Breaking Night by Liz Murray

Author Liz Murray is an amazing individual - emerging from extreme poverty and a situation most would consider hopeless, she has pulled herself up and out of a vicious cycle into a life meaningful not only to her, but to countless others worldwide.

Her story was first told via the Lifetime movie, "Homeless to Harvard," so the reader may already have a general idea of what she has endured in her young life. However, the book takes a much more in-depth look at the numerous issues Liz and her sister Lisa dealt with as children and young adults. The book is stuffed full of just about any dysfunction a person can think of - drug abuse, homelessness, child molestation, etc. - and is very difficult to read much of the time, especially when you consider that you are reading about a child that is going through all of these things.

Ultimately (and obviously) Liz breaks free from the restraints that have been placed upon her, goes back to high school and is accepted into Harvard. The rest, they say, is history. In Liz Murray's case however, it is history in the making. This is an inspirational story of forgivesness, strength, survival and overcoming. Stick with this one, it is worth the while!

I Shall Not Hate by Izzeldin Abuilaish

"Our politicians bicker about who said what and who will recognize whom and then change their minds when a new slate of officials is eleted. All this while babies die from malnutrition, mothers bleed to death in childbirth, and an old lady with cancer is held up at the Erez Crossing because someone is trying to teach someone else a lesson." (126)

Izzeldin Abuelaish's memoir is passionately written but dense, especially for someone like me, who is not deeply educated in the conflicts between Palestine and Israel. Abuelaish makes a sincere effort to educate the reader on issues of Israeli-Palestinian conflict but comes off dry and mainly informative at times.

More specifically, though, he writes about the plight of the people living in the Gaza Strip. People who do not have access to running water every day, enough food to feed their families, adequate medical care or even the freedom to leave the strip of their own accord. He uses his own family as an example of the suffering, most notably through the description of the deaths of his three daughters and niece from an Israeli bombing.

Through his explanation of life and events in the Gaza Strip, he does make the human aspect of the issue shine despite the slow political explanations, which, I think, is the main point of the book. His plight does not have so much to do with the religious or political issues but the human aspect asserting that we are all, innately, the same...human. We all, at our core, have the same wants, needs, and desires and should treat one another with this understanding and respect. Hate and revenge only beget more hate and revenge and accomplish nothing aside from tearing families apart and hurting people.

"Judging others without knowing anything about them is what causes tension, apprehension, distrust, and prejudice. This is a big mistake. We need to be open-minded enough to want to get to know each other...By knowing one another on a personal level, we can begin to respect each other's differences, but more important, we can begin to see how truly similar we are." (229)

House of Prayer No. 2

Mark Richard gives us a thoughtful and provoking gaze into his spiritual awakening in his memoir, House of Prayer No. 2.

Born with a physical ailment in his hips, Richard is operated on and bedridden frequently during childhood, only to be told that he will be wheelchair-bound by the age of 30. Written in second person, you immediately feel as withdrawn and disconnected with the people around him as Richard does growing as a "special" child in the South.

In the book, Richard takes us along on his life journey while he experiences the horrors of the Children's Hospital he is operated in and dabbles in a multitude of occupations on his way to becoming a writer and, lastly, finding God. We are with him as he searches for meaning in his life as a deckhand, photographer and journalist (along with a slew of other jobs). We travel with him as he stands up to his abusive father in protection of his mother and sister. And we celebrate with him as he achieves his dream of becoming a writer, builds a life with his wife and sons, and achieves some spiritual clarity, realizing his call in life.

Oddly enough, the second person writing that makes us feel so disconnected in the beginning of the book ends up making us feel the complete opposite by the end of the book. As Richard finds more clarity and meaning in his life, it seems we, as the readers, develop a closeness with the meaningful people and events in his life. Richard's writing is warm in some places and witty in others, making the overall experience of reading his life an enjoyable one.

The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World.

When three friends who are up-and-coming young professionals in New York City wonder if the corporate fast lane is all it's cracked up to be, they decide there is only one way to find out. Leaving their jobs, their boyfriends and their lives behind, Holly, Amanda and Jen embark on a year-long adventure around the world.

After carefully researching and budgeting, the women begin their quest in South America. From there, they head to various locations in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Some aspects of the trip have been pre-arranged, such as relief work in Africa or studying at an ashram in India, but in between, the women leave themselves open to itinerary changes in an effort to broaden their experiences as much as possible.

As an armchair traveler, I loved reading about the different locations and cultures that the friends visited. Each of the women have a background in journalism, so they each took turns writing their experiences - although I did not really relate personally with any of the authors, the different perspectives were really interesting. This book is both a fascinating travelogue and a study in friendship.

All Over the Map by Laura Fraser

Wow, I can see by the topic of books I've been reading that I am due for a vacation! My latest is titled, All Over the Map, written by Laura Fraser. She authored an earlier book called, An Italian Affair, which I would recommend reading prior to this one, but it's certainly not mandatory. In the earlier book, Fraser details her post-divorce relationship with a Paris professor, providing the reader a window into her broken heart and slowly-healing self image. It is a lovely little book.

Her latest autobiographical tale begins as she awaits the professor's company in Mexico on yet another romantic travel adventure. When he arrives, he shares some news with her that will end their relationship as she knows it. She leaves Mexico with renewed determination to find love, companionship and security. She undertakes this new mission the only way she knows how - by succumbing to her desire to travel, explore new places and meet new people.

It is on one of these adventures that she unexpectedly becomes a victim - something that shatters her confidence and steals the magic of travel from her. Will she ever be able to recover her love of travel and the nerve to wander on her own? Will she find the love and/or home she is searching for? Fraser is a gifted writer with a wonderful sense of humor. This book is great for any one who seeks love, adventure, and dreams of far off places. Think Eat, Pray, Love but way less self-absorption. Also check out Fraser's website at: http://www.laurafraser.com/