Review: "If At Birth You Don't Succeed" By Zach Anner

Read the article on the eMissourian here

Often I find that giving up is much easier than seeing life through; today, quitting is viewed as less of a failure than making a decision toward comfort, and who can blame you for choosing to be comfortable? This modern dilemma plagues our lives daily, and often the easiest decision boils down to opting out of new opportunities. As a result complacency rules.

For Zach Anner, these decisions weren’t as easy. Growing up with cerebral palsy, (which he admits to the public is, of course, “the sexiest of palsies”), Anner had to fight his entire life for much more than just new opportunities; he struggled every day to maintain a sense of normalcy. Luckily his quest for normalcy came bundled with an overwhelming sense of humor and an unnaturally large heart.

“If At Birth You Don’t Succeed, My Adventures With Disaster and Destiny” is Anner’s autobiography, an amazing book that outlines his journey from house-bound child to award-winning comedian, show host and public speaker. This book speaks to any and all readers with enlightening humor and insight, showing that life is what you make of it and that mistakes are what make you human.

Anner doesn’t lie to his readers. He writes of how his disability often held him back from the action of everyday life and how life at times seemed hopeless. As a child he had to leave class early for therapy to complete personal tasks many of us take for granted. He made enemies in PE class because of special rules others felt favored him, and he had to have assistance with simple tasks. Though he suffered many hardships, Anner found his saving grace through the power that comedy offered him.

Anner’s journey is nothing short of inspiring, and his book reads smoothly, prompting both laughs and tears. Readers should feel honored to read this personal and touching autobiography, richly laced with stories. HIs book is sure to make others embrace the phrase, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

#review #published #professional