A Smoke and a Song

A Memoir

Non-Fiction - Memoir
304 Pages
Reviewed on 09/13/2023
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

A Smoke and a Song is a powerful memoir by Sherry Sidoti, who shares her life from childhood to old age. Along the way, we meet her mother, her sisters, and the men she loves. Her childhood was painful with a single mother who was not always there for her girls, leaving Sherry feeling as if she had to be the responsible adult. Throughout her life and up until her mother’s death, their relationship shifts from happy to sad, to angry and pained. Sherry has two sisters who are very different and they are examined in great detail. They do not seem to see or remember things in the same way, but somehow there is always love and a bond between them. Sherry finds it hard to love and is often in a shaky relationship with the men in her life. Through it all, her son Miles always remains her pride and joy. In time Sherry becomes the owner of a Yoga School offering others a learning tool to handle their trauma through meditation. Sherry takes over as their leader and spiritual trainer and is highly regarded after her 20-year career.

A Smoke and a Song will have you crying, laughing, and shaking your head in amazement as you follow along and become a part of Sherry’s story as the words draw you into her reality. This memoir will make you pause and think about your own life in terms of where it has been and where it is going. I found it impossible to stop reading and was amazed at the strength, spirit, pain, love, hurt, and healing that one woman was faced with, yet she managed to find peace and a bright ending. This is a must-read for women from all walks of life who are looking for answers to the frequently asked question: Who am I, and what is my purpose? Please do not pass up this book, but put it on the top of your reading list as you will not regret it.