The Me I Was

Jaclyn Lanae, The Me I Was: The True Story of How Death by Motorcycle Gave Me Life (Rapid City, South Dakota: Shelter 50 Publishing, 2015)


Lanae - The Me I Was
This is, in some ways, an inspirational story of an 26-year-old woman who survived a terrible accident and her journey to rebuild her life and her sense of purpose. I hate to be critical of a memoir, because it is a story told as remembered and should be valued as such. However, there are some parts of the book that don't quite hang together. Some of the place descriptions are inaccurate and there are details that just don't quite hang together. Sadly, it is the product of today's publishing world - a good book that could have been much better if there had been a bit more professional editing.

Having said that, it remains a story worth reading - a powerful testimony of survival and restoration in the face of overwhelming odds. It is a story of courage and vision with no small dose of inspiration thrown in. The story of Jaci's accident and the long road to recovery might be just the thing that is needed for another person to recover from an experience of loss and grief.

Her vision and version of God, while not exactly orthodox, is, I am sure, genuine and heartfelt and therefore not to be taken lightly. It is a worthy read for those interested in learning the stories of others. On the other hand, it probably isn't the only book you need to understand the nature of loss, grief and recovery.