4 out of 4 stars
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Being an admirer of the autobiography and memoir genres, The Transformation of a Lost Soul by Forrest J. Beverly immediately caught my attention. The reason I pick up memoirs is my eagerness to learn life lessons by reading about other people's lives. Trust me, The Transformation of a Lost Soul did not disappoint me in any way. To say that Forrest J. Beverly had a tough childhood would be an understatement of the century. He and his siblings received beatings from his drunken father on a daily basis. His father found his love for alcohol more important than feeding his family, who have been starving for many days. Being born during the days of extreme racism against black people, Forrest witnessed (and was subjected to) many cases of racism. However, instead of going on and on about the ways in which white people let him down, he has shared many incidents where white people went out of their ways to help him. This exhibits his golden heart that has not been stained by the stabs of racism that he received.
Although he did not know at the time, God was always walking with him. He met many loving and kind people throughout his life who pushed him towards a better future. Before you think that this book is all about his hardships, I must mention that he has dedicated a few chapters to some funny incidents that would make the readers of The Transformation of a Lost Soul giggle.
There are many valuable lessons to be extracted from his memoir. His mother, who did not get an opportunity to get an education, was full of wisdom. I found her words more enlightening than that of many educated people. My favorite one is,
So simple, yet so powerful! Forrest's life is a classic example of the importance of keep on moving even when the days are dark. Although his life has never been easy, he keeps his head held high and legs moving. I am fascinated by his determination and his helping nature. Wherever he found himself in a position to help someone, he offered a helping hand. One day he met a starving kid and introduced him to the manager of The Burger King. He paid the manager in advance and asked him to keep feeding the kid whenever the kid comes. In addition, he asked the manager to call him when the money that he has paid runs out so that he can pay him more.If God wanted you to talk more than He wanted you to listen, He would have given you two mouths instead of two ears.
He has mentioned many times that he is not an author and he never believed that he, of all people, would ever write a book. However, while reading his life journey, I could not, even for a minute, believe that he is not good with words. Read his words that emphasize the need of even the strongest person requiring some care, and tell me if you do not see his excellent hold on words.
"Even the strongest lion in the jungle has a little kitten inside of him longing for some attention."
In spite of the fact that he never believed in God, when he sat down to write his autobiography, he realized that God walked with him throughout his life. This realization is quite moving and I am sure that the readers of The Transformation of a Lost Soul would agree with me. When he closed his book by quoting a poem titled "Footprints in the sand," I was moved to tears.
As much as the author has revealed in this autobiography, I found myself longing to know more about his married life. Not that I want to intrude in all aspects of his personal life, as a reader, I was just curious to know.
Needless to say, I love this book and rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend The Transformation of a Lost Soul to the readers whose faith is shaken at the moment and who are looking for some words of inspiration. Nevertheless, the readers who simply wish to read an autobiography of a common man, like you and me, would find their thirst quenched by this book.
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The Transformation of a Lost Soul
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