Tagebücher & Memoiren

*** Also Available on ebook ***What would you do if you were abused as a child and then shared with his friends, their little play thing?Would you want to talk about it?This is the story of my life, the ups and the downs. How I ended up living with Complex PTSD after childhood trauma, then hidden for over 30 years. If you have or know anyone who struggles with any form of Mental Health then this book could be for you. Together we can break down the walls and challenge the Stigma around Mental Health. Let's start talking before it's too late.Step into the intriguing "Call of the Void" world, where a seemingly idyllic day at the Polo Club takes a chilling turn. A tale of trust shattered by deceit, friendship-masking manipulation, and thehaunting echo of betrayal that spans decades."Call of the Void" delves deep into the intricacies of trust, the deceptive allure of friendship, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of betrayal. A journey of self-discovery, redemption, and the pursuit of truth, reminding us that even the strongest bonds can harbor hidden shadows.Robbie S Stephens is an author and a couragcous advocate for mental health awareness. His willingness to share his story demonstrates his commitment to fostering a world where individuals facing mental health challenges can find solace, understanding, and support.I remember the day like any other trip to the Polo Club. I was chatting to Jilly Cooper about her latest film. Prince Harry was playing with his dad. We locked up and grabbed our bikes. Headed off through the woods. We dumped the bikes and off I walked down a track."Nice"That's the only word he used, whispering it into my ear. I can still smell his breath, the fags, the booze, the Sherry. I got a bonus that day for all my hard work £120.If I told people they wouldn't believe it. They would try to ruin our special friendship. You once said to me. "No one will believe you"You were my friend and I trusted you. I believed what you said was true. 30 years later, I realise it was all a lie.Together we can make a difference. Together we can help. Together we can challenge Mental Health.

Taking the Mask Off... was a hard book for me to write. What started out as daily journal entries that centered around losses, regrets, family, and the beauty of nature, all written during COVID isolation but covering my entire life's experiences were now over 150 handwritten short stories contained in four 5 X 7-inch memorandum books filled in front to back. It took me six months to realize that my writings were more than simple journalling; they were therapy. Therapy that told a story of my movement from mind to heart, from being compartmentalized to being vulnerable, from seeking purpose over comfort, from moving from my name card to my calling card, from understanding that to really love someone else, you first needed to love yourself. So, I invite you to join me on part one of this non-judgmental journey representing over 65 of my short personal stories. Stories that represent someone who really had to turn the telescope of their life around and learn from each problem. Yes, I continue to be on that uphill, rocky, slippery climb from thinking with my brain to feeling with my heart, but I am improving because now instead of asking, "Why me, God?" I simply ask, "God, what are you trying to teach me?" Please join me on this journey of my stories and let's learn to be better together.

The conversations have been gathered, and narrated as an artist by the author. The author takes an abstract perspective of a conversation to assemble conversation essays. Conversation essays help to enhance reading, sharing, learning and presenting abilities of a person in any setting. The author associates abstract topics and relates these topics to conversations that are similar, diverse, parallel, angular, and criteria based for a differentiation perspective. A few techniques such as variance, logic, algorithmic, and objective have been used to progress a conversation from abstraction to stories, for a difference of a story. The author wrote several poetry classics including business books, Reserved Words and Comments, A View To A Door and Scrum Art Handbook. Durga Madiraju writes under the pen name of Jane Summers (Poetry Classics). She is also the author of the new language, Durvue. She excels in several areas such as, as a Software Engineer, Poet, Author, Composer (Piano Classics) , and Director (Movie Direction, and Acting).

'Thirty-Five Years A Nurse...But I Wanted To Be A Vet!' Is a humorous collection of memoirs from Ruth Gathercole's varied and interesting career in nursing. From the early days of her nurse training in the 1980's, along with all the hilarious mishaps and endearing patients, through her years as a staff nurse on Children's Ward and beyond. Midwifery training, Neonatal Nursing, Sexual Health clinics, being a School Nurse and all the shenanigans that go with that territory! Later becoming a Specialist Nurse for Looked After Children, Ruth captures all the most memorable moments of her nursing journey, sometimes moving and heartwarming, sometimes just downright funny!

