Becoming Charlie

A Memoir

De: Charles Monlezun

Narrado por: Charles J. Monlezun

Becoming Charlie is a revealing and unguarded look into the ordinary and extraordinary experiences of a boy from the bayou on his journey while holding onto the reins of life. Charlie Monlezun, the third of ten children, interweaves tale after tale of family, friendships, hardships, and harmonies. As an offering to his granddaughter at the onset of her own journey, Charlie recounts major and minor moments that shaped the person he is. His easy, relatable style gives each of us opportunities to reflect on events of our own lives and the ways we integrate and navigate through them in our own act of living. Charlie has channeled all that he has known to share his lessons of courage, resilience, wonder, and enduring love.

©2022 Charles Monlezun (P)2022 Charles Monlezun

A guide to living life well

I adore this book. I listen to it, jot down memorable quotes from Charlie in my phone, then underline them in the book, then end up telling my friend some of his stories, and then say what the heck let me just play you this audio clip! I’ve never known someone before with so much reverence for life and people, so much love and respect, so much wisdom for a life well lived to share. The book is not only a fascinating glimpse of life and history in the 20th century rural south but a story-driven journey through moral and ethical philosophy. I am honored to have been able to read this book and hope I am a better person because of it.

Storytelling extraordinaire

Charles Monlezun weaves a compelling narrative about his life and his family and his heritage. This is a rich tale about growing up in a large family in the Cajun country of southwestern Louisiana. The story is told to his yet unborn granddaughter so she will have a deep understanding of her roots and the context of her ancestry. Filled with both poignant and humorous tales, Charles sums up each tale with an important life lesson he hopes his granddaughter will embrace someday. I wholeheartedly recommend this title to anyone who is drawn to a strong work ethic, family values and who embraces the importance of our cultural heritage.