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A Fractured Life
A poignant memoir of resilience, identity, and triumph over adversity.Abandoned as a three-year-old in India, Shabnam Samuel's life is marked by dislocation and disruption. This powerful memoir chronicles her journey as an immigrant to America, navigating a troubled marriage and the challenges of motherhood. It's a story of family secrets, cultural identity, and the silencing of girlhood, revealing how she found her voice and strength after years of adversity.A Fractured Life is more than an immigrant's story; it's a testament to the universal power of hope. Discover how Shabnam confronts her past, builds a new life, and ultimately triumphs, offering inspiration to anyone seeking personal growth and emotional healing. Perfect for readers interested in memoirs, stories of resilience, and the immigrant experience.
218 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 4, 2018
Shabnam writes a moving Memoir that highlights her path of bravery. This story proves that not every strong, confident woman has come by these traits naturally. They've fought to become this person and suffered hardships and setbacks. Thank you, Shabnam, for never giving up on yourself and also, for heroically writing the truths of your life. Your story is inspiring and inspirational.
My only spoiler: have tissues for "Part IV."
My only spoiler: have tissues for "Part IV."
March 5, 2019
Generally, I am not a fan of memoirs as they often seem contrived or sensationalized. This quick moving reiteration of a tumultuous life kept me on the edge of my seat. Although there were was great sadness in Samuel's life, the gifted author does not bury us in misery. She gives enough of the story for us to understand the gravity of the situation and then carries on with her story. I appreciated this choice. I found that her depiction of events evokes empathy as her character is honest and forthright in her actions and reactions to the events in the memoir. Many thanks to you, Shabnam, for writing your story and inspiring the young and old alike to never give up on dreams and to have faith in our own inner strength to overcome daunting circumstances.
June 3, 2024
A Fractured Life is a heartbreaking and forgettable memoir by Shabnam Samuel. In these pages Samuel narrates on her childhood in Odisha as well as the various things that happened to her before she migrates to the USA. Samuel's life is full of tension. The main seed of her conflict is her abandonment by her parents and having to be raised by her grandparents, but she also deals with various failed surgeries, sexual violence, and the general feeling of being an outsider. If anything that is the theme that unites the various incidents of the book and provides it its seeds of relatability: constantly feeling alone and different from her peers.
I strongly recommend reading this book if you're interested in slices of life coming out of India, and you want to be whisked away by a tale that reads both as familiar and particular, rooted and rootless.
I strongly recommend reading this book if you're interested in slices of life coming out of India, and you want to be whisked away by a tale that reads both as familiar and particular, rooted and rootless.
December 16, 2018
Having known that a significant part of this memoir is based in my hometown, Cuttack, I was intrigued to read it. It's nothing like I expected it to be - Shabnam Samuel's journey in life is a demonstration of resilience and optimism at every stage, and to what end - the minute you think the worst has happened, the threshold keeps getting higher. The story telling is powerful, and ties you to a thread of hope throughout. Honestly, I'm in awe, of the writer herself, the grace and dignity with which she has carried her life, and the beautiful gut wrenching rendition of it all.
October 9, 2018
A Fractured Life is a brilliant writing by Shabnam Samuel. I was very moved by her simplistic writing coupled with sound research on life events in her life. Her story is very sad and profound, a survivor who at the age of 2 being abandoned by both Mother and Father. Reading the book I was taken into her realm of sadness which is painfull at times but could feel the reality of events described and the encounters of characters described in her book by her skillful storytelling. I can wonder how a person can ever recover from such tragedy in life and still be able to share her story to the world: a story where an innocent individual being dealt harshly by fate. I can only fathom superficially what transpired in her life and the only bright side of her life was her guardian angels her Grandfather and The Almighty God.
This is must read book beacase of true facts that was descibed and the fascinating tales of a strange place and time.
A Fractured Life is a brilliant writing by Shabnam Samuel. I was very moved by her simplistic writing coupled with sound research on life events in her life. Her story is very sad and profound, a survivor who at the age of 2 being abandoned by both Mother and Father. Reading the book I was taken into her realm of sadness which is painfull at times but could feel the reality of events described and the encounters of characters described in her book by her skillful storytelling. I can wonder how a person can ever recover from such tragedy in life and still be able to share her story to the world: a story where an innocent individual being dealt harshly by fate. I can only fathom superficially what transpired in her life and the only bright side of her life was her guardian angels her Grandfather and The Almighty God.
This is must read book beacase of true facts that was descibed and the fascinating tales of a strange place and time.
This is must read book beacase of true facts that was descibed and the fascinating tales of a strange place and time.
A Fractured Life is a brilliant writing by Shabnam Samuel. I was very moved by her simplistic writing coupled with sound research on life events in her life. Her story is very sad and profound, a survivor who at the age of 2 being abandoned by both Mother and Father. Reading the book I was taken into her realm of sadness which is painfull at times but could feel the reality of events described and the encounters of characters described in her book by her skillful storytelling. I can wonder how a person can ever recover from such tragedy in life and still be able to share her story to the world: a story where an innocent individual being dealt harshly by fate. I can only fathom superficially what transpired in her life and the only bright side of her life was her guardian angels her Grandfather and The Almighty God.
