- ASIN: B0BBTYD9MF
- Publisher: Tyrel Nelson; 2nd edition (August 24, 2022)
- Publication date: August 24, 2022
- Language: English
- Print length: 133 pages
- Genre: Grief & Bereavement Biographies
The BookViral Review:
A memoir with a difference, ‘Travels and Tribulations’ showcases Tyrel Nelson’s sophisticated and original literary skill as he peppers his work with uniquely crafted imagery, which pulls you into his story. Putting his expertise to excellent use, Nelson places you firmly within the group of beer-swilling and ‘air chewing’ hombres or riding the polished timber wagons down the daunting Devil’s Nose, as he relays his nostalgic collection of adventures.
These well-written snippets make for a fast-moving and interesting narrative, peppered by wonderful complimentary photographs which are almost superfluous due to Nelson’s faultless descriptive prowess.
Nelson’s affinity with the outdoors and with natural elements acts as a thread which binds each story, along with his accounts of true community living which exists most effectively, and quite surprisingly, outside of cities which are filled with people, but rather within small townships and villages where acceptance and true welcome is extended and giving is both extended and appreciated.
Connecting his experiences to those further back in his timeline, snippets of family life and memories of his Father either hang like delicate spider web strands between his past and present or come crashing into his awareness, complete with the grief and paradoxically, comfort, which accompanies memories of those no longer here.
Nelson introduces us to the Mexican idea of death, where grief seems lessened by the belief that it is merely a passage to another existence where joy can be experienced, and in the splendidly vibrant colourful graveyards which celebrate rather than mourn. This connects faultlessly to his own beautifully written vignette of a visit to his Mother’s memorial, where he imagines her lovingly tending the thriving mausoleum garden.
The highly insightful ‘My Takeaway’ forces the reader to consider not only the impact of loss, but our reactions to the loss of others, in short, whether empathy rates high on our radar, or whether where others are concerned it is business as usual until we face our own tragedy.
Within the last chapters, Nelson’s Mother, Beth, features heavily, nestled among nick-nacks and memories, and it is evident that she, as with all Mums, has imprinted a poignant and lasting memory upon her son, as he struggles to accept his ‘new normal’. He honours her memory, enshrined in all he sees around him; in floating milkwood seed, the whistling through a canopy of trees, or a hug from the warmth of the sun, by living by her advice, ‘Good things will come if you stay true to yourself, and by the creation of ‘Travels and Tribulations’ which is dedicated to her.
Whether read in its entirety or delved into from time to time, ‘Travels and Tribulations’ is a thoroughly enjoyable and a much-recommended read!