Black Swan

By Kathleen Shaw

My book isn't named for the ballet or for the birds. It's named for black swan events, which are unpredicted, impactful occurrences. The term black swan comes from the surprising discovery of black swans after Europeans had thought for many years that all swans were white. Historical examples of black swan events include the stock market crash and 9/11. My book recounts some of my personal black swans - surprising realizations or insights that impacted my life. It consists of a series of vignettes, ranging from a childhood epiphany about the universe, to a teenager's unwitting ignorance about an earth-shattering truth, to an older woman's regret about a path not travelled. Each incident evokes an unanticipated realization, proving Kierkegaard's quote: "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GRPCX4YT
• ISBN13: 9798899904158
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Finishing Line Press
• Length: 34 Pages
• Weight: 0.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 5.5" x 8.5"