3 out of 4 stars
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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This seems to be Jorge’s motto throughout his life. After becoming a paperboy at just seven years old (and delivering competing papers at the same time, because he could earn double), he showed a level of ingenuity and determination beyond his years. He had created his first business by eleven. By sixteen, he was a high school dropout pursuing his dreams.
Burn Zones: Playing Life’s Bad Hands by Jorge P. Newbery is an inspirational autobiography that shares the tales of the many lemons life has given Newbery. From paperboy to CEO, Jorge builds himself up just to get knocked down again (both financially and emotionally). Through all of his trials and tribulations, he manages to hold his head high and keep a positive attitude. In this rags-to-riches (and back again) story, Newbery proves that with great ambition and determination, we can accomplish even the most seemingly impossible tasks.
This well-edited book was a breath of fresh air. I had found only one error throughout the entire novel. The author’s writing style and vivid descriptions had me chuckling at times and feeling sorry for him at others. His words flowed flawlessly across the pages as he let us into the stories of his life. I was impressed at the level of determination he had at such a young age and it continued through adulthood. Newbery shared with us the good, the bad, and the ugly. His successes and failures (although in the extreme) made him feel human and relatable. I especially loved how, sprinkled throughout the book, his father called him “Jorgie” (much to Jorge’s disdain). He finally gave up correcting his father when he reached his thirties, which I found comical! It was cute to see this quirk in their relationship.
Although I truly enjoyed this book, there were a few sections that seemed to drag on a bit. Newbery enjoyed bicycle racing and it consumed his life for a while. I just wish it hadn’t consumed so much of his book! Another section detailed his biggest failure and, although I felt sorry for him, I became bored with the constant referencing to this incident. I also thought there were a couple of chapters that seemed random and out of place.
I would rate Burn Zones a strong 3 out of 4 stars. Jorge Newbery’s book was truly an inspiration. The dedication he displayed at such a young age, and through adulthood, was astounding. I thoroughly enjoyed his writing style and storytelling abilities. I would have been inclined to give this book a perfect rating if he hadn’t focused so much on his racing days, wasn’t constantly referring back to his biggest failure, and removed the few chapters that seemed random and out of place.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of inspirational autobiographies and entrepreneurs looking for a rags-to-riches success story. Those who do not enjoy autobiographies or memoirs would not enjoy this book.
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Burn Zones
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