Why Not? - by Renato Wakim (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"I hope I can convey this to you properly." Looking straight at me in the eyes, she proceeded: "I am a firm believer that life does prepare us for the difficult things. In other words, I think we come to our existence somehow ready to go through the tough times. Big events such as death, illness, major losses of all kinds - these are the big things every human being will go through, sooner or later. Yet, somehow we are equipped to withstand these hard experiences. On the other hand, I don't think we are always fit to deal with small things or situations. As an example, circumstances that get us involved in bickering, petty arguments and undesirable acts may escalate if we don't pay attention to as to how to deal with them. And these things, the little details that we tend to overlook in relationships of all nature - at work, in friendships, at home with siblings and parents and, most importantly, in a marriage - are the very things that undermine the same relationships and more than often bring them to an end. Sometimes amicably, sometimes loaded with anger, mistrust and hatred. Only because we tend to ignore the little things."
-Why Not? A Memoir

Review Quotes

"Beautiful memoir involving self reflection, music, and observation of the world around us. Highly recommend" - C. Casarico was born and raised in Vermont, and has been writing since the age of 10. The Rose Petal, the first in The Rags and Riches series, is their debut novel.

"In July 2018, Renato Wakim's family home in Essex Junction was destroyed by fire. Wakim uses that upheaval to frame his memoir, which chronicles a life of "migration journeys" that eventually brought him to Vermont. "I never felt like an immigrant myself," he writes, "but, rather, one that had the opportunity to choose his own destiny.

"Born in Brazil to parents of Lebanese descent, Wakim was drawn during his college years to Berkeley, Calif., where he played his acoustic guitar and washed dishes at the now-defunct Good Earth restaurant. Later, he toured Europe and lived on a kibbutz. After he settled down, the wanderlust remained. So did the "quest for meaning" Wakim peppers his account with quotes from thinkers who influenced him, ranging from psychiatrist Bernard Lievegoed to Albert Einstein to Jethro Tull.

"Along with travel, music is a thread through the memoir. "I can't think of a better way to bring people together," Wakim writes - reminding us, as he describes Brazil's tradition of protest songs, that music can be resistance, too." - Margot Harrison, SevenDays

"Rick Steves has nothing on Renato Wakim. In his own globe-trotting tour of life, spirit and family, Wakim definitively answers the rhetorical title of his warm and engaging memoir." - Bill Mares, Author and co-author of The Marine Machine, Bees Besieged, The Full Vermonty and 15 other books, journalist, photographer, beekeeper, former state legislator and high school teacher.

"Why Not? is a remarkable memoir about and by a remarkable man. It is, as well, a book for our time, as a vivid tale of the bravery, resourcefulness and determination of an immigrant navigating the realities of globalization, and doing so with the exuberance and courage implied in the title. For anyone wondering what a global citizen of the world looks like, Why not? offers an indelible portrait. A great read!" - Sue Mehrtens, PhD, president of the Potlatch Group Inc., coauthor of The Fourth Wave.

"Fabulous image and book! I'm loving this book! Renato Wakim journeys across 3 continents in his quest to savor the world early on and later with his family to adapt to the rapid changes in the economy of a global planet. It's a story that will resonate with all of us who have traveled for love and for necessity in this super fast changing world." - Alejandra Cisneros, Architect, author of Seen Unseen: Embracing Natural Home Design in Bali