals, especially women. She encourages readers to question and challenge the status quo, empowering them to forge their own unique paths. Busch's ability to communicate her journey with clarity and to give readers glimpses of the turmoil she overcame makes this book an enjoyable read. Written in gorgeous prose and in a confident voice, Busch's story serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human heart and inspires readers to embrace their own personal journeys of growth and empowerment.