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A review by rayofhope
The World's Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne
5.0
I initially didn't realize this was a nonfiction memoir, I don't often read nonfiction so I wasn't sure if I would like it, but to my surprise, I enjoyed every second of it!
Firstly - as a Mormon, I felt pretty well represented in Josh's story. Elements of our culture, beliefs, traditions, stories etc that I've never seen in media were included here. It was cool to see how crucial they were to Josh's story. I don't know, I feel like so many people try to eliminate religion when they tell stories, but it's not possible to really be honest about yourself, your life, and your experiences, if you don't acknowledge the way religion affects you.
Secondly - I didn't know much about Tourretes before reading this, and I feel like I learned a great deal. It's communicated in a way that not only helps the reader understand the physical aspects, but also the frustrations and emotional toll it can have on someone. He talks about learning to manage it, but it also isn't an "inspiration porn" story that ends with a perfect cure or anything. He continues to struggle, and to manage, and that's life. I liked the honesty.
Thirdly - by the end of the book, Josh establishes that he no longer believes in the Mormon faith. I really appreciated the way he approached that issue, and the conversations he shared with his mom, his wife, and his bishop. I think that section could be very helpful to a lot of people: both those who leave the church, and those who have loved ones who leave. It's hard, but it was clear everyone involved respected each other and honored the agency and intelligence of everyone involved. It was good.
Firstly - as a Mormon, I felt pretty well represented in Josh's story. Elements of our culture, beliefs, traditions, stories etc that I've never seen in media were included here. It was cool to see how crucial they were to Josh's story. I don't know, I feel like so many people try to eliminate religion when they tell stories, but it's not possible to really be honest about yourself, your life, and your experiences, if you don't acknowledge the way religion affects you.
Secondly - I didn't know much about Tourretes before reading this, and I feel like I learned a great deal. It's communicated in a way that not only helps the reader understand the physical aspects, but also the frustrations and emotional toll it can have on someone. He talks about learning to manage it, but it also isn't an "inspiration porn" story that ends with a perfect cure or anything. He continues to struggle, and to manage, and that's life. I liked the honesty.
Thirdly - by the end of the book, Josh establishes that he no longer believes in the Mormon faith. I really appreciated the way he approached that issue, and the conversations he shared with his mom, his wife, and his bishop. I think that section could be very helpful to a lot of people: both those who leave the church, and those who have loved ones who leave. It's hard, but it was clear everyone involved respected each other and honored the agency and intelligence of everyone involved. It was good.