Fiona Brown

Some people like to read celebrity biographies, but I prefer those written by people whose feet are firmly on the ground. The story of Addis, in Beyond The Arterno, is one of hope, inspiration and determination. It was a hard read at times but what I took from it is that even in the darkest of days, there is a pinprick of light and if you focus on that then life will get brighter. In the way that Addis fought her way back from every problem, from her courage at leaving home at 15 years old and travelling to a different country, alone, not speaking the language and making a new life for herself, Addis is inspirational. In an age where children kick off if they aren't allowed that extra 15 minutes on their ipads, phones or Xbox, learning how a young girl went out to work at 7 years old to get food for her baby brother, is really heart-wrenching yet also heart-warming. The prejudice and the tragedy Addis encountered throughout her life is off-set against the kindness of strangers and that brings hope. This is one of those biographies that has, at its core, the theme that life is what you make it. A setback is an opportunity for a new beginning. At the end of the book, you really want to give this magnificent woman a huge hug and a long holiday in a top hotel.