Synopses & Reviews
"If you want to feel safe, be prepared to feel uncomfortable." Such surprising lessons (and more) arise in Susan Schorns memoir of a quixotic, determined pursuit of a more balanced life, as expanded from her popular
McSweeney's column. Susan Schorn was paralyzed by fear. Fed up with feeling powerless, she took up karate. Over fifteen years, she learned how to say no and how to fight when you have to (even in the dark). Karate helped her persuade her husband to wear a helmet, best one bossy Girl Scout troop leader, and set boundaries with an oversharing boss. Now this double black belt gives us a fighting, biting, laughing woman's answer to
Eat Pray Love—where enlightenment is as much about embracing absurdity and landing a punch as about finding that perfect method of meditation.
Both hilarious and strategic, Schorn's quest for a more satisfying life also features practical lessons about safety and self defense. Smile at strangers, she says. Question your habits, your fears, your self-criticism: Self-criticism is easy. Self-improvement is hard. You're here for the hard stuff. And oh yeah, dont forget this one: Everybody wants to have adventures. Whether they know it or not.
Review
“Eat, pray... kick ass. Delivered with self-deprecating candor, Schorn's life lessons learned at the dojo will resonate with anyone who's ever tried to remodel a house, raise kids, cope with a health crisis, navigate office politics or hyperventilated — essentially anyone who's ever been slammed on the mat while testing for the black belt of life. Like the fighter herself, you can't put this one down.” Mary Moore, author of The Unexpected When You're Expecting
Review
"The tale of her journey to empowerment is an engrossing and inspirational read." Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
"The tale of her journey to empowerment is an engrossing and inspirational read." Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
"Although karate may not be the right discipline for some people, Schorn's experiences encourage women to stand up and fight for what they believe in, despite the odds, and to smile and enjoy the process while doing so. Useful, perceptive advice on life found through the practice of karate." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Funny, focused, and fierce with wiry wisdom, this memoir is a muscular meditation on living fearlessly. Its a sort of ‘Code of the Samurai' for every 21st century person, written by a witty literature professor with a second-degree black belt and a keen eye for spotting human folly. Schorn breaks down our conventional understanding of confronting menace in the world with the same ease that she breaks planks of wood. A perfect, engaging read for tackling college, the workplace, marriage, or prison — basically anywhere humans congregate with complicated motives." Joe Loya, author of The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell: Confessions of a Bank Robber
Synopsis
"If you want to feel safe, be prepared to feel uncomfortable." Such surprising lessons (and more) arise in Susan Schorn's memoir of a quixotic, determined pursuit of a more balanced life, as expanded from her popular McSweeney's column.
Synopsis
Susan Schorn led an anxious life. For no clear reason, she had become progressively paralyzed by fear. Fed up with feeling powerless, she took up karate.
She learned how to say no and how to fight when you have to (even in the dark). Karate taught her how to persuade her husband to wear a helmet, best one bossy Girl Scout troop leader, and set boundaries with an over-sharing boss. Here this double black belt recounts a fighting, biting, laughing woman's journey on the road to living fearlessly — where enlightenment is as much about embracing absurdity and landing a punch as about finding that perfect method of meditation.
Full of hilarious hijinks and tactical wisdom, Schorn's quest for a more satisfying life features practical — and often counterintuitive — lessons about safety and self defense. Smile at strangers, she says. Question your habits, your fears, your self-criticism: Self-criticism is easy. Self-improvement is hard. And don’t forget this essential gem: Everybody wants to have adventures. Whether they know it or not. Join the adventure in these pages, and come through it poised to have more of your own.
About the Author
Susan Schorn has taught writing and literature at the University of Texas, St. Edward's University, and the University of Hawaii-Hilo. She holds black belts in Kyokushin and Seido karate and is a member of the National Women's Martial Arts Federation and former chair of the board of directors for Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self Defense, NFP, in Austin, Texas (where she still trains and teaches). She is currently working toward self-defense instructor certification through the NWMAF, and earned her nidan (second degree) black belt in Seido karate in 2011. She has written for radio and online publications, including McSweeney's and The Rumpus.