Memoir Review

Success Envy Crash Reborn
by JoySun Wong
ISBN-10: 0615132006
Review by Heather Froeschl

Do you dare to dream the American Dream? A lot of Americans don't even pursue what they have opportunities for, but the main character of "Success, Envy, Crash, Reborn" did and then some. This true story reads like fiction, through the role of Tony Lima, a Brazilian immigrant who makes a serious go at life in America.

Told in third person but from the mind of the character himself, this book shares a true American Dream tale. Coming to America in his 20's, not even speaking English, Tony builds a life beginning as a dish washer, busboy, and failed car salesman and ends up becoming a millionaire entrepreneur. He finds his way through female relationships, somewhat leery of commitment at first and ends up wary of contractual, married relationships after a couple of tries at matrimony. His business dealings were not always the best, trusting in those he should not have, and success teeters on the brink of failure several times. Bankruptcy is something Tony Lima knows about! Finally, on a trip to India, Tony finds understanding of life with the help of two books and synchronicity.

The story is a frantic one, full of many life lessons and ups and downs. That it is true is something of an amazement at one man's perseverance. Reading the book as a non-fiction work, it is interesting and proves that the American Dream can be realized. Reading as fiction, the storytelling leaves a bit to be desired. I prefer to think of the book as a fictionalized memoir, for with that classification I can say it is well done.