Overview

"2018 Book Excellence Award Winner in the Addiction/Recovery Category In this poignant and powerful memoir, David B. Bohl reveals the inner turmoil and broad spectrum of warring emotions--shame, anger, triumph, shyness, pride--he experienced growing up as a ""relinquished"" boy. Adopted at birth by a prosperous family, Bohl battled throughout his earlier years to keep up a good front and surpass expectations as he tried desperately to fit in. An over-achiever at everything he undertook, whether in sailing, academics, or life as a trader on the Chicago Exchange floor, he continued his search for happiness, often finding it in a bottle or pill, and ultimately becoming a raging and wealthy alcoholic. Not until David marries and has children of his own does he feel compelled to search for his birth parents to discover if genetics played a role in the well-being of his offspring. ""Baby Boy Bender,"" as he was labeled in the adoption papers, had been born to a red-haired co-ed who struggled with alcoholism and an athlete who later died of a brain tumor. After several severe seizures and frequent blackouts, it was time to make a drastic change and admit his addiction. Raised with no religious teachings, David struggled with traditional recovery fellowships and sought out secular supports, where he finally fit in. This support allowed him to learn the stark facts about mental health and addiction, as well as the monumental issues many ""relinquishees"" need to overcome to find peace and a quality of life they deserve."

Full Product Details

9781595985781

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""So many adopted people battle with addiction. The consequences of relinquishment are generally unacknowledged in our society, and so wounded children become wounded adults with a desperate need to escape the pain they more often than not can't even name. David B. Bohl names the pain and, in this naming, creates a new doorway of hope and opportunity for those who struggle to see another life, to see there is hope."" -- Anne Heffron, Author of You Don't Look Adopted ""Vulnerable is the new macho, exposing personal weakness, the new leadership. Parallel Universes is a sincere, powerful and well-organized memoir of transformation, from overcompensation to authenticity. David Bohl leads with his own painful example and his own humble renewal. David may be a first-time author but he's a seasoned communicator and a community builder ... Parallel Universes captures a zeitgeist of a movement away from the broken promises of baby boomer superficial success and an attention to personal and community wellness. This is a story for our time."" -- Joe C, broadcaster/writer, author of Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12-Step Life ""Parallel Universes is one man's quest to find his truth and freedom in a life that didn't feel real or right, no matter what. Unpacking secrets from his past, he recovers from trauma and addiction, but does not fit into any traditional box of healing. David Bohl invites us to discover that sobriety is not formulaic and that just because we don't relate to a particular program or feel like we fit in somewhere, doesn't mean we won't enjoy incredible clarity and freedom. Bohl has turned his life into a ""relentless pursuit of reality"" and he may give many readers the courage to find their own way out of struggle."" Tama Kieves USA Today-featured visionary career catalyst, inspired success coach, and author of Thriving through Uncertainty"

So many adopted people battle with addiction. The consequences of relinquishment are generally unacknowledged in our society, and so wounded children become wounded adults with a desperate need to escape the pain they more often than not can't even name. David B. Bohl names the pain and, in this naming, creates a new doorway of hope and opportunity for those who struggle to see another life, to see there is hope. -- Anne Heffron, Author of You Don't Look Adopted Vulnerable is the new macho, exposing personal weakness, the new leadership. Parallel Universes is a sincere, powerful and well-organized memoir of transformation, from overcompensation to authenticity. David Bohl leads with his own painful example and his own humble renewal. David may be a first-time author but he's a seasoned communicator and a community builder ... Parallel Universes captures a zeitgeist of a movement away from the broken promises of baby boomer superficial success and an attention to personal and community wellness. This is a story for our time. -- Joe C, broadcaster/writer, author of Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12-Step Life Parallel Universes is one man's quest to find his truth and freedom in a life that didn't feel real or right, no matter what. Unpacking secrets from his past, he recovers from trauma and addiction, but does not fit into any traditional box of healing. David Bohl invites us to discover that sobriety is not formulaic and that just because we don't relate to a particular program or feel like we fit in somewhere, doesn't mean we won't enjoy incredible clarity and freedom. Bohl has turned his life into a relentless pursuit of reality and he may give many readers the courage to find their own way out of struggle. Tama Kieves USA Today-featured visionary career catalyst, inspired success coach, and author of Thriving through Uncertainty

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available