The author, born in Holywood, has stepped back in time to capture some of what has been happening in the town of Holywood over the past years. In his book, he has brought to the fore snippets of news and information that people may be unaware of - or have forgotten. The book makes interesting reading in capturing small nuggets of time from the past in the town that are now gone forever. He has delved right back to the 1800s when some say life was tougher, others would say it was more relaxed, either way, one can get a very small comparison as to what was happening then and now. Different advertisements and news items will stir the imagination, bringing back those memories of places we knew and reminding us of our younger days. Age may dull our memories but the author's book will bring back some of those thoughts of how we remembered Holywood's past.

BIOGRAPHY - AUTOBIOGRAPHY - MEMOIRBeing raised just above the poverty line in Parkersburg, WVA, Janie didn't have big aspirations and dreams for her life. Yet moving to Columbus, Ohio changed everything about her including her name.She was in a dead-end job at the phone company when a dare from her best friend took her to an interview to become a Stewardess. Fearful she would be rejected on sight because of her height; she was shocked when she was accepted to be the one out of 5,000 applicants who applied for the job.A whole new world opened up to her. Seeing places she had only read about, spending time with politicians, movie stars and professional athletes. One very special athlete, a professional basketball player named Wendell Ladner stole her heart with his southern charm. An extraordinary 'connection' with the King of Rock & Roll (Elvis Presley) allowed her the unique experience to spend 'one on one' time with him and remain in touch until his passing. You'll share with her the challenges of marrying someone so different from her upbringing and coping with the attempts to try and fit in. Behind Her Smile reveals a devastating event that deeply affected Beverly and made her reexamine her life and what she truly wanted out of it.

PAPPA OCH HANS PAPPA är en familjeberättelse som spänner över ett hundra år från oskariansk tid till 1960-talet. Den handlar om författarens pappa och hans pappa, som skildras genom tidsdokument som fotografier, brev och en dagbok. Vi får levande interiörbilder från herrgårdar, gruvor och bruk i södra Dalarna och Småland, upplevda inte minst från barnets perspektiv som elev i läroverket i Falun. Pappas dagbok, som börjar i mellankrigstiden, talar om hans familj, människor och miljöer i de norrländska skogarna, om hans människosyn och tro, om samhället som börjar förvandlas kring 1960 och hur vi kan förstå vår egen tid.

Wer sich auf Nylands Lebensgeschichte einlässt, erkennt, dass das auf den ersten Blick Widersprüchliche bei ihm zugleich etwas zutiefst Menschliches ist. Für den von ADHS betroffenen (Lebens-)Künstler und chronischen »Depressionar« gibt es kaum einen Mittelweg, sondern sein Leben flimmert wie Wechselstrom zwischen den Extremen. Innerlich fühlt er sich phasenweise wie tot, um dann doch wieder hemmungslos inspiriert und überwältigt zu sein von diesem ebenso wundervollen wie schrecklichen, so eintönigen wie überraschenden Leben.Aimo, der auch unter dem Pseudonym »Vierbuchstabler« agiert, erzählt von seinem lebenslangen Tanz auf dem Rand des Vulkans: von einem Leben zwischen Entmutigung und Todessehnsucht einerseits und unbändiger Begeisterungsfähigkeit andererseits. Schonungslos offen beschreibt er das Versagen von Familie und Gesellschaft im Umgang mit einem ADHSler. Die Tücke dabei ist, dass infolge seiner vier Jahrzehnte lang unentdeckten Neurodivergenz ein Tross weiterer psychischer Probleme entstand. Und dies bedeutet nicht nur eine konstante Addition von Mühsal, Konflikt und Kummer, sondern ebenso, dass seine vielschichtigen Talente für Außenstehende, aber kurioserweise auch für ihn selbst jahrelang komplett verschleiert blieben. Nyland beleuchtet authentisch, selbstironisch, mit schriftsprachlicher Fantasie und Humor sein ganz persönliches Unglück, seine Defizite und »Macken«, schlicht seine bunten Lebenskontraste. Und aus jenen erschließt sich in der Summe dann auch nachvollziehbar die Wahl des Buchtitels.Ein auch für »Normalos« bewegendes und bedeutsames Buch. Denn was unter dem Brennglas des ADHS wie ein Destillat aufscheint, offenbart vielleicht den Wahnsinn jedes Lebens, sobald man die Konvention, das Bürgerliche, die scheinbaren Sicherheiten wegsubtrahiert. Zugleich wächst das Verständnis für Menschen, deren Anderssein die Gesellschaft extrem bereichern könnte wenn es gelingt, hinter ihren fremd und manchmal plump wirkenden Verhaltensweisen, aber auch hinter ihrer oft gut gelungenen Maskerade das oftmals riesige Potenzial zu entdecken und zu fördern.Mitfühlen, schmunzeln, sich mit unsichtbaren Erkrankungen auseinandersetzen, Erkenntnis und Verständnis schaffen. Aus diesem selbstauferlegten Auftrag des Autors geht als nunmehr drittes Werk diese außergewöhnliche und lesenswerte »Diskrepanz« in Gestalt einer schicksalhaften Biografie hervor.

