Jackie Ewing
Life Lessons from a Late Bloomer - Vignettes of a Small-Town Girl
A fascinating journey of self-discovery, by author Jackie Ewing
Life Lessons from a Late Bloomer - Vignettes of a Small-Town Girl is an intimate memoir by Canadian author Jackie Ewing about her life, loves and adventures, from a small town to the big wide world. The book follows her journey from student to teacher, mother and wife; and across the globe as she travelled extensively from Canada to Kuwait, Mexico, London and beyond. Ewing talks about her experiences of teaching all over the world, her love of children and her passion and dedication to the profession. She recalls fond and funny memories of teaching ‘her kids’, and how even in the most challenging times, she attempted to bring joy into the classroom. She talks about many challenging situations throughout her life, including the breakup of her marriage, and a terrifying scare with breast cancer. All told with love, affection, and lots of humour. There are many wild and funny moments, including her first foray into a strip club, and an encounter with a wild bear while pregnant.
The book comprises ten chapters, each with a life lesson at the end of the chapter. The key life lessons are: Embrace yourself; Choose people who value you; Go the extra mile; Adapt and be flexible; Suck all the marrow out of life; Get down off that high horse; Bet on yourself; Just keep getting back up; What other people think of you is none of your business. For many of us, life can be tough, unforgiving, demanding and relentless, and these are wise lessons to live by. As a forty-something woman myself, I wished I had this advice twenty years ago!
Overall, this is a light-hearted, fun and inspiring self-help book, full of anecdotes and useful advice from a woman who has lived life well. Ewing writes with such honesty, warmth and humour, and it was a joy to read.
The book will appeal to readers who enjoy self help books, humorous fiction and women’s fiction.
Star rating: 5 Stars
Summary: A light-hearted, fun and inspiring self-help book. A joy to read and highly recommended.