Review by ReyvrexQuestor Reyes -- The Mindset by Ace Bowers

[ReyvrexQuestor Reyes]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Mindset" by Ace Bowers.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Ace Bowers started from humble beginnings — or rather, shameful and embarrassing beginnings. At school, he was careful not to bring attention to his personal life — he was ashamed of their poverty and embarrassed by his family’s conduct. He always made friends easily, and they sometimes invited him to their homes, but he was always in a quandary to have friends invited to his home, as his parents had invariably fought unabashedly after drinking. Additionally, his older brother was also a drunkard, though not much of a worry, for this brother was in prison most of the time.

In his book, The Mindset: My Journey From Janitor to Silicon Valley Millionaire in Five Years, Bowers recounted how he managed to break the cycle of poverty that afflicted his family. To have this done, he ventured away from home and pursued the American Dream, without a college education, or skills to land a job. He landed one big catch, however, a girl named Yuka. After marrying Yuka — the love of his life who gave him a son — he developed a determination and a motivation whereby he adapted to a state of mind, which he referred to as the “overcomer’s mindset.” And in his own words: “A great deal of willpower, persistence, and fortitude was involved—and of course, a helping hand from the man upstairs.”

The Mindset: My Journey From Janitor to Silicon Valley Millionaire in Five Years by Ace Bowers is a memoir or an autobiography. Herein, Bowers bared his “millionaire moves” for posterity, and then relived moments with his childhood friends. A chapter was devoted to his wife, while Chapters 9 and 10, by the author’s admission, tended to reach out to his parents, to release and let go “bottled up memories of ‘the good, the bad, and the ugly’ unto paper.” Moreover, he aimed to also help others liberate themselves; inspire them to get rid of the oppressive burden that they might be carrying around like he used to.

I liked the way Bower guided us through to his perspectives. For instance, he implied in the title that there was no procedural regimen to be followed as in a “how-to” book. Instead, he declared a statement of fact, a testimonial to his experiences. Nevertheless, we ought to profit from the wisdom of his actions and decisions, that though he faltered, he made the effort to correct them. Or else, we might have to sympathize with Bower; his unlucky streak hounded him even in adult life. At twenty-eight, he still can’t do anything right; he aimed to earn just enough to provide a better life for his family, but he overshoots and became a multi-millionaire instead.

I noted the nice-flowing narrative, free of errors, and the humble and sincere admission of shortcomings in the life of the author. If the intention is to uplift the spirits of those who also felt depressed due to the curveballs they received in life, this piece did a home run. And at least, the book did not preach but exemplified its message by playing out the experiences of the author in all its ups and downs. One recurring message conveyed was that the family had been provided to us without our choice. It could be a burden or a blessing, depending on what role it played in our lives.

This book is an inspiring read for young adults and those looking for memoirs and life stories. And I declare The Mindset: My Journey From Janitor to Silicon Valley Millionaire in Five Years deserves the perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars.

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The Mindset
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