A whirlwind of drama, life, struggles, travels, love, loss, heartache and personal triumph. A most riveting and well-crafted biography/memoir! From the opening pages, Ms. Shaw's description of the different characters she encounters and her attention to personal and cultural detail for the time periods starting with the 1940's and up through today, transport the reader to another world just by experiencing the lives of these incredible true to life and authentic characters, yet they are unlike any you've met before. It touches on some pretty heavy issues at times but never gets too depressing. Just real. Fans of dramatic nonfiction/memoirs, or anyone who just enjoys an entertaining, well-written story with lots of drama and emotional impact will enjoy this book. There are some surprising twists and some parts that really catch you off guard - some shocking and some sad... but this just makes this true book even more amazing and inspirational. The ending gives an emotional satisfaction necessary in a great book. Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!