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Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
Patrick J. Roelle's My Yellow Brick Road: A Trainwreck Without Regret is a no-holds-barred autobiography that takes readers on a wild, unpredictable journey through the author’s 82 years of life. Spanning four continents, dozens of countries, and countless ups and downs, Roelle’s memoir is as much about survival and resilience as it is about the twists and turns that define a life well-lived, albeit with some spectacular crashes along the way. The book begins with a philosophical musing that sets the tone for the rest of the narrative: “Life’s map is a circle. It detours and meanders but always leads to a final fork in the road.” This metaphorical yellow brick road is not Dorothy's fantastical, glittering path in The Wizard of Oz, but rather a gritty, often unfinished road that Roelle travels.
Patrick J. Roelle’s life story becomes a series of epic adventures and catastrophic failures, all recounted with humor, candor, and unapologetic bravado. Whether he’s wandering Europe alone at fourteen, building and losing fortunes, or surviving imprisonment and deportation in Africa, Roelle’s journey is anything but ordinary. His resilience in the face of personal and financial ruin is inspiring. My Yellow Brick Road is not a conventional autobiography. It’s a deeply personal, often chaotic account of a life lived on the edge, with lots of fishing adventures, where the only constant is Roelle’s unwavering determination to keep moving forward, no matter how many times he stumbles. Roelle’s life is inspiring; well before reaching the last page, you’ll feel you know him intimately—a remarkable and powerful book. Thank you for sharing your adventures. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and your outlook on life is an inspiration to all.
