Title: A Tale of Silence
Author: Ned Cole
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1796069464
Pages: 96
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

Read Book Review

There are few things in this world more difficult other than loss, and one of the greatest losses no one could ever imagine experiencing is the loss of a child. It is how we manage and deal with that loss which helps people rise above the pain that comes with that loss. As Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once said, “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths.”

In author Ned Cole’s A Tale of Silence, a father reminisces on the life and loss of his young son. The biography fuses non-fiction and facts from the author and his relationship with his lost son Jonathan Ned Cole with fictional accounts and imaginings of his son’s thoughts and feelings regarding his own passing and his life after death. Exploring his son’s life as a deaf, adoptive son, the author not only showcases his son’s life but finds a way of relaying his own pain and feelings after losing his son at such an early age.

While a short read, the biography is a powerful and emotional read as well. The author does a fantastic job of bringing his son’s voice and life out onto the pages of this book, and embellishes a deep understanding and connection to the life his son led. Readers will instantly feel for the love and life of Jonathan and his family, and while some parts had to be fictionalized from the  author’s perspective, the reader can see how this process helped the grieving period of this father as each chapter rolls on.

This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys biographies and memoirs, especially those that blend non-fiction and fiction into one narrative. As a fan of the genre and someone who becomes emotionally invested in personal stories like this, the author immediately had me hooked on this young man’s life and although tragic, it also showcased the love and light that he brought into this family, making this an easy connection for readers to have to the material.

This was a brilliant, sad, tragic yet emotionally charged read. Readers won’t be able to put down this one-of-a-kind book, and will learn a bit about the grieving process after such a monumental loss. Allow yourselves the space to feel and experience what Ned Cole writes, the grief, a father’s unconditional love, his loss and what life looks like after loss. This book, is a must read. It is painful and raw but it is absolutely beautiful. A glimpse into how grief transforms oneself into a different version of yourself. A Tale of Silence by Ned Cole is a truly heartbreaking narrative that is impossible to ignore, so be sure to grab your copy today.