Der erste Band der neuen Reihe "Epistula" über das Thema "Brief und Bildung" beleuchtet die vielfältigen Zusammenhänge zwischen der Gattung Brief und einer als Überbegriff für Erziehung, Ausbildung und Gelehrsamkeit verstandenen Bildung aus einer transkulturellen und diachronen Perspektive. Bildung und Briefe hängen auf unterschiedliche Weisen zusammen: Vom "Brief als Bildung" kann man sprechen, insofern Briefe im Blick auf Sprache und Stil unterschiedliche Grade von Bildung spiegeln, vom Grundlagenniveau der Lese- und Schreibkompetenz bis hin zu höchster Gelehrsamkeit. Ferner kommt "Bildung im Brief" zur Sprache, wenn Bildungsziele und -inhalte sowie Techniken und Methoden zu deren Erwerb oder auch Kontroversen darüber explizit Thema eines Briefes sind. Schließlich findet "Bildung durch Briefe" statt, da diese literarische Gattung in besonderer Weise dazu dient, Bildungsprozesse anzuregen und anzuleiten, die aufgrund der engen Bindung von Bildung an deren individuelle Aneignung meist auf Persönlichkeits- und Selbst-Bildung zielen. Die Beiträge aus zahlreichen Fachdisziplinen erörtern diese Facetten des Verhältnisses von "Brief und Bildung" aus verschiedenen Perspektiven von der Antike bis zur Moderne.

Two weeks after giving birth to her son Prince, Hera McLeod discovered that everything she knew about her son's father was a lie. After a 12-month custody battle in Family Court, full of terrifying evidence she uncovered, Prince's father murdered him during one of the first court-ordered unsupervised visitations. Determined to get justice for her son, Hera embarked on a mission to hold both the killer and the system that enabled him accountable. This story takes you through Hera's experience as the romantic target of a serial killer and the deep fractures in the American justice system that routinely leave women and children vulnerable. It will arm you with the knowledge necessary to join the fight, ideas for reform, and the inspiration to speak out against the silence.

El camino del norte es la historia de un joven que al abandonar su país, decide tomar una ruta peligrosa hacia los Estados Unidos de América, como lo han hecho muchos emigrantes centroamericanos que han dejado lo más preciado: su familia, y se han aventurado en busca de las promesas del sueño americano; sueño que para muchos se convierte en una pesadilla real en esa hostil travesía a bordo del ferrocarril que cruza por el territorio mexicano de sur a norte apodado la BESTIA, famoso por cargar en su lomo a miles de emigrantes que tienen la mirada puesta en la frontera sur de los Estados Unidos de América. Es una historia fascinante, llena de aventuras, dramas y peligros, pero también de fe, mucho valor, tenacidad, y creencia. El autor, Adonay Contreras, es el protagonista de esta historia a lo largo de El camino del norte.

The Way North tells the story of a young man who decides to embark on a perilous journey to the United States of America after leaving his home country, just like many Central American migrants who have left everything behind. They have traveled with their family to pursue the American dream, which for many becomes a real nightmare on the hostile journey aboard the railroad that crosses Mexican territory from south to north, nicknamed the BEAST. This train is famous for carrying thousands of emigrants who have their eyes set on the southern border of the United States of America. It's an exciting tale with many adventures, dangers, and dramas, but also featuring faith, courage, tenacity, and conviction. Adonay Contreras THE WAY NORTH.

