New Life, No Instructions by Gail Caldwell

A new memoir from this Pulitzer Prize winning author. This one speaks about her contracting polio at an early age and living with the after affects of the disease for most of her life.

This was  not the first time I have read anything by this author. I have also read Let's Take the Long Way Home which was published in 2010.  However, this time I was blown away by her verbiage and her innate ability to convey exactly whatever she was feeling at any particular time.  Her descriptions are so well presented that one can really step into her shoes and walk the path with her.

She speaks about her relationship with dogs and how they have stretched her life by the nature of their being. She introduces us to her friends in a way that makes us want to know them too.  She also talks about her mother and the special relationship that they shared.

One of the best things about this book, in my opinion, is the author's resiliency.  She was a baby who crawled for a long time before she walked.  She often fell down but picked herself up and tried again.  She suffered excruciating pain for a long period of time but kept on moving forward.  She never gave up.  One of my favorite lines in the book is  "strength is how you keep yourself from falling".  I believe this is true be it emotional, physical or mental.

Thank you Ms. Caldwell for having the courage to share your inmost thoughts.  They are both inspiring and emboldening.

Ladybookbug!