4 out of 4 stars
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Burn Zones: Playing Life's Bad Hands by Jorge P. Newberry is an insightful autobiography that reads like a novel. Newberry tells his story which begins as a young, creative and determined child who starts his career as a paperboy and works his way up to a successful entrepreneur.
I found myself in immediate awe of the author. His personality is clearly illustrated as he tells the story of his time as a paperboy and ice cream salesman. He has an innate drive to succeed that is really inspirational. He also includes details of his family life , this brought a real intimacy to the story. I think this also grounded him and helped him maintain a good nature in this cruel environment.
Eventually he achieves an impressive real estate portfolio. The story of how he achieved this is also stimulating and somewhat instructional to the reader. Unfortunately, a natural disaster occurs that severely affects his business. He finds himself in devastating financial loss and in a 25 million dollar debt.
He explains that a burn zone is a cycling term - a point in the course that is exceptionally taxing, but requires a clear mind, determination and maximal effort. He relates this jargon to real life. And while his burn zone was within his professional life, readers can relate it to any calamity or personal struggle.
He deserves credit for maintaining grace and determination through the burn zones. As a young adult I fear the temptations of entering the working world. Thus it is encouraging to read that it is possible to maintain your values and ethics - especially during a burn zone, when you are probably most vulnerable.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were events and details that leave a bad impression or feelings of anger and frustration. However, it does not fault the book, because this is the way of life - it's realistic.
What I liked most about the book is that the author is aware of his strengths and weaknesses, thus it is a complete reflection of his journey and serves as a form of advice. He also includes images, which brings even more authenticity to his story.
I recommend this book to young adults, teenagers and people who are looking to enter and understand the entrepreneurial field. However, its not only for business-minded folk. It's realistic, inspirational and relatable.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it was easy to read and applicable to many audiences and experiences.
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Burn Zones
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