Title: 7 Cups of Coffee

Author: Carla J. Brooks

Genre: Memoir

 

In 7 Cups of Coffee, Carla J. Brooks leads the reader on a journey of life, through the stories of twenty individuals’ lives she meets along the way on her own literal and spiritual journey. Over the course of several months, states, and miles, Brooks stops amid the busyness of everyday life to connect with strangers one on one. Through sharing their stories on these pages, we are drawn into a story that transcends all humanity, a rapport between everyone.

7 Cups of Coffee is the type of book that stays with a person long after the pages are read and the book is closed because its language is universal. While certain aspects might remind us of self-help books, such as forgiveness, loving oneself, and moving on from the past in order to heal and keep forging forward, Brooks’s story is one that plays out on the stage of humanity. It crosses age, religion, race, creed, ethnicity, and more.

The premise on the surface is simple: imagine sharing seven cups of coffee with a stranger while they share his or her life story. But the implications are deep, soul-searching: while listening to their story, it is ingested, digested, and becomes a part of a thread that unites us, bringing us back to universal truths.

A concept that may resonate deeply with many readers is the author’s expression of not waiting to find validation from other people. Many of us go through life trying to please others or seeking approval, only to find disappointment or feelings of being lost. Brooks doesn’t strictly stick to any one religious or spiritual background with this book, although the people she interviews range from Muslim to Christian to New Age. The reader may take from this information what they wish, but many could find peace and reassurance from the results.

Some stories deal with serious issues such as depression, drug addiction, alcoholism, abuse, divorce, infidelity, and self-harm, so the reader should be aware of these heavy topics. Hinting to the reader earlier in the book might be beneficial so that readers are more aware what they’re getting into; however, these are all real-life problems that many people struggle and deal with and could benefit from reading about. The stories within these pages are often raw and real, presented without judgment and as they are. The beauty found in ashes isn’t possible otherwise. The author expresses that we cannot know light without darkness, goodness without evil, wholeness without brokenness, and such is the twisted beauty of life.

Carla Brooks gives readers a gift wrapped with honest reflection with 7 Cups of Coffee. Readers can imagine sitting down across from Brooks over a cup of coffee, or seven, while sharing their own stories with heartfelt truth. Anyone seeking to go deep into the human experience, with all of its shards of hurt that glint the light of hope, will be consumed by 7 Cups of Coffee, its timeless message echoing long after the pages are turned.

 

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.