Sleep My Valley by Ruth Netzer - Book Review

Book Name- Sleep My Valley

Author- Ruth Netzer

Blurb-

Ruth is alone and desolate as her world falls apart.

A lonely child on an Israeli kibbutz, Ruth watches painfully as her family falls apart. Her mother struggles with haunting memories of her troubled youth; her father succumbs to depression. When she is 15 her parents divorce and leave the kibbutz. Desolation follows Ruth to her new home.

Join Ruth as she struggles with the demons of her family’s secrets.

Ruth must get to the bottom of her family’s harrowing story. Her lonely search for understanding becomes filled with poetry, literature, and dreams. Ruth looks deep within herself and creates a personal dialogue with God. She struggles for the strength to grapple with her parents’ demons, lest they become her own.

Courage, strength, spirituality, and healing in this moving family saga.

Through haunting narrative and diary entries, join Ruth as she triumphs in her spiritual quest to come to terms with her family’s history. Share in the process of family analysis, as Ruth confronts her parents in their old age, eventually leading to repair and reconciliation.

Review-

Sleep My Valley is an autobiography. I like reading autobiographies because it feels like a complete stranger is sharing his life story with you. He is making you a part of his life. He is sharing his life with you. It makes me feel special and privileged. I know there are many autobiographies out there. But I believe that it is the story that finds you not the other way round. 

When I started reading this book, I was a bit confused. I didn't know how things were going. I was new to many words. I decided to give it time and started reading the book slowly page after page. And then I realised that there was nothing in the book to be so confused about.

The author has used a lucid language for narration. I was skeptical about reading cause of language. I generally find the language of foreign authors a bit out of my league. But I was proved wrong by this book. It is the simple language and narration that kept me hooked on to its pages. The author quotes the family and siblings' talk. Making the text bold is something I liked about this book.

I had read the autobiography of Anne Frank when I was in Std. X. And then, I read this one. This book reminded me of my first autobiography reading experience. The reading experience of this one too is of similar kind. I could feel that I knew Ruth. I could feel the connection. I could feel the emotions and sentiments. I believe that is one thing that is required when reading an autobiography. Isn't it?

It was a pleasurable read.

I rate 'Sleep My Valley' with 4/5 stars. 

You can buy your copies on Amazon.