Official Review: Why Can't I Be Happy? by Dr. Jamila Khan

AntonelaMaria · Post by **AntonelaMaria** » 06 Dec 2020, 12:25

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Why Can't I Be Happy?" by Dr. Jamila Khan.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Why Can’t I Be Happy?: From Self-Hate to Self-Love is a nonfiction book by Dr. Jamila Khan. It is a memoir about one woman’s journey with battling depression, PTSD and overcoming past trauma.

In this book, which can be a self-help book, we follow Jamila Khan. She is an American doctor of psychology with an emphasis on pastoral care. Diving deep into her personal life, she shares some of the most vulnerable moments of her life. Moving from Trinidad and Tobago to the USA as a ten-year-old brought a cultural shock and change to her entire family. The life of an immigrant is hard on its own, however, paired with the physical abuse she suffered from her father alienated her more from society and family. The author shares happy moments from her childhood and becoming a mother. Yet, there is a lot of self-hate and disappointment in her divorce and abuse by her father.

Positivism and inspirations are something I always welcome in reading a self-help book. I loved the lessons the author emphasizes in her life. This book is not preachy but thought-provoking. It will motivate you to love your life and take back your power. Notwithstanding all the issues we have, all inner work begins with self-love. It is an important reminder. That is my takeaway from reading this book.

“I’ve grown to see trust, not as something we break or lose. I now see trust as the power to know yourself and to know you can take care of yourself.“

Despite being a quick read, this publication packs an emotional punch. Hard-hitting moments are abundant in this book. Readers should know some triggers I feel the need to mention without spoiling the narrative. There is a mention of suicide, physical abuse, grief, infidelity, and depression.

Why am I not happy? What is wrong with me? If that is the question you ever asked yourself, then this is a must-read for you. It is an influential book to give anyone a perspective on their own life. If you feel like your life is in a rut, and you need to feel inspired, reading this would be a brilliant start. I would recommend it to readers interested in survivor stories and books about overcoming hurdles life throws at you. Furthermore, it is a perfect read for nonfiction readers. There is a lot of talk about religion throughout the book. If that is something you don’t care about, then skip reading this. Otherwise, I would recommend it to all religious groups. However, because of the subject of this work, I wouldn’t recommend it to a younger audience. There are only mild profanities and no explicit scenes in this book.

There is nothing I disliked about this book. I didn’t notice any grammatical errors. Flawless and exceptional editing are transparent in this publication. For that reason, and the overall importance of this story, I am pleased to rate it with a perfect four out of four stars.

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Why Can't I Be Happy?
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Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 08 Dec 2020, 15:37

This sounds like an inspirational book in which the author is completely transparent about her experience battling mental illness. I commend the author for writing such an in-depth book. Thanks for the engaging review.

Silpi B · Post by **Silpi B** » 08 Dec 2020, 22:00

This sounds so inspirational. I would love to read this book soon. These topics need to be talked about more. That's a lovely review.

Jennifer Aldo · Post by **Jennifer Aldo** » 08 Dec 2020, 22:40

Experiencing parts of the author's life via this nonfiction book would be inspiring and provide some sort of self encouragement to people suffering from PTSD. Thanks for the review.