Review of The World I've Lived In

[Christabel Uzoamaka]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The World I've Lived In" by Janice Merle Garside.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Janice Merle Garside was not kidding when she said that her book, The World I’ve Lived In, is not one you read like a regular novel. Every poem, indeed, needed some time to sink in. This book is a non-fiction book that contains thoughts of the writer, including her spiritual lessons, her life’s journey, and personal stories, as rhyming poems. Garside has lived 90 long, fulfilled years as so many things, including a stable hand, dog trainer, cosmetician, concierge, police officer, cat mommy, wife, daughter, sister, and so much more. The World I’ve Lived In offers the author’s view on life, her happy moments, her sad moments, and some things in between, including commercials, the government, and animals!

The author is filled with wisdom, and I could feel her wisdom seep through almost every page in this book. I loved that the author talked about many different things. I loved the stories of how she rescued animals. But more than stories of her caring nature, the author also shared her pain and grief, which allowed me to make a deep connection with her. Reading this book, it was as if the author, herself, was talking to me in person. The book started with poems that are insightful and spirit-filled, and those poems are sure to move anyone who has resolved to be on a path of healing and divinity.

Then came Jan’s Diary, which told of the author’s experiences. I appreciated that Garside did not focus on mundane details that would bore a reader. The author explained her experiences in a meaningful manner that kept me enthralled and eager to learn from her. The author also introduced to me that death may be to humans as becoming a butterfly is to caterpillars, nothing to be feared at all. I must say that I learned a great deal. However, I found myself wanting a bit more detail about the author’s life, especially when she introduced Don; I wanted to know what happened between them.

The peace I felt while reading the poems is indescribable, but I was also thoroughly entertained. All the poems in this book have rhyme and some rhythm. I cannot imagine the skill that the author applied to pull this feat off. The rhymes allowed me to make a beat for each poem, increasing my enjoyment of them. In terms of rhyming, my favorite poem was Easter, and I took to singing it like a song. If you are on a quest for healing and redefining peace, this book will be a balm to your heart. If you just like insightful poems about life and the wisdom an elder can give, you will love this book.

The author is a devout Christian. Her poems mention Jesus a lot, and some contain Bible verses, which I did not mind, especially since she emphasizes peace and goodness, but readers who think differently may not like this. Garside also loves animals deeply. Towards the ending of the book, she dedicates many poems to animals she has encountered in her lifetime, including raccoons, ducks, dolphins, a whale, and others. If you are not passionate about animals, those poems may make you impatient. I did not count any errors because poetry is a genre with entirely different rules. Nonetheless, all of the poems in this book make sense easily. Having not found anything to dislike about this book, I rate it 4 out of 4.

******
The World I've Lived In
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Eddy E]

I'm naturally not a fan of memoirs but this sounds very sweet. Considering the age of the author, I would like to tap into the experience

[Eluan Robert]

I'm usually not a fan of poems, but since this is an inspirational book I think I would enjoy reading it. I hope to gain a lot of understanding from reading this

[Ellie Acheson]

This book sounds fascinating. It's not often you get to hear from someone who has lived for so long, so reading about her various experiences in poetry form must be unique. As an animal lover too, I bet I would like this.

[DTamara]

How heartwarming, reminds me a little bit of the last book I reviewed, The Caretaker. The incredible poems, the wisdom, the sweetness of the author's character, love of nature and animals, and general goodness. I will be sure to add it to my list, nice review

[Tarie07]

I haven't come across a poetry book that is a bit biblical, hence I find this book interesting. I might enjoy reading it. Thanks for the review.