In Brave(ish), author Margaret Davis Ghielmetti travels the globe, describing the Technicolor riches of places and people with humor, generosity, and candor. As she discovers the world’s splendors, however, from incandescent rice paddies to moonlit deserts, she also learns to navigate another landscape: the fiercely beautiful, sometimes rocky terrain of her own heart.”
—Janice Deal, award-winning author of The Decline of Pigeons
“Written in lyrical prose peppered with insight and wisdom hard-won through travel and personal struggle, Brave(ish) is Margaret’s continuation of her storytelling and one-woman shows that left audiences wanting more. In this uplifting, witty, and sometimes dark memoir, Margaret discovers her truths and her story, one destination at a time.”
—Jen Cullerton Johnson, award-winning author of Seeds of Change
“Brave(ish) should be required reading for all perfectionists who are sick of people pleasing and ready to reclaim their own lives. You’ll love traveling around the world with Margaret, and you’ll root for her as she embraces her true self. By owning her desires and asking for help, she is able to become the type of authentic person we all hope to be.”
—Nadine Kenney Johnstone, award-winning memoirist of Of This Much I’m Sure
“Margaret Ghielmetti shows us that sometimes you have to travel a long way to find a path back to your true self. Brave(ish) is intimate and honest- the two best words to describe a memoir.”
—Arlene Malinowski Ph.D., award-winning playwright of “What Does The Sun Sound Like”
“Travel lover Ghielmetti sets her coming-of-middle-age tale against a vivid and alluring backdrop of beautiful and complex places such as Egypt, Singapore, Paris, and the Presbyterian Home in Evanston, Illinois. This culturally rich narrative makes us long to travel with Ghielmetti as she comes to understand that discovering her exterior landscape is secondary to discovering her interior one; that she can create momentum even when being still; and that living in these distant places in the world has brought her nearer to places of the heart, and of the spirit.”
—Patricia Ann McNair, award-winning author of The Temple of Air and And These Are the Good Times
“This beautifully written book invites readers to join the author on a parallel journey. A wonderfully rendered narrative of life and travel on multiple continents around the world, Brave(ish) explores the humor and humanity of the places Ghielmetti inhabits and chronicles a poignant interior journey and her struggle to transcend constraints of childhood rules. Told with love, warmth, and brave self-reflection, the victories and losses along these two journeys coalesce to form a nurturing path of being at home wherever your travels take you.”
—Dr. Niva Piran, award-winning author of Journeys of Embodiment at the Intersection of Body and Culture
“Brave(ish) is a breathtaking journey across the globe and into the soul. The author’s adventures as a ‘trailing wife’ will captivate you with glimpses into the opulent world of first-class hotels and jaw-dropping travel destinations—but it’s her determined quest to find home within herself that will hold your heart.”
—MT Cozzola, author of Boy Small
“Brave(ish) invites us on Margaret’s amazing adventures, where treasures are unearthed—some from worlds beyond what most of us have or will ever experience. Women’s lives often have a tipping point, and Margaret shares with us that moment of revelation where what she once dreamed and imagined no longer suffices.”
—Laurie Kahn, director of Womencare Counseling and Training Center and author of Baffled by Love
“Ghielmetti’s sure hand and clear prose guide us through her compelling story of breaking free from the straightjacket of perfectionism. If memoir is the art of making the personal universal, she has hit the mark and then some. You’ll enjoy her often wise, often funny journey through an emotional and international landscape.”
—Anne Laughlin, author of Lammy-nominated The Acquittal
“Reading Brave(ish) led me to an “aha” moment I had been unknowingly awaiting my entire adult life. A recovering perfectionist myself, I found solace in another woman questioning “What will I be if I'm not perfect?” Kudos to Margaret for asking tough questions and finding answers. Let us take her example and forge ahead towards being—at the very least—brave(ish).”
—R.C. Riley, author of the solo show “Wrong Way Journey”
“To use Ghielmetti’s own words, reading her memoir is like an ‘otter easing into a river.’ It’s easy to cry and laugh with her on her journey through both exotic places in the world and intimate places in the heart. At the same time, I was permitted to walk through the door of her complex family and marriage and witness firsthand the behind-the-door feelings of both. Rarely is a reader given such profound access to the humble humanity of another person.”
—Adrienne Weiss, author of Brand Buzz: Three Breakthrough Secrets for Building a Winning Brand
“In her eloquently crafted memoir, Margaret Ghielmetti takes us along on parallel journeys. Each stop along the way of her ‘sheroe’s journey’ back to self is set against a gorgeously painted backdrop that is her literal journey around the world.”
—Rita Balzotti, Career Advancement & Alumni Manager, Cara Chicago
“Margaret shares a mosaic of intimate thoughts, souvenirs, and memories with a humorous and colourful writing style that compels you to read to the end of the story. This book should be a ‘must-read’ for anyone embarking on an international career as an expatriate—with all the good and not-so-glamorous aspects of it. Most importantly, this book is a love story about acceptance of oneself.”
—René Beauchamp, founder of Rise&Spice blog and consultant hotelier
“What an inspiring book with memories of the glamorous life of a hotel general manager—and the trepidation of daily life trying to get the new culture and customs of each new move. The beautiful writing transports us on an expat journey and I would highly recommend this book for anyone about to embark on this life.”
