Blog Tour + Review - Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild

Thank you to Trish Collins at TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild by Bear Grylls!  I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild

Bear Grylls

Published March 1, 2022

Admired by millions as the star of Man vs. Wild and the acclaimed NGC series Running Wild, global adventurer Bear Grylls has explored places few would dare to go. Now, he shares time-honored lessons for leading an adventurous life through stories drawn from his personal experiences, as well as encounters with a diverse group of celebrities who have participated in his wildly popular television shows.

In these inspiring pages, Grylls chronicles his life since stepping onto the small screen, taking readers on his most famous adventures, sharing stories from his favorite expeditions, and capturing his hairiest survival challenges. The follow-up to the internationally best-selling Mud, Sweat and Tears, this new autobiography goes behind the scenes on infamous Man vs. Wild shoots and provides an insight into what it's really like to “Run Wild” with guests including President Obama, Roger Federer, and Julia Roberts.

Along the way, Bear explores the valuable lessons he's learned in the wild, opens up about his most personal challenges and achievements, and celebrates the true value of adventure and the enduring importance of courage, kindness, and resilience. Written for outdoor enthusiasts and armchair adventurers alike, Never Give Up offers an inspiring path to help readers live their best lives. - from Goodreads

I've been a fan of Bear Grylls for awhile, so I was very excited to be asked to review an early copy of his newest autobiography, Never Give Up.  I haven't read his first memoir, but this one focuses on how he got started in TV, the adventures he's had over multiple shows, and what his life is like today, and since I know him best from his show Running Wild, I thought this seemed like a great place to start!

 

The best part about this book is how Bear's voice really comes through.  He has a pretty distinctive way of speaking, and having watched him on TV so many times, I definitely felt like I could hear him in my head as I read.  His humble, charming, spirited, and positive personality came through each word.  I think Bear does an admirable job detailing how his various TV shows came about and how he has been able to forge his own path in an industry that doesn't often allow for independence like that.  Even when a venture wasn't a success, he appreciated the opportunity and learned from it for the next one. 

 

The chapters are fairly short, each one practically its own story or answer to a frequently asked question.  I really enjoyed his stories about the celebrities he has taken into the wild and how each of those adventures is set up.  Bear also takes some chapters to delve into more personal thoughts on things like fear, faith, and family, and his words are often very inspiring.  His family is so important to him, and it was really nice to get to know them better and see how he makes family time a priority, even with his booming career.

Overall, this would be an interesting read for adventure seekers and reality TV junkies alike, and even more so if you're already a fan of Bear Grylls!

4 stars

Purchase Links: IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Links: website, Instagram, and Twitter

 

Try It, You Might Like It #1: Autobiography/Memoir

"Try it, you might like it" - it's what someone says when they present you with some food you've never had before or your mom wants you to try on some clothes she picked out for you.  I'm using it here on the blog as inspiration to choose books in genres I don't normally read; to branch out from my reading comfort zones; and to maybe find some new favorites!  Thank you to my sister for suggesting this topic to me (hi, Michele!).

For this first installment, I've chosen autobiography/memoir.  I've read a few memoirs before (and even reviewed one here), but it's definitely not a genre I gravitate towards.  I decided on I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai (with Christina Lamb, 2013).

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons. - from Goodreads

I chose this particular book because, first, I felt like everyone was reading it except me.  It also talks about a culture I'm not familiar with.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is usually something about the way autobiographies and memoirs are written that just turns me off.  But I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed I Am Malala.  It had a straightforward writing style that didn't feel pretentious at all.

Malala details the history of the Swat Valley in Pakistan and the various customs her culture observes, which were interesting to learn about.  Sometimes the numerous names of individuals and groups in the region were confusing, but I think the basic ideas came across.

Malala's family is not a typical family.  Her father was delighted at the birth of his daughter, and he encouraged her to go to school.  Malala loves school and learning and believes every child should have the same opportunity for education.  I didn't realize until I read this book how outspoken Malala was before she was targeted and shot by the Taliban.  She gave many public speeches and interviews and won prizes and awards for her efforts.

I found Malala's story to be very inspiring.  For someone so young to have such strong convictions is rare.  In some ways she is a typical young girl: she gossips with her friends and fights with her brothers.  To know she has accomplished so much already, and she is still only a teenager, makes me excited to see what she does in the future.

I know it's hard to judge an entire genre by one book, but Malala's story is beautiful, and if I could find other autobiographies or memoirs like this one, I think I would read more of them.