So a few years ago, shoot like seven years ago, a friend of mine while in Ukraine had recommended to me a book called Coming out of the Ice that he had read and said it was inspiring and thought provoking, and yada yada yada. Well at the time I didn’t think much of the recommendation, but as I came to respect this friend more, the book he mentioned stuck with me and I decided I would give it a read someday. Well, seven years later, I finally got around to it. The book is “Coming out of the Ice - An unexpected life by Victor Herman” which I picked up from amazon for around 50 bones (it’s out of print) and went to work.

After charging through this book in a matter of about a weeks worth of evenings I can say it is one of the most perspective changing books I’ve ever read. Well actually, I’m not sure if perspective is the right word, maybe inspiring, maybe gratitude inducing, I don’t know exactly what role it played in me these last few days, but I find myself oddly moved by this mans true story. He tells of struggles he faced in Russian prisons, wrongfully charged and committed and the story is how he lasted through an ungodly amount of time under these circumstances, and how he found his resolve to go on. It caused me to look at the struggles I face and realize how terribly easy it should be for me to just persever, to just suck it up and power through. It makes me much more grateful for the opportunities I have and life and freedoms I’ve enjoyed. I don’t know exactly why it stuck with me so, perhaps its the Russian politics, mentality, and mannerisms that he describes that can only really be understood through experience, or the fact that it’s just a good man book to read, but it is very profound to me.

Honestly I read a ton of books each year, many good ones, but I can’t tell you when I last read a book that gave such insight and actually moved me. I hope you all get the chance to read it at some point. Be forewarned though, it deals with issues that are a bit unsettling some of them, and theres about a dozen swearwords to watch out for through the course of his story, just so you know. But I would recommend this to anyone.

I don’t know why I’m on a review spree either, it won’t last, but enjoy it while you can. :)