Fall Reading Challenge - Freedom - My Book Of Firsts - Jaycee Dugard ( Kidnapping Survivor)

This book review is another part of the fall reading challenge that I am taking part in. I am thrilled that I chose this book as one of my five that I intended to read! I am thrilled that I am finished with my third book out of the five and still have three books in my book bag to read before I make another trip to the library.  If you want to learn more about this challenge, please read my original post here.

TITLE- Freedom my book of firsts

AUTHOR- Jaycee Dugard

SERIES- No, but it is here second book. The first is called A Stolen Life

PAGES- 247

DATE PUBLISHED- 2016

PUBLISHER- Simon and Schuster

BLURB- 

   How do you rebuild a life? In the follow up to her #1 bestselling memoir, A Stolen Life, Jaycee Dugard tells the story of her first experiences after years in captivity: the joys that accompanied her newfound freedom and the challenges of making choices for herself. 

   When Jaycee Lee Dugard was eleven years old, she was abducted from a school bus stop within sight of her home in South Lake Tahoe, California, She was missing for more than eighteen years, held captive by Phillip and Nancy Garrido, and gave birth to two daughters during her imprisonment. 

   A Stolen Life covered Jaycee's life from her abduction in 1991 through her reappearance in 2009. Now, she talks about what happened next. 

   In her own words, Jaycee narrates her journey from captivity to freedom. Life holds many challenges, but with humor she tackles each. From her first time begind the wheel to her first speeding ticker, from reconnecting to her mother, whom she thought was lost to her forever, to navigating the complicated world of friendships, Jaycee descries life through her unique perspective. She makes the ordinary feel extraordinary: her words remind us that each day is precious, that no moment can be taken for granted.

   Raw and inspiring, Freedom: My Book OF Firsts remind us that there can be, as Jaycee writes, happiness after tragedy- if we only seek it out. 

   

MY THOUGHTS- 

   I have been fascinated by this young lady since her rescue and reappearance into the world. She is one of the first missing children that I remember ever hearing about and I remember seeing her picture as that eleven year old girl that was gone. I remember wondering why someone would take a child from her mother and family. Never did I give a thought to the fact that she would one day walk away from the monster that had kept her for over 18 years. What a brave person she must be and what a sense of survival she must have had to keep herself safe all those years. 

 I read A Stolen Life when it was published and could not fathom going through the things that this monster done to her and how a "wife" could be involved in helping the monster. How could you not feel sorry for this young girl and not get her back to her family? How could she keep this young girl knowing what this monster was doing to her? She must have been as delusional as he was or even as demented as he was. 

  After, learning of Jaycee's rescue and learning that she had raised two children in the horrid conditions that she did and that they were well taken care and educated for the situation that they were in, I am absolutely amazed to say that Jaycee is more than just a superstar. She is one brave and exceptional survivor that lived through he!! and came out to stand and overcome the tragedy! 

  This book is a story of firsts that so many of us take for granted. Can you imagine being almost thirty and never being on a date, although at the time of this book, she still had not been on one.Can you imagine driving a car being such a big deal at thirty? Can you imagine what it would be like to take your first walk down the street? Most of us probably don't remember our first walk down a sidewalk alone, but I can say that she does. Can you imagine the fear that must come with that following her ordeal and yet, she done it and triumphed over the fear. 

Jaycee writes a very emotional story but stands out as one that will not continue to be a victim. She won't allow Phillip and Nancy to control another minute of her life. Praise God for this lady and the fact that she has learned to live her life her own way and be proud of herself and her children. Praise God that this man may have broken her spirit at one time, but he did not break her fight and drive to be a survivor! I highly recommend this book!!!!!