Daniel L. Trotter became hooked on illegal drugs at a young age.  This—as well as addictions to alcohol, tobacco, pornography, and partying—continued to plague him throughout adolescence and young adulthood, leading where such vices inevitably will.  After numerous close calls, as well as a suicide attempt and stays in both jail and a mental facility, Trotter finally hit rock bottom.  Desperate to change his life, he took dramatic action.  Inspired by the Biblical story of Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness, Trotter embarked on his own journey.  He promised himself—and God—that he wouldn't emerge from the forest where he was camping until he had found the strength to transform his life.  For good.

A Different Kind of Strong is Trotter's story.  Although it describes a long struggle with debilitating addictions, the memoir is a short, easy read, making it approachable for even the most reluctant reader.  It's written in a casual, conversational style that marks Trotter as an Everyman, whose mistakes and challenges could be those of any one of us.  His yearning for God, which led to his eventual conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the faith which his family embraced, but he abandoned), shows that, with the help of the Lord, anyone can change.  Through an ongoing process of repentance, forgiveness, restitution, and turning to God, past mistakes can be made right and present challenges overcome.  Trotter is quick to point out that his life didn't immediately become perfect after his life-changing experience in the wilderness, but it did improve in ways he never could have imagined.

While A Different Kind of Strong doesn't feature the strongest prose, it's still a compelling, empowering memoir that offers help and hope to those struggling with addiction.  Overall, I enjoyed this fast, faith-promoting read.

In addition to being a writer, a personal trainer, a Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS), and a motivational speaker, Trotter is also a singer and songwriter of inspiring religious music.  His CD, also titled A Different Kind of Strong, can be purchased on his website or at Amazon.  The songs are also available for download on Amazon.

(Readalikes:  I don't read a lot of books like this, so no titles are coming to mind.  You?)

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For her entire life, Dani Shapiro has watched people puzzle over her looks.  Unlike the rest of her family, she has blonde hair and blue eyes.  More than one person has observed that she looks more Aryan than Jewish.  This stings a little because although she is not observant, Shapiro has always felt a strong connection to her Jewish past.  Of her stalwart forbears, she says:

These ancestors are the foundation upon which I have built my life.  I have dreamt of them, wrestled with them, longed for them.  I have tried to understand them.  In my writing, they have been my territory—my obsession, you might even say.  They are the tangled roots—thick, rich, and dark—that bind me to the turning earth.  During younger years when I was lost—particularly after my dad's death—I used them as my inner compass.  I would ask what to do, which way to turn.  I would listen intently, and hear them answer ... I can say with certainty that I've felt the presence of this long-gone crowd whenever I've sought them. (12)

It was with great shock, then, that Shapiro received startling results after taking a DNA test on a whim.  At 54 years old, she stumbled upon a stunning truth—her beloved dad was not, in fact, her biological father.  The more she dug into her own beginning, the more incredulous she became.  Her discoveries launched her on a quest—one that would prove frustrating, disturbing, enlightening, and ultimately, reassuring—to discover her truest self in all its bewildering complexity.

Inheritance, Shapiro's newest book, tells the story of the journey she undertook to find herself.  Again.  Despite its deep, thought-provoking subject matter, the volume is actually very readable.  It's quick but fascinating.  Throughout, Shapiro asks sharp, impactful questions about family, identity, medical ethics, and the sometimes huge effects that can come from small, "inconsequential" acts.  I found her story absorbing, her questions compelling, and her observations on point.  Inheritance gets high marks from me as I found it to be an enjoyable read on many different levels.

(Readalikes:  Hm, nothing is coming to mind.  You?)

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If you're looking for an inspiring, faith-promoting read, look no further.  Just be sure to have a box of tissues handy because you're definitely going to need them.

What does a Mormon look like?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has a worldwide membership of over 15 million people, meaning there's no one answer to this question.  In general, though, LDS people strive to be clean, both on the inside and the outside.  We're taught that our bodies are sacred, God-given temples and should be treated accordingly.  We adhere to a health code called The Word of Wisdom, which cautions against the use of substances that can be harmful to the body (alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea, too much meat, etc.).  From infancy, we're advised to keep our minds and souls pure, avoiding pornography, graphic movies, profanity, etc.  Likewise, we're told to maintain a clean-cut, well-groomed outside appearance.  Multiple piercings, extreme hairstyles, revealing clothing, and tattoos are discouraged.  This creates a tidy homogeny that has been widely criticized, but is nonetheless recognizable throughout the world.  What happens, then, when someone who looks different from the norm not only joins the church but also becomes one of its most recognizable spokespeople?  It can create a bit of a stir.  Just ask Al Fox Carraway.

Despite growing up less than an hour's drive from Palmyra, New York, where the LDS Church was formally organized in April 1830, Carraway knew nothing about Mormonism.  It wasn't until she met two very persistent missionaries that her interest in the religion was piqued.  Once ignited, her desire to know more couldn't be extinguished.  Carraway was soon baptized despite strong opposition from family and friends.  Feeling alone, the new convert received powerful spiritual promptings to move closer to the Church's hub in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Terrified of moving so far away and starting over in a foreign place where she knew no one, Carraway made the trip anyway.  Not realizing how much her colorful tattoos would make her stand out in Utah, let alone at church, she was shocked by the reactions she received, especially from other Mormons.  As Carraway struggled, she clung to her faith, which allowed her to see beyond the pettiness of people's judgments to the one thing that truly mattered—her relationships with God and Jesus Christ.

In More Than the Tattooed Mormon, Carraway recounts her conversion to the LDS faith as well as all she's learned because of it.  Told with her trademark humor and bubbly optimism, her story rings with warmth, authenticity, and truth.  Her enthusiasm for the Gospel is infectious, her faith inspiring.  Carraway's struggles taught me some great lessons about following the Spirit, trusting the Lord, withholding judgment, and never taking the Gospel for granted.  I loved this approachable little book, which touched my heart while simultaneously breaking it and warming it.  It's a stay-with-you story, beautiful in its simplicity, but profound in its power.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

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