—Louise Beer, founder and director of Prag Artworks Gallery, Czech Republic
“Brave(ish) is a revelatory and rich mix of memoir and travelogue. In this emotionally powerful book, Ghielmetti reveals the painful journey she takes to self-discovery with insight and humor. An acclaimed storyteller, Margaret writes with raw honesty, probingly and hilariously, about her adventures and struggles as a trailing spouse.”
—Don Henderson, retired book buyer for Gallery Shops, National Gallery of Art
“Brave(ish) is an international journey and a glimpse into the interior of the soulful writer. Ghielmetti’s candor gives context to her experiences and each of the places—and transported me there. With an openness to share without holding back, she allows the reader a firsthand experience into her emotional life—and in doing so allows the reader to be in touch with theirs.”
—JoAnn Kurtz-Ahlers, president of Hidden Doorways, A KAA Travel Collection
“Margaret takes her readers on a tour of far-off, exotic locations through her beautiful storytelling. It’s in these places that she comes to grips with her need to please. The unfolding and rediscovering of who she is in this world and the power of her story is a triumph.”
—Deanna Moffitt, CEO of Luminant Leadership and transformational coach at The You Experience
“In this intimate memoir, Ghielmetti takes us on several voyages at once. Through vivid sketches, we travel with her to France, Egypt, Thailand, Singapore, and India. Along the way, we see how she refashions her family’s rigid code of behavior into more flexible guidelines. We watch the growth of her relationships with her husband, her aging parents, and her higher power. We’re alongside as her self-concept evolves, from ‘Trailing Spouse’ to aspiring writer to confident story-teller to—at long last—published author. It’s one woman’s inspiring voyage of self-discovery and empowerment.”
—Dan Richman, editor of Drive or Die
“As one of live lit’s most skilled and respected storytellers, Ghielmetti consistently weaves the perfectly crafted tale on stage, and Brave(ish) is as bold, fun, and fascinating as her spoken-word performances. Turns out this self-proclaimed ‘teacher’s pet’ also has an adventurous streak!”
—Stephanie Rogers, producer and chief creative officer at Story Jam and Story Jam Studio
“Brave(ish) impacted me deeply. It made me laugh and cry out loud, sometimes simultaneously. While Margaret’s journey is an unusual one that has taken her all over the globe, it is one that so many of us can relate to while enjoying the wonderful travel tales. It made me think about my own ‘family handbook’ and how it has impacted my decisions and my life. Margaret reminded me that it’s never too late to find yourself.”
—Alexis Romer, VP-Sales, Luxury Travel Industry, Bulgari, EDITION, Luxury Collection,
Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels
“Brave(ish) traces a journey of life: learning the ‘family handbook’ of rules while we’re young, then applying the rules religiously—until we evolve and shed layers to eventually get to our place of peace. Margaret reminds the reader that it’s acceptable to ‘kiss our good little girl or boy good-bye’ in order to unleash our essential selves into the world. This book inspires me to investigate my own family handbook, setting down the rules which no longer work for me and breaking free from their grip to accommodate who I am now.”
—Michelle Sanford, leadership coach at Impact by Design/Sanford & Associates
“If you’ve picked up Brave(ish), you’re about to journey to some of the world’s most fascinating places, including those within. Admitted people pleaser and perfectionist Margaret brings humor, tenderness, and authenticity to the practice of releasing perfectionism. She is pure class without the ‘act,’ a guide who journeyed the world to find home.”
—Lynne E. Sheridan, transformational trainer at Inspire Coaching
2020-08-04
Chicago writer Ghielmetti gradually gains confidence and self-realization in this globe-trotting memoir.
After leaving the comfort of the Windy City in 2000, the author accompanied her hotelier husband, Patrick, across the globe as they traveled overseas to facilitate his work. In the book’s opening, Ghielmetti makes clear that she adhered to theDavis Family Handbook—her term for a series of precepts that urged family members to repeat “How lucky am I?” in the face of adversity and to always put others first.She also aimed to be the perfect partner to her husband, so she followed Patrick around the globe to Paris, Cairo, and Bangkok. The pair then traveled to Sharm el Sheikh, where she gave up drinking alcohol, worked as an editor for Patrick’s concierge team, and helped him open a resort. She thought of herself as essential to his hotelier work but eventually realized that “maybe the world might not stop spinning” if she sought her own selfhood. She began pursuing her writing and also started to make more choices—and friends—of her own, finding that, despite what the handbook might say, it’s OK to let off steam “to other humans who understand.” Late in the memoir, she tells of her mother entering hospice care; Ghielmetti went back to Chicago to be with her. Patrick later returned home and became a vice president for the Four Seasons. Over the course of this book, Ghielmetti works in plainspoken language that shows her sense of fun, and her close attention to imagery creates a memorable world, as when she tells of recognizing a banquet’s spiritual significance: “apples and Chinese pears to bring financial luck…golden-tinted desserts for prosperity.” Her prose is also often informal, but enjoyably so. Near the book’s conclusion, for instance, Ghielmetti tells of how she was finally ready to slow down and live on her own terms; she joins a storytelling group and at last releases her self-doubt: “My stories have meaning for others,” she notes, “and for me.” When she and Patrick finally returned to Paris in 2019, her confidence had grown; she was no longer just an avid reader of literature, she noted proudly—she could create it.
An uplifting affirmation of a rediscovered self.
