Muriel has overcome more than her fair share of problems and difficulties in her life. From the loss of people important to her, to the loss of belongings and the loss of her own will, she has had to overcome more adversity than most. Living with cancer is hard enough for most people to overcome, even when they have a strong support system. Losing a baby is hard to overcome. Suicide of loved ones, a family member walking out … all of these are things that can make someone’s life difficult on their own, but these are only a few of the things that Muriel has overcome, some with loved ones and their help, and some by herself. These are testaments to the strength displayed in Finding My Invincible Summer by Muriel Vasconcellos.

I was amazed by all the events that occurred in Muriel’s life. She’s the type of person that anyone would look up to. Not only has she had to deal with so many problems, but she’s come to her own way of doing so. Even though she begins with a mindset of allowing others who are ‘more knowledgeable’ to make all the decisions, she determines that this is not the best thing for her after all, and shows even more strength and ability then. I must say I was very motivated by everything Muriel has done and I was very moved to do more with my own life. Her professional and personal lives are equally inspiring and they will continue to inspire others in Finding My Invincible Summer.

Finding My Invincible Summer chronicles the life of author Muriel Vasconcellos as she faces her personal trials. The book unfolds when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, which is one of the turning points in her life. Happily married to Sylvio, a Brazilian intellectual, Muriel has a tumultuous past. Life with Sylvio is not all perfect, but she has found her soul mate in him. When he is taken ill, he requests her to stop his physical suffering and she asks the hospital staff to stop giving him blood transfusions. This will cause her additional feelings of guilt and grief. And upon his death, Muriel faces her new life and she will seek to find the invincible summer within her. Will she find what she is looking for?

Muriel Vasconcellos’ memoir, Finding My Invincible Summer, is a sometimes happy, and sometimes heart breaking tale of painful childhood memories, a happy married life, sickness, happiness, grief, guilt and other challenges in life. After Muriel is diagnosed with breast cancer, her husband, Sylvio, unexpectedly dies. Months later, she learns that her cancer has spread to her bones and that her days on earth are numbered. The story is told in a matter of fact style, as if careful, not to ask for sympathy from readers. This makes it even more interesting because the author obviously wants her readers to learn from her experiences. Rejecting the conventional treatments for cancer, Muriel Vasconcellos opts for something that will hopefully heal not only her body, but her psyche and spirit as well. This is her journey.

Finding My Invincible Summer by Muriel Vasconcellos is a story of life and what you do when you are told you have 6 months to live. Muriel Vasconcellos takes the reader through her life and a courageous story that starts with a breast cancer diagnosis, and continues with her outliving what the doctors said would happen. We take this journey with Muriel through 3 bouts of cancer and the loss of Sylvio, with whom she shared 6 wonderful years until he tragically dies. A true story of love and loss, pain and hope to overcome the struggles that appear within life.

Sometimes memoirs can be difficult to get into; however this story of Muriel’s life brought me into her story and life from the first few pages. I can only imagine the trauma and problems she has gone through. As someone who has fought with cancer, I can walk in the shoes of being told you have it not once, but three times, along with Muriel. Mine was never as advanced as Muriel’s, but the feeling, the fear is the same. However, she rose above it and found a way to continue with life even after the loss of Sylvio. You will be brought into this life story and it does not let you go until you are done reading it. Every word flows off the page and you can tell how much time and care went into the telling of the story. If you want to go through a full run of emotions and read a beautiful life story, I would recommend this book by Muriel Vasconcellos.

In Finding My Invincible Summer by Muriel Vasconcellos, you immediately discover that she is meeting with Dr. Laird, the physician that ultimately issued her a six-month death sentence. But she has survived her long-term battle with cancer. So, you tend to assume that the story is just another I-won-my-fight-with-cancer autobiographies. But it's not; that's just the beginning. The fast-paced memoir lured me in to Vasconcellos's colorful life from page one. Initially, I became engrossed with the love affair with her brother-in-law, Sylvio -- a tall, handsome, Brazilian professor fleeing from his country due to political persecution. After they get married, they overcome his life-threatening illness, handle her editorial job loss, study for her master's degree, travel to exotic locales like Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, etc., and outmaneuver bureaucratic regimes in order to secure Sylvio's visa. They find refuge in Virginia where Aunt Muriel and the famed anthropologist Margaret Mead reside. Yet, her biggest struggle haunts her when she returns to her grandfather's house and finally faces the truth.

I loved Finding My Invincible Summer although I think the simplistic title belies a more expansive truth. I was totally unprepared for my vicarious adventure, completely spellbound throughout the 30-year journey of this autobiographical page turner. Muriel Vasconcellos is a talented storyteller well versed in the art of character development, foreshadowing and sustained suspense. She is also a distinguished academic with a doctorate in linguistics. She taught translation as a 14-year tenured professor at Georgetown University. Finding My Invincible Summer is highly recommended.