Growing up Twice: Shaping a Future by Reliving My Past by Aaron Kirk Douglas is a powerful and memorable book. It’s a spellbinding, unusual memoir that explores the relationship between a middle-aged man and his teenage protégé, a book that is laced with wisdom and insight, both exciting and entertaining at the same time. Meet Aaron Kirk Douglas, a middle-aged man who selflessly undertakes the mission to mentor the son of an undocumented Latino. He has to be an elder brother to the boy and help him grow by being a role model for him. But it is more than that. The reader is transported into a world where brotherhood is defined, where fatherhood takes on a new perspective, and where friendship develops in the midst of harrowing trials. Can Aaron stay steadfast in his commitment until the end?
I enjoyed the many aspects of Growing up Twice: Shaping a Future by Reliving My Past. The story is beautifully written, insightful, and loaded with metaphors and a witticism that will interest readers. I enjoyed the fact that contact with the young boy could help the narrator look at his own upbringing and draw powerful lessons from it. I have read many memoirs, but rarely have I read something of this nature — a story that purely focuses on real friendship between two strangers. Readers will enjoy watching as the characters develop, gaining more wisdom and insight and contributing to each other’s personal growth. Mr. Douglas’ writing is stellar, his narrative voice compelling, and his story filled with emotional depth. This book will change the way we look at the less fortunate people we meet along the way, a powerful testimony that we can become the best we can be and, by so doing, become an inspiration for others.