How Coffee Saved My Life: And Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace

At age 25, author Roscher, a self-described rich, white North American overachiever, decided to spend a year in Lascano, Uruguay. What Roscher discovered during that year was that the American culture, especially its Christian subculture, has many layers of insulation. She was abruptly thrust into the physical antithesis of the comfortable, cushy existence she was used to and immediately realized how her personal desire for control would be tested on every level. Experiencing chronic constipation (thus the newfound need for daily coffee), bouts of lice, language barriers and feelings of loneliness, depression and isolation, Roscher in her diary reveals how she struggled for survival physically and emotionally. Her spirit, too, was tried and tested and, eventually, flourished beautifully. The author's yearlong mission is riveting and wildly adventurous in both the content and style of this poignant memoir. Readers will be rightly amazed and pleased at how much aged wisdom emanates from such a young soul. (Aug.)