Author: Ady Barkan
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: September 10, 2019
Book Description: Ady Barkan loved taking afternoon runs on the California coast and holding his newborn son, Carl. But one day, he noticed a troubling weakness in his hand. At first, he brushed it off as carpal tunnel syndrome, but after a week of neurological exams and two MRIs, he learned the cause of the problem: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. At age 32, Ady was given just three to four years to live. Yet despite the devastating diagnosis, he refused to let his remaining days go to waste.
Eyes to the Wind is a rousing memoir featuring intertwining storylines about determination, perseverance, and how to live a life filled with purpose and intention. The first traces Ady’s battle with ALS: how he turned the initial shock and panic from his diagnosis into a renewed commitment to social justice—not despite his disability but because of it. The second, told in flashbacks, illustrates Ady’s journey from a goofy political nerd to a prominent figure in the enduring fight for equity and justice who is “willing to give [his] last breath to save our democracy” (CNN).
From one of today’s most vocal advocates for social justice, Eyes to the Wind is an evocative and unforgettable memoir about activism, dedication, love, and hope.
Rating: 5 Stars
Review: I was introduced to Ady Barkan on the Podcast Pod Save America. Ady is in his early 30’s living with ALS, and I want to say he is living. He has played a very important role in the political landscape, and this forced him to push on even bigger issues, like healthcare.
Let me very clear, this is not a memoir about ALS, but how Barkan deals with the aftermath. He tells a really real story of his diagnosis, his depression, and learning to live to the very last moment.
Ady Barkan has taken this death sentence, and given himself a true legacy not just in politics, but for his wife, his young son and all of his friends and family. What I personally take away from reading this beautiful memoir, is that you need to live each day to the fullest, we do not know when our time is up.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Obsessed Bookaholic 