Review by Alya17 -- The Mindset by Ace Bowers

[Alya17]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Mindset: My Journey from Janitor to Silicon Valley Millionaire in Five Years by Ace Bowers is Mr Bowers’ account of his life as he endures numerous obstacles to eventually overcoming them and achieving great success.

Going into this memoir, I expected a rags to riches story. The title suggests that the focus will be placed on Mr Bowers' five-year journey toward becoming a millionaire. However, I was pleasantly surprised that Mr Bowers' rise in Silicon Valley was confined to one chapter or minor parts in others. Readers expecting to gain some inside knowledge about becoming a millionaire may be disappointed since more time is spent on his entire life and not just the titular five-year period.

Mr Bowers’ story is not told linearly, which I appreciated. It gives an accurate picture of what life is like. The memoir does not start with Mr Bowers being a janitor and end with him becoming a millionaire and achieving a picture-perfect family. The chapters of the book either correspond to an event in Mr Bowers' life or one of the people he credits with helping him to overcome a major challenge. Very early on he describes the arrival of his son Noah and then closer to the middle discusses his rise in Silicon Valley only to delve back into his past to describe the relationship with his brother.

Each chapter is also told in a raw, honest way. The first chapter was especially difficult to read. I could feel the shame, isolation, and hurt Mr Bowers felt growing up in an environment prevalent with strife and turmoil. The writing is very conversational and the use of italics throughout add meaning and depth to events and experiences. In some cases, when discussing a traumatic event in his life, the writing begins in the past tense and then sometimes switches to present tense, almost as if Mr Bowers is reliving the moment. The writing also refrains from being too prescriptive or solely about giving advice; Mr Bowers is simply telling his story while leaving it up to readers to learn what they can from his experiences.

Overall, I would give this four out of four stars. It is recommended reading, especially for young boys growing up in difficult situations at home. The emphasis given to hard work and overcoming negative cycles in family life was truly inspiring and should be shared with students and young adults alike.

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The Mindset
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