"Julie Freed begins her memoir Naked: Stripped by a Man and Hurricane Katrina with a quotation by the late poet Maya Angelou: “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be un-lived, but if faced ... Read more"
"The pull this account has at the opening is magnetic. I couldn't close the book after reading that first email. ... " Read More
“Accolades to memoirist Julie Freed - this stunningly poignant book candidly reveals intitmate details of her life with clarity but not a whiff of “poor, pitiful me.” In facing the end of her marriage and the end of life as she had known it on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, Freed exhibited the strength other Mississippians also showed in response to this country’s worst natural disaster. She persevered - and she wrote a damn good book.”
“Powerful and emotional memoir about a woman who starts rebuilding her life. The story is honest showing the strength of a woman, despite setbacks. The starkness, rawness and candor with which the author has written the story is gripping. A story of loss, redemption, survival and renewal that will inspire and motivate. The author’s emotions are so personal it’s like reading a personal diary. The author pulls readers into the story, making them feel as if it is their journey. The story is empowering and can be equated to a phoenix rising from the ashes. ”
“It is a rare talent that can make you feel the emotions portrayed in words and Freed accomplished this. Showing that true strength and power can derive from the lowest of places. NAKED is one memoir that I am glad I read. Favorite line: ‘My lungs filled with fresh new air brought from deep in the Gulf. The salty wind spun and twisted my clothes about my body as I pleaded to Katrina. I hoped she was showing me the way. I was crushed, but free. I inhaled a cleansing breath. I would survive. I must survive.”
“An honest, courageous, eye-opening and brilliantly written testament to a harrowing and life-changing period of her life”
“A dignified and heart rending account throughout, Naked - Stripped by a Man and Hurricane Katrina, is the debut release from author Julie Freed. It comes amidst a list of ever growing books about Katrina and whilst many offer sobering insights, there still seems an overwhelming bias towards the deplorable role of government in its aftermath. They can be read with a degree of detachment, but not so with Freed’s harrowing account. The events during and after were undeniably terrifying, but Freed doesn’t handle them for sensation. Her intention is to show how close we all are, at any moment in time, to unexpected, monumental and life altering change. Resolute, but understated in her narration, her prose achieve a tone that doesn’t force her account upon readers. She isn’t someone hurtling towards resolution, but one of many extraordinary people who have delved deep into a well of reserve and found the strength and courage to not only adapt, but to grow when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. With a laudable and powerful element of self-reflection the lasting message in Freed’s words is that the lingering trauma of catastrophe pales in the face of self-determination.
An intelligent and engaging memoir, Naked - Stripped By A Man and Hurricane Katrina, is undoubtedly deserving of your attention and is recommended without reservation. ”