This is must read book beacase of true facts that was descibed and the fascinating tales of a strange place and time.
July 6, 2024
In her acclaimed memoir, A FRACTURED LIFE, writer & trainer Shabnam Samuel entrusts the reader with the dreams and heartbreak of a lonely young girl grown into a strong, resilient international woman.
Abandoned by her mother and rejected by her father in her native India, the young Shabnam is taken in by her grandparents and finds both shelter and the constraints of traditional expectations. The author also shares the extraordinary story of her Russian grandmother’s endurance and survival as an orphaned refugee early in life, and the unlikely courtship and long marriage of her grandparents from deeply different cultures.
Astonishingly, Samuel’s Indian Christian grandfather—who, in his devotion to her, guided all aspects of the author’s young life—kept a copious diary of her childhood, complete with rationales for the harsh corporal punishments and disciplining through which he sought to shape and, in his view, protect his beloved granddaughter from the travails of the world.
A complex and compelling narrative of young womanhood constrained by a patriarchal culture deeply at odds with contemporary Western feminism yet infused with the deeper understanding that comes from author Shabnam Samuel’s lifetime of reflection, research, scholarship, and—ultimately—her triumphant evolution as an independent woman, successful author, literary entrepreneur, and historian.
A must read for those who have lived or been fascinated by global history, culture, and the enduring power of persistence.
Abandoned by her mother and rejected by her father in her native India, the young Shabnam is taken in by her grandparents and finds both shelter and the constraints of traditional expectations. The author also shares the extraordinary story of her Russian grandmother’s endurance and survival as an orphaned refugee early in life, and the unlikely courtship and long marriage of her grandparents from deeply different cultures.
Astonishingly, Samuel’s Indian Christian grandfather—who, in his devotion to her, guided all aspects of the author’s young life—kept a copious diary of her childhood, complete with rationales for the harsh corporal punishments and disciplining through which he sought to shape and, in his view, protect his beloved granddaughter from the travails of the world.
A complex and compelling narrative of young womanhood constrained by a patriarchal culture deeply at odds with contemporary Western feminism yet infused with the deeper understanding that comes from author Shabnam Samuel’s lifetime of reflection, research, scholarship, and—ultimately—her triumphant evolution as an independent woman, successful author, literary entrepreneur, and historian.
A must read for those who have lived or been fascinated by global history, culture, and the enduring power of persistence.
January 14, 2020
“A book review offers some plot summary, but only enough to set the stage for readers and introduce them to the major features of the work”. As a reviewer typically I give readers a general sense of the book’s content, rather than getting into overly specific detail. I read the book” A Fractured Life” in the beginning of this year. In this book the author describes about her life story as a child in town named Cuttack and how she came to USA after migrating with her husband and three year old son. She was only twenty seven year old when she moved to USA with a troubled marriage. Like most immigrants she too hoped to create a fresh start from everything that was holding her down in her old surrounding. Finally she found her strength and voice in this new land. Her journey is remarkable. The book takes us from the depths of sadness and pain to a place of grace and acceptance. The most important aspect which impressed me is the author’s resilience and never giving up attitude to the challenging circumstance life brought. I will recommend this book as a must read for anyone who loves to read a memoir. I am so proud that she wrote this book beautifully which shows that she is very courageous. She is an inspiration to all of us who are determined to rise above the most challenging of circumstances and can carve a new life for ourselves. I am happy and proud that I know her personally little more now thru her book and social media.
March 9, 2020
Samuel's memoir is a tale of a girl in 1960's India, who after being abandoned by her parents is raised by her elderly grandparents. She meets much adversity along the way, both at home and in the world. She is a keen observer of others and restricted by Indian cultural norms to keep quiet, not be heard and not really acknowledge one's feelings. She emerges as the story progresses with strengths she uses to face a difficult marriage and immigration to the US. at times a difficult read, the tale is nonetheless inspiring.
October 3, 2018
Shabnam has shared so many untold stories that takes us to the heart of individuals in a different culture and feel their fears and desire vividly. We yet see the universal connection to those who live far from us, similar fears, similar desires. Freedom! Independence!
October 10, 2018
The author writes a powerful story of her abandonment by her parents at an early age and how that has impacted the very fiber of her being - as Shabnam shares her life's journey, she subtly weaves into it her uncertainties about her own existence.
October 18, 2018
This book ran me through a myriad of emotions that I have never quite experienced before in a memoir.
I truly loved this book. It was well written, and a fast read.
I hope Shabnam will write more books.
I truly loved this book. It was well written, and a fast read.
I hope Shabnam will write more books.
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July 22, 2021Excellent book. Engaging read
January 15, 2026
Protect this woman at all costs 😭
March 7, 2020
Engaging, moving, and evocative!
September 12, 2019
An incredibly brave book.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews