I don’t normally do book reviews, but I want to say a few words about this book and its authors. Mary Akers is the first person I interviewed for the Writer Profile Project back in March of 2007. As my guinea pig, she was very graceful and forgiving of my newbie awkwardness. It was great working with her. Andrew was lucky to have such a partner! And from what I hear, Mary was equally as lucky in meeting Andrew. Together, they turned this project into a beautiful book that I, for one, will return to again and again.

At the time of the interview, the book, then called “Beyond Self-Help: Lessons from Siberia,” was being shopped to publishers. Less than a year later, the book was published and available for purchase. Whew! That seems quick, doesn’t it? That must have been a hell of a year. Good for them! This won’t be the last time you see Mary and Andrew as co-authors either. In this interview with Clifford Garstang, Mary reveals that they are working on a second book about aging gracefully. And of course, Mary is still writing fiction.

But let’s talk about Radical Gratitude, shall we? I don’t normally go for work that is even remotely self-helpish or religious in theme, but this book reads differently. Not only is a story being told in between the lessons, but the lessons themselves are unpretentious and, well, downright moving. Every lesson, from Radical Gratitude to Love Heals, is a terrific reminder on how to live thoughtfully and healthily. One of my favorite passages is about mindfulness:

“It also takes courage to be in the present moment. So much of what we do involves ‘futurising’ our time. Where will I go on my next vacation? What will I make for dinner? What should I do with my life?” These are important considerations, but we must be careful not to spend all of our time thinking about what is yet to come. The future will always be uncertain, but the ‘now’ of our lives iscertain. It is here and now. We are in it…”

As the passage goes on to say, this notion of appreciating the now is known in eastern philosophies as mindfulness. As a person who inherited a “restless” gene, this is great reminder for me. When that restlessness hits, I’m cranky. Everything annoys me (because I’m annoying me) and nothing that I’m presently doing makes me happy. When I slow down and appreciate what I have and what I’m able to do, I’m truly content and relaxed. So, when I hit a restless streak, I’m going to pull out Radical Gratitude and remind myself to quit being a whiner, because as the book says: “…if you are in a position to take things for granted, you are already blessed beyond your needs.” And coming from Andrew Bienkowski, who, as a young child endured several years of banishment in Siberia, who knows first-hand what it means to suffer severely, I will listen. He’s not preaching what he’s been instructed of him. He’s sharing what he knows personally.

On the subject of religion. I’m the person who sees the word God or Bible, and runs in the opposite direction. Am I an atheist? Not necessarily. I just don’t subscribe to any religion, philosophy, or definition, and I don’t appreciate it when others try and sell me their brand. What’s great about this book is it doesn’t force a viewpoint on you. Yes, religion and spirituality play a role. In the story of Andrew’s family, their life is what it is, without apology or evasion. Andrew’s grandmother had a strong belief in Catholicism. We learn about her beliefs without being asked to adhere to them, or told they are the correct beliefs to have. In the lessons, spirituality, or faith, is present, but for the most part, it’s inconspicuous. When it does come in to play, the authors leave the meaning of the terms up to the reader.

This is not a book for the religiously minded. It is a book for the human race.

Purchase Radical Gratitue.