Mirror Mirror

Book excerpt: MIRROR MIRROR, Tell Me Who I Am – 2nd Edition (ePub version) A trail in the woods. A dog gone astray. A chance meeting with a mysterious stranger. And so begins James' journey of self-discovery. Following his dog into the forest, James crosses paths – literally – with Albert, a vaguely familiar stranger who seems to understand James' inner struggle. James and Albert agree to meet for a walk the following day, and the next day, and the day after. Slowly, a new trail emerges into view – a previously unseen path that leads to renewed happiness, personal satisfaction and well-being. It's a trail, you'll discover, that invites us all. This book is about each person's quest to create relevance in everyday living. It teaches you how to use your thoughts, emotions, and feelings to interpret and create your own experiences, so that your life reflects what is meaningful to you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Editorial review by: The Book Review Directory (https://bookreviewdirectory.com/2024/08/26/mirror-mirror-tell-me-who-i-am-editorial-review/) Title: Mirror Mirror, Tell Me Who I Am In Mirror Mirror, Tell Me Who I Am, Jacob Eapen writes a self-help book in the form of a story. We meet James, a dad and husband struggling with finding satisfaction in his career as he recovers from a debilitating disease. While walking his dog, James crosses paths with an older man, Albert, and they strike up a friendship in which Albert shares advice to help James find more fulfillment and happiness. At just over 26,000 words, Mirror Mirror, Tell Me Who I Am is a short, easy read that most people could manage to finish in a few days and return to on an as-needed basis. Eapen's choice to render a self-help book in a story format is a novel concept and engages readers who may otherwise find self-help books too clinical. We relate to each other through stories, so the author's decision to share advice about living one's best life in this way is encouraging and smart. The plot is straightforward. James is unhappy, especially at work. Many people can relate to feeling unfulfilled at their jobs and may grow frustrated that they don't feel heard when they go to their boss with concerns. This is James' problem. Although he has made a remarkable recovery from an illness that paralyzed him, that he still isn't happy shows how we are as people. We often think we will be content once we accomplish the next big goal on our checklist, but anyone who has lived long enough knows this isn't true. The fact that James and Albert develop a friendship that occurs while walking their dogs and talking about life is a solid bedrock upon which to build the narrative. Albert has wise counsel for James, but at times, Albert feels like more of an instrument to relay information rather than a fully formed character. Meanwhile, James is rendered as the listener who doesn't have much to contribute. James has the potential to shine, but this would require a longer book. Most of the plot revolves around Albert and James's conversations. There are fleeting moments with James' wife, Anne, and he has two teenage sons, but they're never given names or dialogue. James is a husband and a father on top of being a man who doesn't like his job, and fleshing out these other interactions would enrich his character and the lessons the book wishes to teach. When Albert and James have their last interaction, James summarizes how he used Albert's advice when speaking with his boss and how it worked, but the actual scene in which this interaction occurs would, again, bring James's story to life more. It's understandable that Eapen's first goal for this book to be of the self-help variety, but by choosing to create a fiction story and weave the advice into a didactic setting, the author has room to expand on James' character and story and thus on the reader's experience. Overall, however, Eapen accomplishes his intention of sharing advice about pursuing happiness in life and how we are all the crafters of our reality based on our attitude. It is certainly true that how we approach a situation has a big impact on how it may play out. Mirror Mirror, Tell Me Who I Am is a creative take on the self-help variety because it shares its information in story form. For readers who are seeking advice on enriching their lives and don't have a lot of time to devote to reading, Mirror Mirror, Tell Me Who I Am is a solid choice. Jacob Eapen's book is a good recommendation to those who enjoyed The Secret but are seeking more grounding feedback.