Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Luke Kennedy, Gelding Street Press, $32.99.
Here’s a memoir about a journey that became much more than just a story; it’s a parable for elucidation.
Luke Kennedy shares his inspiring true story about how that fateful (and nearly fatal) trip to Thailand, which started in debauchery, but ended in enlightenment. This was after a Buddhist Monk forced him to confront his demons. The debaucherous trip became much more than just a good story, but a fundamental mindset shift and stepping stone towards a silent mind.
Kennedy was a man who walked on the very tough side of town. For eight years of his life, Luke was an obese alcoholic and drug addicted thug. Kennedy was trying to get his life together and reset his life, but ventured over to Thailand for one last hurrah. He partied hard, overdid it, and his path collided with prostitutes, drug dealers and violence.
This action-packed story is of a fight to escape violence, is an inspirational read and one that has been told from a virtually cleansing viewpoint, candid and absorbing. It is an interesting side note that when he was at his lowest point in Thailand he began to look back at his family, the influence they had on his early life, his childhood religious beliefs and their place in his life. The realisation then was of family being one of the most important aspects of his life.
A well-written, gripping story of a fight to escape violence and learning to face fears, this is a stirring chronicle of one man’s journey that changed his life forever.
As a public speaker, Kennedy uses his personal story to motivate deep, lasting change and self-awareness for a wide range of audiences.
