Author Lindsay Wincherauk is down on his luck and headed for midlife collapse. Working two dismal jobs to pay his trendy Yaletown rent, grieving the sudden loss of two friends and family members, and dumped by the love of his life – Lindsay looks for the nearest exit. He decides on a whim to escape to Europe with his buddy Dave. By a twist of fate, his life turns completely upside down when he attempts to renew his passport and discovers he’s the main character in a dark family secret. Reeling from the shock, Lindsay grabs his bags and blasts through 11 countries in 31 days. Wincherauk’s story moves at breakneck speed as the author describes his flight through pain and madness, spinning into surreal side trips where he meets an inferno of wild characters. Back in Vancouver, while driving a suicidal man to work, a light goes on and Lindsay knows what he must do: write his story. He’s come precariously close to self-destructing and knows that until the hidden pieces of his life are uncovered, something would be missing. Writing his way through the dark chapters, with wit and candour, he breaks through to the other side – “reborn”.
LINDSAY WINCHERAUK is an author, journalist, and one-time bartender; he loves writing about the world as he sees it. He was a contributing writer to 24 Hours Vancouver. He co-authored a book titled: SEED’S SKETCHY RELATIONSHIP THEORIES – A GUIDE TO THE PERILS OF DATING (HOW NOT TO BECOME A BAR REGULAR) (2004).
FUN FACTS: Lindsay quarterbacked high school, junior, and university football teams, winning city, provincial, and national championships. He holds the record for the longest touchdown pass in Canadian junior football league history, 108 yards. Amazingly, he’s blind in one eye.
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22 reviews
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Wincherauk takes us on one wild ride in his memoir “Driving in Reverse: The Life I Almost Missed.” Thankfully the reader is prepped during the introduction for the dark, difficult, enlightening journey ahead. This memoir does not read like the well-known, novel-esque memoir you’ll likely find on your local bookstore shelf. Rather, Wincherauk prides himself on having worked with an editor who encouraged his artistic, stylized story. For example, we actually start off in chapter 1 reading letters that Wincherauk wrote to the fictional “Ed,” who is a collection of people named Ed from across the country. This first chapter is a wonderful insight into how Wincherauk’s mind works, and his ability to creatively take a hold of his life (for better or for worse).
That being said, you should be warned: if you’re a die-hard fan of chronological pieces, this won’t be the memoir for you. The book skips around in time, pieces together different stories, information and thoughts. If you love thought-provoking, somewhat mind-twisting reads, then I highly recommend this book to you! I have no doubt that you’ll find, by the end and through the twists, that you are satisfied having listened to Wincherauk’s story.
Although dark at times, Wincherauk maintains a humorous, self-aware tone throughout the novel. Whether I was laughing, scoffing or holding back tears, I was consistently turning the pages to get to know Wincherauk better. In the end, I feel as though I’ve read a memoir that will stick with me. I would argue that I have connected with Wincherauk through his words and am incredibly thankful for the work that he put into this enthralling book!
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This is a wonderfully sarcastic view of life!
“Driving in Reverse: The Life I Almost Missed” by author Lindsay Wincherauk is just an amazing story. It is strongly sarcastic, but in a way that is outlandishly comical. Wincherauk’s sharp wit is great; his storyline is sad but honest. I loved this combination.
The book is, in my opinion, a brilliant metaphysical trip into the past, into ‘the life he almost missed.’ I found similarities to my own, somewhat emotionally tortured childhood, and feel that many will identify with Wincherauk’s comments. Most of us just don’t have the ability to express them as does he. I could relate to the author’s feelings and emotions and love the way he writes.
The topics discussed in the book are very ‘adult’ and should be accepted as such. He discusses what life really is, not what we wish it would be. He often got really bad deals, or had bad luck, and doesn’t mind relating those things to the reader.
The book is a true example of ultimate perseverance in life. Things don’t always work out perfectly, but life is still good and worth working for.
I am happy with my purchase of Mr. Wincherauk’s book and hope to read more of his work in the near future. I recommend “Driving in Reverse-” to any adult reader with a desire to experience a written example of truth and a spirit of determination.
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A unique read!
I am in awe of the style of writing this book takes on...with its fast-paced change of scenery and intense wisdom from a life-changing event. It is truly a read that will make you rethink your life; as I did many times throughout the story. The story can be somewhat hard to follow as it is formatted in such a way that it seems he is writing his story out in a letter and then switches quite abruptly to consciousness writing. Overall though, the format of the story is very interesting and unique, making this book a must read for anyone looking to be captivated by a wild story.
I loved this story because it covers great self-discovery topics such as love, family, adoption, and finding strength through sharing your story with others. The descriptive writing makes it ridiculously easy to submerge yourself in the author's life story starting from early childhood. This book is full of wonderful characters who are well-rounded. If you are looking to read a life memoir that takes you on a fast-paced journey that will leave you increasingly curious and surprised as the events unfold then this story is the one for you. A truly wisdom-filled read with the only issue being it can be hard to grasp the writing style at times.
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Driving in Reverse: The Life I Almost Missed is a thought-provoking book. I did notice some formatting errors, but it was not a big deal to me. One of my favorite things about this book is how it is written differently than many other books in the same genre. The author does a good job of writing in a way that makes the reader feel without following the typical rules of writing a memoir. Honestly, this book was not what I expected, but it was still inspiring to read. There were a few moments in the book that I felt a little lost regarding what was going on, but I do get the overall picture and point of the book. Those moments felt like I was in the middle of chaos in the mind, but it is a different writing style that is authentic. I really didn't like the pictures in the book. I felt like they were sized wrong and slightly distracting. Some sections of the book were highly entertaining. You could feel like you were apart of this crazy journey even with the unique format. I felt the emotion behind some of the characters like the part of him searching for his birth father. I found myself really hoping for the best for him when he endured so much.
Overall, this is one of the most unique books that have interesting layers that tell a one-of-a-kind story.
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Lindsay Wincherauk has a very unique writing style and a distinct voice in his storytelling. While sharing the ups and downs in his life, Wincherauk writes like he's on a roller coaster: fast and chaotic, then slows to a contemplative tone. Throughout the book, there was never any doubt that this came directly from Lindsay himself. This is a very good read (4 stars) if you think you can handle getting into the mind of this writer.
This is the memoir of a man who has never really had his life together but finds a way for it to fall apart. Lindsay Wincherauk tells his life story, but most of it is about his drug and alcohol abuse and his dysfunctional (at best) sexual relationships. At times, he comes off as an arrogant jerk, other times a helpless loser. Yet I still found him likeable, and I was truly rooting for him. When he shows his vulnerability, his fear, his pain, he is so real. And even though his life story is uncommon, he is very relatable.
Wincherauk has a wicked sense of humour, combined with a dirty mind, so this book is not for everyone. When you mix in his habit of floating between reality, fantasy, and his drug-induced mind tricks, it is very easy to get lost in this book, not knowing what really just happened. He had some very funny lines, even during the darker scenes. It can catch you off guard. However, Wincherauk was at his best when writing from the heart. He bares his soul, and when he does, it is poetic.
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Radio host from QMFM - Afternoon Show
I finished the book. I enjoyed it!
You've had some challenges... I hope the road is a bit smoother for you these days. Your sensitivity, tender and sharp wit come through in the writing.
I hope you'll keep trying to connect with folks in the literary world and find the right people to help focus and channel your talent.
I wish you loads of happiness and inner peace.
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