Review by Twisted_Smilez -- Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Havi...

[Twisted_Smilez]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Having a Bad Life" by Lewis Kempfer.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I have to admit that upon reading the first couple paragraphs of this book, I thought that I would be subjected to one of the many tales about how a person who was not on the greatest path towards a fulfilled life, found God and thus turned his life around for the better. It may sound amusing but what compelled me to give this book the benefit of the doubt, was its title: Don’t Mind Me, I’m Just Having a Bad Life, written by Lewis Kempfer. The story did not disappoint. His story is by far, not the easiest to read. Throughout reading, there are moments where readers will continuously ask themselves “What more does this guy possibly go through?”, making each person literally weary to continue onto the next page.

The story begins giving readers insight of the life of the sweetest little boy with the saddest encounters. Whereas a child’s memory should be filled with remembrances of happy moments, exciting times and fond memories, this little boy endures trauma, after trauma, after trauma. Each traumatic moment, robbing little pieces of his innocence while damaging his self-esteem. He and his mother were victims of his father’s verbal and physical abuse. This man’s distaste for his own flesh and blood, went as far as intending to sexually abuse and drown his own son. Eventually, his father walks out on the family but that doesn’t save Lewis (Denny) from the sexual abuse of others that he has nearby. This, all paving way to a greatly disturbing childhood, rough teenage years and an adulthood that is completely off the rails.

Obviously, this book isn’t for those faint of heart. The language used to describe situations is both explicit and derogatory. It’s a story that is surrounded by many serious, uncomfortable and disturbing topics including but not limited to: Bullying, physical abuse, emotional abuse, depression, sex, fetishes and addiction. Not everyone is exposed to things such as drugs and addiction. Therefore, I appreciated the author's attention to detail and snippets of information when elaborating on drug usage. By providing such information, readers have a bigger understanding of what the drugs consisted of and the negative effects that intoxicating himself had on his mind and body.

After many close encounters with death and destruction through his own self sabotage and codependency, Kempfer truly believes that he is alive due to the will of God. He views such belief with a sense of humility and takes responsibility for his own choices and actions. I only wish that for as much as he demeaned himself, he equally would have expressed validation for his achievements, as small as he might have seen them. I did find humor in his uses of sarcasm; it was a nice detail to add to lighten the mood.

I am glad that I didn’t overlook this book. It is very relatable and a reminder that all people are only human and yet, can overcome the darkest of times. Therefore, I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It is commendable that the author was brave enough to be as vulnerable as he was and publish his story for others to read. I love that he used such honesty about past, present and future. The book is also very well written and does not contain any spelling or grammatical errors.

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Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Having a Bad Life
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[Manang Muyang]

It is always inspiring to read about people who turn their troubles to triumphs. I hope the author keeps winning, and believing.

[Maria Esposito]

It took a lot of courage for the author to publish this book, since it seems to be about the most vulnerable parts of his life. Your review did the book justice, thank you for that.

[Hazel Arnaiz]

Providing information about drug use is helpful in raising awareness particularly the harmful effects. Thank you so much for the comprehensive review!