In 'A List of Things That Didn't Kill Me,' Jason Schmidt takes readers on a gripping journey through his tumultuous teenage years marked by trauma and resilience. With a compelling blend of humor and heartbreak, he confronts the chaos of family life and the challenges of growing up. Each chapter reveals the unexpected lessons learned from his struggles, reminding us that survival often comes with its own set of paradoxes. As he navigates the complexities of adolescence, readers are left wondering what truly defines strength and vulnerability. This heartfelt memoir invites us to reflect on our own lives and the things that didn’t break us.
By Jason Schmidt
Published: 2016
"In the end, it wasn’t the challenges that defined me, but how I chose to rise above them."
A List of Things That Didn't Kill Me by Jason Schmidt is a gripping, heartbreaking young adult memoir. Jason Schmidt wasn't surprised when he came home one day during his junior year of high school and found his father, Mark, crawling around in a giant pool of blood. Things like that had been happening a lot since Mark had been diagnosed with HIV, three years earlier. Jason's life with Mark was full of secrets—about drugs, crime, and sex. If the straights—people with normal lives—ever found out any of those secrets, the police would come. Jason's home would be torn apart. So the rule, since Jason had been in preschool, was never to tell the straights anything. A List of Things That Didn't Kill Me is a funny, disturbing memoir full of brutal insights and unexpected wit that explores the question: How do you find your moral center in a world that doesn't seem to have one?
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“In the end, it wasn’t the challenges that defined me, but how I chose to rise above them.”
A List of Things That Didn't Kill Me
By Jason Schmidt
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Jason Schmidt is an acclaimed author known for his poignant storytelling and vivid prose. His notable works include 'The Other Side of the River' and 'Beneath the Surface', both of which have received critical acclaim and earned him a dedicated readership. Schmidt's writing often explores themes of identity, interpersonal relationships, and the complexities of human emotions, drawing readers into deeply immersive narratives. With a background in literature and creative writing, he has honed a distinctive voice that blends eloquence with raw authenticity.
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