Overview

A touching, humorous account of the author's cultural reckoning with his Korean heritage and hidden family secrets. A surprising diagnosis of PTSD led Dave Gibbons to look to his past for clues to explain the unexpected result. Born to an American soldier and a Korean mother in the wake of the Korean War, Dave has spent his life struggling to blend his Korean roots and his very American upbringing. The family joins a conservative church that embraces a strict, rule-based faith, and they try to navigate life as one of the few mixed-raced families in their community. But when tragedy strikes, tearing the family apart, Dave is forced to face long- buried secrets that he can no longer ignore. As he explores his family's difficult past, he confronts his own pain and the persistent feelings of not quite fitting in either in America or his mother's home country. And when a DNA test ultimately reveals a truth that shatters everything he understood about his history, he begins the journey to reconcile his American upbringing with his deep Korean roots, and he is forced to confront the traumas he unknowingly carried. The Shape of My Eyes beautifully weaves historic reference points of the oppression and discrimination against Asian Americans with Dave's own personal story. Dave's wrestling with belonging in his family, in America, and in the church creates a raw, thought-provoking memoir about race, religion and finding home.

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9781546003236

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Reviews

"""The Shape of My Eyes is a compelling and introspective memoir that gracefully navigates the complexities of identity, cultural heritage, and the journey of self-discovery. Dave's quest for forgiveness and personal authenticity is a powerful testament to the beauty of turning pain into a force for good. With captivating stories from a life lived at the intersection of races, cultures, and worlds, Dave's spiritual faith and defiance of cultural expectations is a manifesto for those who live at the intersection of cultures, striving to make sense of our identities and impact the world positively. A powerful and uplifting must-read for anyone committed to the hard, hopeful work of building a better world.""--Sylvia Kim, Founder & CEO, Rebel For Good"

Author Information

Dave Gibbons was born in Seoul, Korea yet culturally raised in America. He works in both for profit and not for profit organizations. Dave is an Advisor, Speaker and Spiritual leader. Dave founded an influential church known for diversity, innovation and social impact. At the same time, he launched or worked with social impact organizations such as World Vision and Fuller Seminary. He loves working with creators and innovators in entertainment, sports, government, finance, and non-profits. Dave lives in California and Seoul, Korea, with his wife, Becca. He has four adult children and two grand-dogs.

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