Sally Cronin has opened up her Christmas Book Fair and I was thrilled to see my book featured today – P.S. I Forgive You, along with other greats reads by Pete Springer and Cheryl Oreglia.
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Welcome to the Christmas Book Fair where I will be sharing books by my recommended authors that I believe would make great gifts. If you are gifting someone a Kindle this year it would be a great idea to stock it up with some great books to be enjoyed.
Memoirs are written from the heart and when you reach a certain point in your life you find reading about another person’s life, challenges, loss, loves is reminder of how many such events we all experience. Whilst they can be heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking, they also inspire and are a celebration of the human spirit.
The first memoir in this post is P.S. I Forgive You by D.G. Kaye. Debby is not only a contributor to Smorgasbord, but also supports so many other authors and bloggers every day by sharing them on social media, reviewing their books and sharing her understanding of relationships, the spiritual world, life and loss. This book focuses on one of the relationships that is so important to us all… with our mothers.
About the book
“I hurt for her. She wasn’t much of a mother, but she was still my mother.”
Confronted with resurfacing feelings of guilt, D.G. Kaye is tormented by her decision to remain estranged from her dying emotionally abusive mother after resolving to banish her years ago, an event she has shared in her book Conflicted Hearts. In P.S. I Forgive You, Kaye takes us on a compelling heartfelt journey as she seeks to understand the roots of her mother’s narcissism, let go of past hurts, and find forgiveness for both her mother and herself.
After struggling for decades to break free, Kaye has severed the unhealthy ties that bound her to her dominating mother—but now Kaye battles new confliction, as the guilt she harbors over her decision only increases as the end of her mother’s life draws near. Kaye once again struggles with her conscience and her feelings of being obligated to return to a painful past she thought she left behind.
One of the reviews for the book
Balroop Singh 5.0 out of 5 stars An eye-opener… This book is for all Parents! Reviewed in the United States
Why forgive? Isn’t it extremely hard to do so? This question reverberates around me even after reading the most poignant account of D.G. Kaye who had nobody to turn to for love, care and affection.
When a child’s mother is selfish and self-centered, when she blames and threatens her own daughter, when emotional abuse almost breaks the spirit of a girl who tries her best to please her mother, forgiveness is a far cry.
Forgiveness is the most intransigent emotion, the most hurting feeling, rekindling the sensation of being victimized; highlighting the supremacy and the arrogance of our perpetrator yet Kaye emerges resilient, responsible, benevolent and at peace after she decides to let go all the grief that had eaten into the best hours of her life.
‘P.S. I Forgive You’ is the story of every child who is deprived of a loving childhood due to insensitive parenting. It could inspire a thousand mothers to be emotionally present, to be more understanding and loving and pay attention to the little concerns of their children.
My heart missed a beat when I read how Kaye is torn between guilt and duty to go and see her dying mother and decides to go to her father’s grave “to speak to my dad about current goings on in my life and update him on family matters,” she confides.
“I feel lifeless, I miss you, mama. I miss everything I didn’t have from you. Still I am sorry. I forgive you.”…That sums up the distressing memories of the author whose grief and guilt merge into each other at the death of her mother.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
Books by D.G. Kaye
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Read all the reviews and buy the books and find out more about D.G. Kaye: Amazon US – and: Amazon UK – follow Debby: Goodreads – Blog: D.G. Kaye Writer – Twitter: @pokercubster – Linkedin: D.G. Kaye – Facebook: D.G. Kaye – Podcast: YouTube – All Links: Linktree
Another book that I found I could relate to and also found highly entertaining is Grow Damn It! by Cheryl Oreglia. Cheryl is also inspiring outside of her writing as she accepts the challenges to explore the world in rather a unique way… on the back of a tandem and you will find many entertaining posts on her blog about her adventures, life in general and getting the most out of life..
About the book
Grow Damn It! is a captivating work by Cheryl Oreglia, who uses uncommon honesty and arresting humor to draw you into her cantankerous life, forty-year marriage, and revolving empty nest. She claims the space between past and future is where our potential is created or destroyed.
If you don’t like where your life is going, dig deeper, and write a new story. By weeding out the things that clutter her life, she invites you into a refreshing space with some of her most popular posts from her beloved blog Living in the Gap.
She surrounds herself with a gaggle of intriguing friends, along with a large and rambunctious family who challenge both her and the reader to live fully in an ever-changing world. Her provocative writing dares us to confront our lives not only with optimism, but courage, and uproarious laughter. Oreglia uses her experience to explore what matters most in life… the degree to which we love and are loved.
