This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Damien Thompson is a writer, musician and artist based in Omaha, Nebraska. He is the author of four musical albums and dozens of singles. He previously published a poetry collection "Lifecycles," and several short stories including "Hangovers" and "Tiny Bubbles." Above all, he is a proud and dedicated father.
Reviewed by Lexie Fox for Readers' Favorite
…And Then I Would Fly is a memoir by Damien Thompson. The book details Damien’s childhood of abuse and neglect at the hands of his father in the wake of his parents' divorce. From his early years of looking up to his father to the dangerous and heartbreaking downward spiral that saw Damien manipulated into a weapon against his mother, to the adding of a little sister into an environment of carnage and substance abuse, this book chronicles a desperate journey toward hope in a childhood of trauma. Memoirs of abusive childhoods are a tough read for anyone, and there’s no doubt that Damien’s painfully vivid recollections of his youth will hit close to home for any fellow abuse survivors.
However, there is an optimism that acts as a lifeline throughout this work, with the core theme of someone whose unwillingness to give up hope for a better future is the force that helps them survive. There is a catharsis to the way Damien Thompson writes that leads me to hope that the book was a healing experience for him to write. I feel strongly that the compassion and insight with which he shares even the rawest of memories will provide a cathartic experience for others when reading. It is incredible to me that someone can take such painful experiences and turn them into prose that is beautiful to read. Throughout …And Then I Would Fly, I constantly found my breath being taken away. A difficult issue is discussed with grace, wisdom, and an eye for compelling storytelling. This is a book I recommend highly to all.
