Words can take on different meanings. For example, what resonates with you when you hear the words 'coward,' 'suicide,' and 'risks'? The meaning of these words can vary according to one's perspective, environment, or associated circles. A Coward's Guide to Living by Bruce Meisterman is a story about limitations, choices, and eleven little suicides. Here the author tells the story, of which some parts are true, about Jacob Will who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and self-worth. When Jacob's best friend Farry committed suicide, Jacob was challenged to see beyond himself to avoid developing the same pattern of failure, disaster, and loneliness that Farry had felt. As the author states, suicide is not necessarily the ending of life but roadblocks occur that tend to hold some of us captive and paralyzed from moving forward.

Bruce Meisterman provided so many nuggets and passages of wisdom in A Coward's Guide to Living that were eye-opening. As I became a part of Jacob's journey, it depicted a pathway that we all embark upon at some point in our lives, when we come to that fork in the road that is the determining factor of our destiny. Even though Farry took the road to his final destination, his love for Jacob was the gift that he left behind, cautioning that suicide should not be his end. He believed that if Jacob continued to limit himself to his surroundings, he would begin to create a pattern of blockage, fear, and stagnation. Chew on this message from the author: "'All things must die.’ He was right, but I learned that in death, there can be life, a rebirth." How you deal with your little suicides of life at this point is essential for your future. If you're looking to gain some understanding and direction for improving your life, this book will be a great way to start.

A Coward's Guide to Living is a slice-of-life drama novel by Bruce Meisterman. Jacob Will is still processing the death of his best friend Farell Poland (Farry) when he is given two letters written by Farry prior to his suicide, one of which he is allowed to open only after he had completed his "eleven little deaths." After a talk with the Reverend Rose Beecham, Jacob sets out on a road trip that will take him through the deep south until he arrives on the west coast. Along the way, Jacob will find himself in situations he has never been in before, including a bar fight, wasting a perfectly good champagne bottle on the wall, and being robbed by a wanderer. He will also find love. But can he let go of his cowardice?

A character-driven drama about a young man's quest for self-discovery, A Coward's Guide to Living focuses on the little things that can hold a man back from living his life to the fullest. The narrative is a slow burn, but all the more rewarding for it. Jacob is a man readers will find easy to sympathize with despite his numerous flaws, which he must eliminate one by one to respect his best friend's last dying wish. Author Bruce Meisterman crafts some grounded characters whose struggles and inner conflicts provide the narrative thrust of the story. The ending is left somewhat ambiguous. Did Jacob ever get back with Hannah? I guess it's left to the reader's interpretation. Overall, I very much enjoyed the book and will gladly recommend it.