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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Determination" by Keith Buff.]

Determination by Keith Buff is a memoir centered around the author's experience with arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a disease that causes blood vessels to weaken and inevitably burst. The vast majority of people afflicted with this condition die, but with a great deal of support and sheer willpower, the author not only survived but continually tried to recover from this devastating event. Before this, the author lived a life of relative luxury. He was forced to re-evaluate his lifestyle afterward, leading to a mature and insightful view of the world around him.

Many memoirs fall apart not in their story but their writing style. Determination circumvents this with clear, down-to-earth language and a distinct authorial voice. For the most part, the chapters begin with some aspect of Keith's life before his injury, then compare it to how he experiences the same facet of his life after the AVM. This helps the narrative stay focused, without sacrificing any of the emotional weight of what Keith went through.

Judging from his writing, Keith is a genuine, kindhearted person. Despite his horrible injury and the long road to recovery he must endure, he still finds ways to stay hopeful and enjoy the life he was given. While there were those who abandoned him because of his condition, Keith focuses throughout the book on moving on from how this affected him and developing relationships with those who stuck with him. In the face of such incredible adversity, his drive to help others rather than tearing people down is absolutely stunning.

Above all else, what I loved most about this book was that Keith was so easy to relate to. His childhood seemed like a typical one, with its fair share of bumps and bruises as a result of various misadventures. He never seemed condescending towards the reader or bitter towards his situation, and when he does give advice, predominantly at the end of the book, it's clear that it comes from his own experiences and desire to help. While many authors of memoirs simply expect that you trust their opinions, Keith truly earns that trust.

I rate Determination 4 out of 4 stars. Its organization, writing style, and tone are impeccable, to say nothing of the incredible story that Keith has shared. There weren't a lot of religious overtones, which I appreciated, so this book wouldn't solely be enjoyed by those with a religious bent. I highly recommend this book to people with any interest in memoirs, especially those about recovery and finding hope in tragic situations.

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Determination
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Interesting. Many memoirs just don't have a very good flow to them, but this sounds like it's very well-written. I never tire of hearing stories where individuals overcome such devastating conditions. It really is encouraging to anyone facing something difficult in their life. Thanks so much for introducing this one to us!

Sounds very inspiring. I don't enjoy reading memoirs because they are usually choppy in the story line, but this one sounds like it flows well. Thanks for the great review!

I usually enjoy inspirational memoirs about overcoming personal challenges, and from your review, it sounds as though this one is well written. Thanks for the recommendation!

This sounds like a must read to me. I like stories such as this one when the individual rises up and turns the personal tragedy into something inspirational, blessing their live and those of many others. Thank you for the touching and thoughtful review of this memoir.

I'm totally with you on the observation that the downfall of many memoirs is the writing style - I love memoir as a genre, but often have a hard time getting past the writing. Hearing that this one is good makes me want to read it (adding to my bookshelves), thank you very much for the review.

The book is good it really caught my mind you know having determination is like going to the war front without a sword and a shield but will never give up on possibilities

I enjoyed your review very much. The author shows what a difference attitude can make, even in the most difficult of situations. Thanks for your high recommendation of this book.

Ah, this sounds like an amazing read. I'm usually a little skeptical when it comes to the memoir genre, but I'm definitely adding this book to my to-read list.

Thank you for the lovely review!

Thanks for reading the book and for the great summary.

It feels amazing to read such inspiring stories.

ViziVoir wrote: ↑15 Jul 2018, 17:08 He never seemed condescending towards the reader or bitter towards his situation, and when he does give advice, predominantly at the end of the book, it's clear that it comes from his own experiences and desire to help. While many authors of memoirs simply expect that you trust their opinions, Keith truly earns that trust.

I am sold on this book based on your review. Long on experience and short on advice, this book sounds like a great success. It is not easy to write an inspiring memoir. I will check this one out. Thanks for the insightful review!

It is always good to read a book that inspires you and motivates you which in turn helps you to overcome problems in life which a person faces at some of point. Sometimes these kind of books help in improving a person's mood and facing difficult situations in life..