Title:The Life of the Leader: In Loving Memory of Deng Ter Thach
Author: Gatlauk Ter Thach
Publisher: LitFire Publishing
ISBN: 978-1643983639
Pages: 154
Genre: Biography
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
American UFC fighter Max Holloway once said, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” In author Gatlauk Ter Thach’s book The Life of the Leader: In Loving Memory of Deng Ter Thach, a brother remembers and honors the life of his late brother by sharing the inspirational stories of a young man gifted with a talent for leadership and the legacy he left behind in South Sudan and Ethiopia.
In the book, the author relays the story of his late older brother, hoping to let others know about the unsung hero of a family and a rarely recognized area of the world. From the man’s early childhood taking charge of the local town children and taking on projects as the leader, to adulthood, which saw the young man use critical thinking and strategy to not only help his family in times of need, but others who were desperate for food, money or shelter. Through his brother’s eyes, we see Deng as a visionary leader who used his natural skills to see through to the core of any situation and see the best course of action going forward in life.
This book seems to be written by an author not as well versed in English, or perhaps not properly translated for English speaking readers. While instances of improper grammar and sentence structure do occur in the book, remembering the author’s life living in the South Sudan/Ethiopia area of the world allows us to see past these errors and instead focus on the content. In that sense, the author’s ability to relate the stories of their life with their late brother mirrors the love and emotional connection shared between brothers and friends in life.
This is a book for anyone who enjoys books written in remembrance of a loved one or beloved family member, biographies that detail the unsung heroes in life, or who just love books that delve into the various cultural differences between the reader and the subjects of a biography. As a fan of biographies and as a reader who recently lost someone close as well, I felt an immediate connection to the author and the book. Readers will feel the admiration and love the author felt for the subject, and the concept of capturing the legacy of someone you love is a natural feeling we have in the face of loss.
In one of the more heartfelt moments of the The Life of the Leader, readers are given the rare opportunity to see how the life of a person impacted others as people like family, loved ones and those impacted by Deng’s life share memorials, poems and other writings with the author and share with the world one of life’s greatest gifts, which is the impact we have on those in our lives without ever truly realizing it.
This was a positive and emotionally driven biography that you rarely see in the genre. While not always the easiest to read when dealing with the translation of the author’s words, the short read packed a powerful punch as the author delved into personal moments. If you haven’t yet, be sure to pick up your copy of author Gatluak Ter Thach The Life of the Leader: In Loving Memory of Deng Ter Thach today!