What adventures and stories would your dehydrated mind create? This is a true story about how shrimp led Ash down a metaphoric rabbit hole when food poisoning deprived her of nutrients and sleep. It tells a tale of what her mind created. Fun for readers, but don't be fooled! It's a cautionary tale of how quick ones life can go from normal to tragic and imprisoned when a hospital fails you. What should have been a simple case of IV fluids, turned into a horror of abuse, neglect, and false imprisonment when one doctor sent Ash to a place she didn't need to go-the psych ward. Ash went from a normal, happy-go-lucky person with no mental health issues to scarred and traumatized with PTSD, panic attacks and so much more. It's a tale that can happen to anyone. But this tale is for you. Unfiltered. Ash's suffering shouldn't be wasted, no matter how dark it got. Can you see the horrors of the hospital through the imaginative overlay of back stories her mind created? In the end will you root for her to be able to get justice and sing again? Support her or not, that is up to you, reader. Enjoy her painful adventure.With 65 coloured images!

One wife's story of caring for her husband with dementia-and the lessons for caregivers she learned along the way. After the death of her husband, author Donna Larkin realized that she-and the other women in her dementia caregivers' support group-had accumulated invaluable strategies and tools that might be helpful for others recently finding themselves in a similar situation. In Enduring: A Story of Love, Dementia, and Lessons Learned, Larkin shares a chronology of her husband's Alzheimer's disease and her caregiving approaches, including those gleaned from her support-group friends and experts she met along the way. An honest, loving, and unflinching portrait of caregiving, Enduring draws on nine years' worth of notes, emails, and journal pages written while full-time caregiving at home and while later helping to transition her husband into a memory-care facility. A chronicle of the couple's journey from diagnosis to passing, her stories-with vulnerability, straight talk, and good humor-uniquely illustrate what it means to be a full-time caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease. As Larkin and her husband faced down the realities of his condition, a problem-solving approach kept her focused on finding solutions where possible-while her heart kept her focused on the man she knew her husband to be and the love they still shared in the face of many obstacles. For anyone struggling with the realities of a loved one's battle with dementia, Enduring is a reminder that you are not alone.

Join the journey of a battle-hardened military veteran turned chaplain as he embarks on a mission to war-ravaged Ukraine. His task? To pioneer innovative approaches for providing aid and forging fresh connections amidst the chaos of conflict. Experience the triumphs of his mission alongside the harrowing ordeals he faces on the front lines. Unearth the real struggles confronted by humanitarian workers and non-governmental organisations as they tirelessly strive to deliver essential assistance to the most at-risk populations.

On the 19th September 2021, upon reaching Tower Bridge, Mark became the first person to row solo and unsupported from New York to London during what was the worst year of summer storms in the North Atlantic for 40 years.Whether fighting fires or staring down a Polar Bear in his underpants, his experiences in life have taken him to the highest point on earth and seen him tackling some of the most extreme environments on the planet, pushing the very limits of human endeavour and setting two world records in the process.Join him on this candid, moving and often humorous romp, charting his upbringing in suburban London to his time served in the Fire Brigade and subsequently his career in Super-yachting, culminating in his life-affirming ultimate challenge.

Den yngste af fem søskende i et indremissionsk lærerhjem i Vestjylland i 50'erne. I dag en ældre kvinde, der lever en rolig tilværelse, uden på nogen måde at gøre sig bemærket.Et helt livsforløb. Og er det så en såkaldt stille eksistens vi har her?Ja, på ydersiden ser det nok mest sådan ud. Når vi lige, i tavshed, forbigår at hun faktisk som 20-årig debuterede med en alvorlig sindslidelse. Og så var der dømt bulder og brag og ballade. Hovedsageligt mentalt. Når sygdommen var mest markant betød det indlæggelse. Undervejs betød det meget medicin, og en form for dobbeltliv. Ingen brød sig om, at være sammen med den syge side. Heller ikke jeg selv.Fortielse, uærlighed, hykleri - sikkert affødt af frygt - prøver jeg at gøre op med. Jeg prøver at få forskellige dele af mig til at hænge bedre sammen. En lille ensom, forvirret og forfrossen pige, giver jeg stemme. Jeg fortæller om mine usynlige blå mærker. Jeg fortæller, at jeg blev skadet. Og min vrede og min ulydighed har været mig til hjælp. Jeg har pillet i min navle. Jeg har trukket offerkortet. Jeg har nægtet at tænke positivt, hvis det ikke var der, jeg var. Jeg har modsat mig at tage ansvar. Jeg har holdt fast og givet slip. Eller omvendt. (Alle disse begreber er i min optik temmelig flade. Og ofte uanvendelige). Jeg er ved at blive min egen autoritet. Jeg har forskellige delpersonligheder. Det kunne f.eks. være Rødhætte, bedstemor og ulven. Jeg er optaget af modsætninger inde i mig og udenfor.Hvordan man kan få de forskellige dele til at arbejde sammen i stedet for at bekrige hinanden? Jeg er langt fra udlært. Men jeg ved, at hvis man er blevet væk fra sig selv, er man på evig jagt. Stort set udenfor det almindelige arbejdsmarkedet, har jeg været hårdt arbejdende gennem hele mit liv. Med udgangspunkt i mit nye hjem, et lille gult hus med røde skodder, er jeg nu ved at være mere hjemme i mig selv - også. Jeg vil altid være en søgende sjæl. Og jeg er mere til spørgsmål, end til svar. Jeg passer på min tvivl. Og nærer min usikkerhed.