One of the reviews for the book
D.L. Finn 5.0 out of 5 stars A book that deserves to be read more than once. Reviewed in the United States
“Grow Damn It!” is an insightful and often humorous collection of essays that blend into an amazing memoir. It was like I was sitting with an old friend having a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and Ms. Oreglia was sharing life stories with some lessons weaved into them. Subjects varied, some light and some not, like the drive to the hospital after her son was in a car accident.
There was an adventure on a tandem bike, which intrigued me as I have always wanted to try it. I laughed at the silly comment they got over and over when they rode. Clear Lake, where they bought a second home, was beautifully captured. I spent a lot of time there as a child, and the essays made me re-live my memories.
I appreciated the love of family plus an enduring marriage. The raw honesty was welcomed because things aren’t perfect all the time, but love is always there. We all need to learn life lessons and live life to the fullest. This book captures living and reminds us that each day is a gift to enjoy and, on those certain days… survive. A book I felt on many levels. I highly recommend this collection. I know I will read it again and add it to my bookshelf.
Head over to buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
Connect with Cheryl read the reviews and buy the book – Amazon US – Amazon UK – – Blog: Cheryl Oreglia – Twitter: @CherylOreglia – Facebook: Chery Oreglia
There is an old saying:
“Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man.”
― Aristotle, The Philosophy of Aristotle
This memoir They Call Me Mom by Pete Springer is written following his over thirty years experience as a teacher. It is an interesting snapshot of the American education system, particularly the kindergarten and elementary school years. As Aristotle identified this is a key period in a child’s life and so important that the skills for learning and development are absorbed during these years.
About the book
Who Will You Inspire Today? Teachers face this challenge and responsibility each day, but in the process, the author discovers that his students can also have a profound influence on him. Pete Springer takes you on his memorable thirty-one-year journey in education as an elementary school teacher and offers the many valuable life and teaching lessons he learned along the way. Get ready to laugh out loud at some of the humorous and memorable experiences that all teachers face, feel inspired by the inherent goodness of children, and appreciate the importance of developing a sense of teamwork among the staff.
Learn valuable tips for working with children, parents, fellow staff members, and administrators. This book is ideal for young teachers, but also a reminder to all educators of the importance and responsibility of being a role model. This book is a must-read for all new teachers and those teachers that need a reminder they are human! Mr. Springer educates others in his easy-to-read, story-like, first-hand manuscript. You will laugh, cry, and get motivated to be the best educator you can. After reading this, I have a better outlook on relationships with my colleagues and am reminded to savor every moment. -Tami Beall (Principal, Pine Hill School)
One of the reviews for the book
Jacqui Murray VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars Teachers are friend, advisor, mentor, mom, and so much more Reviewed in the United States
Pete Springer’s memoir about his first years teaching is a delightful story for new teachers and will have experienced educators nodding along with him. His early experiences remind all of us of the joy inherent in teaching:
“This job required about as much brainpower as my tree planting experience.”
“This is the story of how I fell in love with teaching and the joys and challenges that this noble profession provided to me over the course of thirty-one years.”
He breaks the book into chapters every teacher will understand:
How did i get here
Setting up your classroom
Working with students
Working with colleagues
Working with your boss
Discipline
…and more. Aside from grading, parents, lunch duty, conferences, and yard duty, these are the biggest issues we teachers face. I’m a veteran teacher of thirty years and still I couldn’t wait to read Pete’s take on these timeless issues.
“Instead of saying, “Do everything my way, and you can become a successful teacher,” she was giving me her permission to find my way.”
“…storytelling was one of the most successful methods to get my students to pay attention.”
“…when we lose our calm, we are teaching them that it is okay to behave in this manner when something is not going right.”
Every new teacher will benefit from Pete’s daily experiences of what in the end results in a journey well traveled with more importance than most of us would car eto admit. Educational philosophies change. Favorite tools like iPads and Chromebooks change. What never changes is the fundamentals that Pete covers in this book:
“…tell the kids when I made similar mistakes growing up.”
“I do think that it is possible for parents or schools to provide too many rewards for kids.”
Overall an excellent book. If you’re a new teacher, I’d call this an essential read prior to your first day.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
Read the reviews, buy the book and discover more about Pete Springer: Amazon US – and:Amazon UK – Read more reviews:Goodreads – Website: Pete Springer WordPress – Twitter: @OfficerWoof
Please hop over to Sally’s original post and say hi.
Thank You Sally for all you do!
©DGKaye2023
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