My First Life : A Love Story

By David H. Spielberg

"My First Life" is a kind of literary reality show. The story unfolds through the eyes and mind of Michael Roth. It follows the life of this middle-aged man trying to recover from a bitter divorce, to rebuild his life and relationships, and finally, to discover love. The story engages the reader through a variety of strategies, foremost of which is the use of first person, present tense. We see the story of Michael Roth's life unfold in real time through his own eyes and by his own thoughts, words and actions. When Michael is meeting with his therapist, stream of consciousness allows the reader to travel deeper into Michael's character and motivations. Using flashbacks and reminiscences, the reader is given yet another path to Michael's soul. Michael is a complex character whose relationships with his ex-wife, Sharon, his high school age children, Meredith and Allen, and his second wife, Kristina are equally complex. The complications in Michael's life are sometimes frustrating, sometimes raw, sometimes sad and sometimes uplifting, but through it all he manages to grow emotionally, relying on his own evolving values and resilience. Parts of the story will be challenging for different reasons. The stream of consciousness in the therapist's office presents one kind of challenge for the reader. The challenging complexity of Michael's life is first exposed by his struggle to regain his moral compass. What ensues is a deeply personal and emotional psychological drama. For example, how can he find closure from the painful failure of his marriage when he never really accepts even partial blame for its dissolution? The story is replete with the randomness of life and the unexpected developments that life presents inevitably to all people. Michael Roth's journey, no matter whether we follow the seamier episodes of his life or the elevated moments of deep affection, trust and happiness, teaches important lessons to everyone he encounters. He is a surprising agent of change both for himself and others. This is ultimately the story of a rudderless man's transformative journey to love.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1522094598
• ISBN13: 9781522094593
• Release Date: August 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 283 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.7" x 6.0"