Are you aware of yourself and what you're made of as a human being? Are you conscious of your inner strength and capabilities? Do you know the reason why you were born on earth at a certain period and place? Are you aware of your journey and purpose in life? Have you ever questioned yourself about the existence of a living God? If yes, do you completely believe (without a doubt) in him?People like us arbitrarily question God for any trials that come our way. "Why me? Why not others?" are the usual words we utter when faced with misfortunes, and, more often than not, we blame ourselves, regardless. We feel powerless, inadequate, and helpless. We forget that we are our very own weapon against anything that causes us to hunker down. We are made to be strong and powerful. We are a masterpiece of our loving Creator. We were created in his own image, in his own power!This is a powerful true story about a little girl who got stuck in a more than dreadful situation that was out of control and beyond resolution. A compelling story of unrelenting faith and incontestable belief in the Higher Power. Her (mis)adventures built her up to be a woman of strength, inconceivable resilience, unwavering hope, strong determination, and a firm belief in God, whom she fondly calls her heavenly Father.

Are you or someone you love caught in a cycle of narcissistic relationships, rejection, and loneliness? Searching for love in all the wrong places?In this raw and transformative memoir, I invite you to join me on a journey through the darkest chapters of my life-from a strict religious upbringing to the depths of the sex industry, marked by teenage pregnancy and heartbreak. This isn't just my story; it's a universal tale of struggle, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of acceptance.As I unveil the harrowing truth of my experiences with fornication, adultery, and prostitution, I also share the profound lessons I learned along the way. This memoir is not solely about pain; it's about transformation. Through faith and perseverance, I discovered that true repentance isn't merely about regretting past mistakes-it's about the courageous choice to embrace a new path.In my moments of despair, I felt God's unwavering presence, guiding me toward hope and healing. My story serves as a beacon for anyone trapped in cycles of rebellion and addiction, proving that freedom is attainable and that miracles unfold when we submit to a greater purpose.This powerful testament is a reminder that no matter how bleak your circumstances may seem, there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow. Let my journey inspire you to break free from the chains of your past and step into the love and acceptance you truly deserve.Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

More than a memoir, not quite an autobiography, "My Life With Words" is a love letter to reading, writing, journalism and learning. At the same time, the author tells a complex story as she explores her decades of struggling with self-image and personal identity. Copious examples from her personal archives are supplemented by a reporter's curiosity for details about social and cultural history. Woven throughout the book are examples from her own reporting, editing and writing -- chosen to illuminate the people, places, schools, newspapers, books and more that have been central to her professional and personal lives. That context defines her journey from politically conservative high school editor to liberal college editor, to professional reporter and editor committed to journalism that makes a difference, to educator determined to have a positive impact on students and journalism. That evolution, from a girl of the Eisenhower '50s to proud feminist, encompasses more than a recounting of the author's history, however. As an advocate for individuals embracing the power in telling their own stories, she reflects on her life for lessons of value today. And she invites readers interested in journalism, history, sociology, women's studies, LGBTQ+ issues or writing to join this journey.

