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Formats
Audio Details
  • 04/2020
  • 9781733588744 B086WLRLTJ
  • 296 pages
  • $24.95
Hardcover Book Details
  • 08/2019
  • 9781733588720
  • 246 pages
  • $27.95
Open Ebook Ebook Details
  • 08/2019
  • 9781733588713 B07SWXJVGR
  • 296 pages
  • $9.99
Paperback Book Details
  • 06/2019
  • 9781733588706
  • 296 pages
  • $16.95
Debbie Ethell
Author
The Will of Heaven: An Inspiring True Story About Elephants, Alcoholism, and Hope

Adult; Memoir; (Market)

THE WILL OF HEAVEN is the powerful true story of how one woman overcame a debilitating addiction−rising from the courtrooms of her past to the grass plains of Kenya as a conservation research scientist. It was there she could finally fulfill her lifelong dream of working with wild elephants. Debbie Ethell became obsessed by a group of elephants in Kenya when she was eight years old after seeing them on a PBS nature show. Over the next several years, her obsession grew−until a group of school bullies left her contemplating suicide. By the time she was twenty-six, an addiction to alcohol robbed her of nearly everything except her dreams … and it nearly took those too. Left with one final option and more judges in her life than friends, she entered a treatment center and then a halfway house, where she slowly learned how to live life sober. THE WILL OF HEAVEN vividly captures her serendipitous journey as she discovers her inner strength−not unlike that of the elephants whose stories she tells. Part biography, part revelation, this story will inspire others to reach further than they ever thought they could. Above all, it conveys a strong message of hope, both for elephants fighting to survive poaching and for alcoholics fighting to survive addiction.
Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Prose: 8 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 8.75 out of 10

Assessment:

Idea: The Will of Heaven is more than just the standard memoir. It is a double story, that of a woman's recovery from alcohol addiction and of her growing passion and interest in Kenyan elephants. The chapters fluctuate between these themes, and readers will wonder how the author has so seamlessly threaded the African stories together so well without being there --- presumably, newspaper articles, scientific journal articles, and other research methods.

Prose/Style: The prose is exemplary and one of the greatest strengths of this book. What shines through to readers and will stick with them is the passion behind the writing about the elephants.

Originality: This text is quite original, especially in the way it ties together the very diverse themes of alcoholism, trauma and grief, and orphaned elephants so well.

Character/Execution: Debbie's character is quite clear and memorable; she undergoes a huge transformation in her years-long attempts to reach her amazing goals. The elephant keepers and administrators in Africa are also quite clearly portrayed.

Date Submitted: October 06, 2020

Reviews
BookAuthority

"One of the best books about alcoholism of all time" -BookAuthority, The Will of Heaven chosen #8 on the list

Dr. Lucy Bates

"Debbie's deeply personal account of her addiction, recovery and building a new life dedicated to conservation would be compelling and deeply moving if told on its own, but combined with the insights and stories of the remarkable elephants that encouraged her recovery, her story is elevated to a truly inspiring memoir. 

You are guaranteed to learn something about the world reading this book, and I think it will leave you feeling very hopeful. However desperate the challenges, together we can overcome adversity to secure a future for elephants, and for ourselves."  -Dr. Lucy Bates, Research Fellow (primary focus on wild African elephants) University of Sussex

Shannon Leonetti

"I don't remember the last time a book made me cry. I don't remember the last time I read a memoir I couldn't put down. The Will of Heaven by Debbie Ethell, managed to do both. Her story of overcoming a debilitating addiction to alcohol and fulfilling a lifelong dream of working with wild elephants is nothing less than extraordinary." -Shannon Leonetti, Amazon and Goodreads professional reviewer (unpaid)

Zach Ellis

"I all-caps LOVE this book!" Zach Ellis, author of Being

News
10/19/2019
A Tale of Loss, Redemption, and Elephants

Debbie Ethell has stories to tell. She has stories to tell about elephants, alcoholism and hope, and writes well about all three.

"Storytelling is a powerful teaching tool," she said. "I wrote my book to share my experiences of love for elephants and to raise awareness about elephants. But I also wanted to show readers what addiction looks like, to put a face on it, as it is never too late to change."

Ethell's book, "The Will of Heaven: An Inspiring True Story about Elephants, Alcoholism and Hope" is the true story of how she overcame debilitating addiction to become a conservation research scientist, fulfilling her lifelong dream of working with wild elephants...

10/30/2019
Afternoon LIVE with Debbie Ethell

The author of "The Will of Heaven", Debbie Ethell talked about how elephants saved her life and helped to keep her sober for 20 years. Debbie has a Book Event Tonight @ 7 @ Broadway Books, Portland. Click here for more information about Debbie.

06/04/2020
Conservation Research Scientist Debbie Ethell in conversation with the Nonhuman

Debbie Ethell is the Executive Director of the KOTA Foundation for Elephants and a conservation research scientist who has served as a consultant on the NhRP's elephant rights cases. Her memoir "The Will of Heaven" interweaves her personal story of recovery from alcoholism with her lifelong passion for helping and promoting a deeper understanding of elephants. Here, she talks with NhRP Communications Director Lauren Choplin about the resilience of elephants, the power of storytelling as a tool for self-reflection and animal advocacy, and more.

05/19/2020
ONLINE: Third Tuesday Author Debbie Ethell

Local author Debbie Ethell will present The Will of Heaven: An Inspiring True Story About Elephants, Alcoholism, and Hope on Tuesday, May 19 at 7pm via Webex...

Click on link to view full recorded interview.

Formats
Audio Details
  • 04/2020
  • 9781733588744 B086WLRLTJ
  • 296 pages
  • $24.95
Hardcover Book Details
  • 08/2019
  • 9781733588720
  • 246 pages
  • $27.95
Open Ebook Ebook Details
  • 08/2019
  • 9781733588713 B07SWXJVGR
  • 296 pages
  • $9.99
Paperback Book Details
  • 06/2019
  • 9781733588706
  • 296 pages
  • $16.95
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