DUE OUT MARCH 16, 2016
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MY JOURNEY THROUGH WAR AND PEACE:
Explorations of a Young Fimmaker, Feminist and Spiritual Seeker
by
Melissa Burch
BOOK DETAILS
(from Amazon)
My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker,
Feminist and Spiritual Seeker is based on Melissa Burch's experiences as
a war journalist for BBC, CBS, and other networks. Her team was one of
the first documentary crews allowed in the Soviet Union at the height of
the Cold War, and she was featured in a New York Times story about her
time in Afghanistan. She was just in her twenties when she traveled with
the mujahideen, filmed an attack on a Soviet convoy, slept with an
Afghan commander, and climbed 14,000-foot mountains in the Hindu Kush.
My Journey Through War and Peace examines how, through outward action
and inward exploration, life can unfold in mysterious ways, far beyond
cultural and family expectations. In looking back at this momentous
decade, Burch shares why she pursued such dangerous and difficult
circumstances at such a young age and continued to live on the edge. She
now understands that she was seeking self-discovery, a connection to
something greater, and ultimately inner peace. This exciting memoir will
resonate with fans of Eat, Pray, Love, Wild, and other popular memoirs
that describe extraordinary inner and outer journeys.
- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Mosaic Press (March 1, 2016)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1771611774
- ISBN-13: 978-1771611770
AUTHOR
Melissa Burch has worked as a filmmaker for CBS and the BBC, was
featured in The New York Times, produced a national public television
series, co-hosted a radio show on Voice America, and has been a
spiritual seeker for over thirty years. Her forthcoming book, "My
Journey Through War and Peace," describes her adventures in war zones in
Afghanistan and the Soviet Union and her peace efforts during the Cold
War, as well has her inward spiritual journey.Since her early teenage years, Melissa has been on a spiritual quest, which was initially based on the Buddhist tradition. She followed her father's beliefs as he became a Zen Master in the Rinzai tradition. She searched for answers about the meaning of life and how to navigate life from intuition and an inward knowing connected to the Divine. Her memoir focuses on ten years during her twenties when she was compelled to act in courageous ways while propelled by an intense anxiety that led to insight, transformation and new challenges.
During that same time period, Burch was coming to terms with her alcoholic mother, who was Sylvia Plath's roommate at Smith College, her weight issues and her desire to be a filmmaker. It all seemed to be happening at once--her news stories on Afghanistan were broadcast on CBS, BBC, ZDF, NHK and other international television stations. She was also featured in The New York Times' article "Afghan Areas show How War Cuts Fabric of Life." Soon afterwards, her news story on American teenagers traveling in the Soviet Union was broadcast on CBS. All of these life experiences led her to produce a national public television series called "Women in Limbo Presents," a five-part series using an autobiographical format for women to tell their truths which aired in 1995. It was a life-changing decade.
After the birth of Melissa's son, she focused her interest on health care when she discovered the power of homeopathy over mainstream medical care in healing childhood diseases such as otitis media, flus, and coughs. She took courses and then began the formal study of homeopathy. This form of medicine connected her understanding of energy, consciousness and healing and integrated her spiritual practices and medicine. She became an advocate for homeopathy, hosted a weekly radio show on homeopathy for Voice America, co-founded Catalyst School of Homeopathy, and wrote five books for homeopaths' practices, Vital Sensation Manual, Units 1-5: Based on the Sensation Method & Classical Homeopathy. The books were translated into German, Portuguese and Spanish and are bestsellers in the homeopathy field.
Memoir writing became Melissa's next quantum leap, which gave her the opportunity to expand her horizons and re-emerge as a teacher of life. Melissa began writing My Journey Through War and Peace right after she turned fifty--a good time to review a half century of life. She spent the previous year reviewing her past in ten five-year-blocks following a journal writing exercise she described in her Amazon bestselling book, "The Four Methods of Journal Writing: Finding Yourself Through Memoir."
Since turning this milestone three years ago, Melissa wrote and rewrote the many stories she had told to friends and loved ones about her journeys into Afghanistan after the Soviets invaded and in the former Soviet Union. Writing these stories brought back sensory memories--sounds, touch, visuals, tastes--all leading to a deeper sense of knowing. This wisdom had been hard earned and came from facing childhood challenges, cultural expectations and failures.
"My Journey Through War and Peace" is the first of a series of memoirs that are the cornerstone to developing a spiritual practice. And, in the spirit of "Celestine Prophecy," she is writing an accompanying guide for the memoirs to ground lessons learned so others can follow should they wish to take their own spiritual journey.
REVIEW
This book is based on a war journalist's experiences. That journalist is Melissa Burch who worked for BBC,CBS, and others. During the Cold War, Ms. Burch's team was one of the very first allowed in the Soviet Union. During this time, this was quite an accomplishment. Ms. Burch was only 20 years old when the New York Times documented her trip in Afghanistan. She did some amazing things when a lot of journalists weren't even allowed in the country. She and her crew filmed a Soviet Convoy being attacked while she was traveling with the mujahideen. She slept with an Afghan commander. She is a strong women who puts fear aside. She climbed 14,000 foot mountains in the Hindu Kush. The author, Ms. Burch shows through outward actions and inward discovery how life can be very strange. Life pulls no punches. It is what it is. Ms. Burch looks back on a decade that is filled with so many experiences, some good, some bad. She was so young to go on these journeys that were dangerous and not t he best of circumstances. She was looking for that inner peace that we all seek. That peace is only found by getting to know and accepting the real you. This is a fantastic memoir that includes the outer and inner findings of the author. This isn't the kind of journey that is right for everyone. Strength, both outer and inner is a must. Fear must be set aside. It's for those who have the drive to seek the answers to their questions.
I received a complimentary copy of My Journey Through War and Peace from the author, Melissa Burch for my unbiased view. No other compensation took place.
I would give this book 4 STARS.
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