4 out of 4 stars
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Looking back on your life, could you say "I would change nothing?" There are many decisions I'm happy with - my choice of spouse, for instance. But, I still have regrets. It makes me wonder how many of us are actually completely satisfied with the direction our lives have taken.
In Rethinking Possible: A Memoir of Resilience by Rebecca Faye Smith Galli, the author reflects on all that's happened in her past. She starts in her childhood with the untimely death of her brother and proceeds chronologically through her college years, to marriage, to children and beyond. Ms. Galli has experienced more than her fair share of suffering, but there are good memories as well. In this book she shares the good and bad equally, allowing her audience to experience the triumphs and trials as she does. Pictures of her and her family are also interspersed, and it was fun to be able to put a face to the names. This was even more enjoyable because they weren't all clumped together, but they appeared where appropriate in the book.
There was so much that I related to in this book. The author grows up in North Carolina, where I currently live. She mentions a hospital in Winston Salem, where my husband has been treated. One of her children is diagnosed with autism while I have a nephew with autism. You would be hard-pressed to find a situation that Ms. Galli doesn't have some experience with.
I enjoyed the author's realistic attitude. The author suffers through tough times, and she doesn't pretend that she was perfect throughout it all. She always comes out on the other side stronger for the experience; however, she can't always see the positive outcome during the testing. I could relate to all Ms. Galli went through even if I hadn't experienced it, and her experiences gave me hope that I could endure my suffering.
The book is so well written that I often forgot it was a memoir. The author has a way with words, and I found myself getting caught up in the events. It's rare that I say this about an autobiography, but I didn't want to put it down. I was engrossed in her life and wanted to find out how she handled each adversity life threw at her.
There is only a small amount of profanity in the book. Also, though there is a mention of faith and God, all religions should be comfortable reading this story. Even young adults could find solace in this book, but I especially recommend it to anyone facing any of the difficulties that Ms. Galli does. Still, anyone that enjoys reading a good story would appreciate this memoir.
All in all, there's literally nothing I can criticize in the book. There were only a few minor errors which did not take away from the message of the author. I admire her talent and her willingness to bare her life for us. Therefore, I rate Rethinking Possible 4 out of 4 stars. I hope many will read this book and have hope for their own future.
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Rethinking Possible
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