Wrought by a childhood replete with trying circumstances and telling experiences (conveyed in Frances Smith's earlier book), and in tandem with resultant beliefs and attitudes she held toward herself and the world she was about to enter, the commencement of legal adulthood also removed any buttressing protection minority provided. Too many confused and self-critical assessments would ill-serve this demoiselle. In time, those same assessments would transform into extremely harmful and life-threatening situations. Surviving would become a lifestyle for the author, which would shape not only her world but that of those whom she held most dear.Ms. Smith's adulthood was remarkable because of the duality consistently displayed between her professional abilities and achievements and her personal descent into depreciation and decline. This descent was birthed by a mentally imprinted sense of desperation inseminated by prevailing dogma, the flawed conclusions of youthful minds, and unattended hurts and breaches.This tale is a cautionary account. Similar to the brutality of a gauntlet one is forced to run, a few key choices in the life of this young woman vaulted her into a sort of awful test. Not failing would require overcoming deeply rooted beliefs and fears that sucked her backward in a downward spiral. Failing the test would mean no escape from an existence that was the antithesis of living.Scores of challenges the author faced in her adult life were nearly fantastical, so grueling and perverse were they. If any hope of victory existed, this woman's constitution must contain an extraordinary will to persevere and survive. Would the author discover that quality within herself, or would defeat ultimately claim her? This narrative relates what could be argued as the predictable plunge the author made into the depths, given the memories, messages, and conclusions in which she was cloaked as she debuted as an adult, already wearied from her life up to that point. This tale also abounds in efforts equally mesmerizing, which the principal made to try to save herself. There is no way to imagine the unspeakable journey that was Ms. Smith's adulthood. This story is simply a must read.

Divided into three chapters and brought to life with the author's intricate illustrations, THE SKY AND THE SALT takes the reader on a poignant journey through the diverse facets of inner growth. An ode to love. //with my own hands,i scrubbed the blood from my skin,had to crumble into ashes.only then did i become the phoenix,able to spread my wings, able to soar.

A collection of the most fascinating letters by the world's greatest scientists.?Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character' - Albert EinsteinScientists are not often remembered for their character, but rather for the enduring impact of their ideas, inventions, and discoveries. Letters for the Ages: The Great Scientists delves beyond the known historical facts and narratives to uncover the personal writings of some of history's greatest thinkers and innovators, drawing together over 100 private and intimate letters from across almost 500 years of scientific history.This collection illuminates the individuals behind humanity's greatest ideas and inventions - from the vaccine to the telephone, the engine to the X-ray - and those responsible for broadening our understanding of our world and the universe beyond. Each letter provides us with an opportunity for exploration and empathy - each a new chance to understand the desires to create, discover and improve held at the core of our humanity.Immerse yourself in the words of some of history's greatest scientific minds, including Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Galileo Galilei, Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking amongst many others.

All his life, Greg McPartlin wanted to be a Marine corpsman, a medic skilled at saving lives. Three months of "bagging-and-tagging" bodies during Vietnam's Tet Offensive took the luster off being a Marine-but not off McPartlin's desire to serve his country.After assisting in the sea-recovery of Apollo 11-the first ship to bring men to the moon-the twenty-year-old McPartlin was redeployed to Vietnam as an elite Navy SEAL. Barred as a medic by the Geneva Convention from the make-or-break training considered vital to service as a Navy SEAL, McPartlin had to show he had what it took.In a war where soldiers partied with their buddies in Saigon one day and crawled through an enemy-infested jungle hell the next, McPartlin proved that he was not only an outstanding medic but a real Navy SEAL-the toughest of the tough. Combat Corpsman is McPartlin's account of his year in what had been a Viet Cong stronghold until the SEALs took control. It's the first inside story of a Navy SEAL medic, a man who wanted to heal-not to kill-but did both to save lives.

Greg Dorchak's family moved to upstate New York in 1965 when he was just a baby. For the next 13 years his playground was the High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Park, 6 million acres of lakes, trees, mountains and colorful people.Though he has been gone for over 40 years, the Adirondacks still occupy a big part of his memory and personality. In OF PIGS AND METEORITES, Dorchak recounts some of the stories that made up his formative years, with humor, introspection, a lot of snark and a little bit of humanity.

In this fascinating memoir, Woods traces his 60-year odyssey in journalism, a career that included witnessing the bomb-shattered wartime devastation in Britain during which he placed a saucepan on his head to escape bomb damage, and the aftermath of much of the obliteration of German cities in World War II. Poet Robert Frost described the road not taken as one of good and bad choices that have a lasting bearing on one's future life and career. Woods shares about his choices and historical surroundings, and the literary and other characters he has encountered along the way. He also tells the harrowing story of the illness and death of his 19-year-old son.Woods writes with a journalist's perceptive ear and eye and always with a crusading sense of protecting good English from such potentially dangerous excrescences as dangling participles and abstract nouns. He not only has a passion for language but also for extracting the maximum in musings from the many interview subjects he has met. The Road Not Taken is a captivating account of Woods' incredible life and career.