Overview

From his tiny, shoe-box apartment, an American from South-Central LA launches Wisdom21-a boutique language academy in western Japan. As enrollment soars, success leads to union battles, clashes with the mob, and unpredictable romantic encounters. Doing business in Japan was never more riveting. And the stakes never so high.

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9780692547397

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Reviews

21 Years of Wisdom allowed me to accompany Mr. Gartrell on his fascinating and uncommon journey from a childhood in South(central) L.A. to finding a world of opportunity in Japan. As a contemporary of Darrell's who was raised in a neighborhood near his, I can attest to the improbability of his life's path. In some ways, it is a classic story of an entrepreneur who senses an opportunity through an unmet need, then figures out a way to fill that need better than the competition. The most remarkable thing is that Darrell was able to do this successfully in an environment where the language and the culture was completely foreign to him. The twists and turns prior to arriving in Japan followed by the highs and the lows once there make for an exciting read. As in nearly all genuine stories in life, there is no proverbial happy ending. This memoir is told with honesty and emotion. You won't want to put the book down as there are unanticipated surprises throughout. Sometimes in life things don't consistently go according to plan, but it is all part of any extraordinary journey . A.Locket ------ Darrell Gartrell teases the reader into his life and journey, while providing an informative and provocative inside purview of a foreign world, and a snapshot of his internal dialogue and discourse along the way. Aside from the interesting and compelling subject matter, I was delighted to find that the actual writing had style and wit. I would highly recommend '21 Years of Wisdom' to anyone interested in off-the- beaten-path life journeys, takeing roads less traveled, escapism or learning about different cultures. Very well done! ----------- Be prepared to learn a lot about what happens when South-Central LA meets young but still traditional Japan. Whether you are laughing or crying, this is an engaging and very forthright account of what happens when drive and ambition meet racism, romance and all manner of human foibles . Lee Coleman What can you say about a young man raised in the inner city who boldly left to experience the world? It takes courage, drive, experience, and a bit of savvy to gain wisdom. Some may see this book simply as one man's adventures. Others may make character judgements. I see this book as a man sharing his life's experiences (the ups and downs) to gain wisdom from a perspective that few will ever know. Don Thompson ----

21 Years of Wisdom allowed me to accompany Mr. Gartrell on his fascinating and uncommon journey from a childhood in South(central) L.A. to finding a world of opportunity in Japan. As a contemporary of Darrell's who was raised in a neighborhood near his, I can attest to the improbability of his life's path. In some ways, it is a classic story of an entrepreneur who senses an opportunity through an unmet need, then figures out a way to fill that need better than the competition. The most remarkable thing is that Darrell was able to do this successfully in an environment where the language and the culture was completely foreign to him. The twists and turns prior to arriving in Japan followed by the highs and the lows once there make for an exciting read. As in nearly all genuine stories in life, there is no proverbial happy ending. This memoir is told with honesty and emotion. You won't want to put the book down as there are unanticipated surprises throughout. Sometimes in life things don't consistently go according to plan, but it is all part of any extraordinary journey. A.Locket ------ Darrell Gartrell teases the reader into his life and journey, while providing an informative and provocative inside purview of a foreign world, and a snapshot of his internal dialogue and discourse along the way. Aside from the interesting and compelling subject matter, I was delighted to find that the actual writing had style and wit. I would highly recommend '21 Years of Wisdom' to anyone interested in off-the- beaten-path life journeys, takeing roads less traveled, escapism or learning about different cultures. Very well done! ----------- Be prepared to learn a lot about what happens when South-Central LA meets young but still traditional Japan. Whether you are laughing or crying, this is an engaging and very forthright account of what happens when drive and ambition meet racism, romance and all manner of human foibles. Lee Coleman What can you say about a young man raised in the inner city who boldly left to experience the world? It takes courage, drive, experience, and a bit of savvy to gain wisdom. Some may see this book simply as one man's adventures. Others may make character judgements. I see this book as a man sharing his life's experiences (the ups and downs) to gain wisdom from a perspective that few will ever know. Don Thompson ----

Author Information

"Darrell Gartrell was born and raised in Los Angeles's South-Central area. Following the death of his father to cancer, he and his 4 sisters were raised by their mother who steered him away from the pitfalls that befell many of his peers. He struggled to finish a BS degree in finance at CSULA, while working nights at the Federal Reserve Bank. Darrell's life was changed forever after a chance meeting which led to a backpacking expedition across Europe and then later to Japan. There, he became the first African-American to teach English with an urban focus. Patronized by the upper echelons of Japanese society, he drew the attention of the 'yakuza' or mafia as well. He shares his heart-felt story - the journey to opening a countrywide network of language academies - in his memoir, 21 Years of Wisdom - One Man's Extraordinary Odyssey in Japan. He is currently working on the followup to the story, ""My American Homecoming"", which describes the hardships of integrating back into American society after two decades abroad. Scheduled release date in July 2021. Aside from writing, Darrell's interests include travel, foreign languages, enjoying all kinds of music, watching NBA basketball and exercising. He reads as much as he can and enjoys spending time with his lovely young daughter. Today, Darrell lives in Savannah, Georgia and is collaborating on a screenplay of his first book. You can contact or follow Darrell at the following: Email: corp_pro@hotmail.com Personal Blog - www.darrellgartrell.com (being upgraded) Or hook up through Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter or Instagram"

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