Monday, February 11, 2013

The Book of Why by Nicholas Montemarano

The Book of Why by Nicholas Montemarano

I recently decided it was time to read The Book of Why again.  A variety of changes in my life recently must have bee the trigger.  I retired, some health scares, a new puppy who I love but is driving me crazy just to name a few things.  I loved the story even more the second time around.  So I'm posting my review once again.

I got The Book of Why as an advanced reading copy.  When I started reading it I honestly thought it was a self help book.  It wasn't until I went to Amazon to see what other reviewers thought did I realize it was a novel.  Sounds stupid, doesn't it?  Let me explain.

The Book of Why is the story of Eric Newborn, an author of self help books.  The story starts out when a stranger comes to town, looking for him, a man who no longer wants to be found.  Living in an area without street signs aids in his deception.  When he takes the stranger, Sam, a woman, out to search for the famous author, the car slides wildly out of control on the snowy, icy roads.

The book he has written is titled There Are No Accidents.  The accident sets the stage for Eric to return to a life of helping others.   A life he has given up on.  He calls himself the man he doesn't recognize.  Yet so many people continue to reach out to tell him how much his book has helped them.  Yet he struggles to find the same comfort in his own life.

I found so many thought provoking moments in this book.  And one struck me deeply.  He and his wife are deeply in love.  She is dying.  He decides he will never leave her side, always touching her warm, soft skin.  And then the dog needs to be walked, meals to be cooked, bills to be paid.  It's the same thing that happens to all of us.  Life.  

Maybe it was the way the story was written, or the perfect combination of words, in a precise order that were meant for me at that one special moment. Or maybe the stars and planets were aligned. Instead of a book full of bullet points and daily exercises, something deep and meaningful occurred. Everything happens for a reason. There are no accidents.

The Book of Why is written softly, gently, mirroring every person's life.  Ordinary things, in an ordinary day that keep us from our full potential. But they also are the lessons that send us soaring to new heights.  



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