Thank you so much to NetGalley and She Writes Press for my copy of Gone by Linda K. Olson in exchange for an honest review. It published October 27, 2020.
First off, I just want to say that I regret not reading this book sooner. It is just that good. What a story. Wow. The way Olson wrote this was so heart-wrenching, relatable, and inspiring. What an incredible family, and what an amazing story. Obviously extremely tragic, but the way that everyone worked together and pressed on was wonderful. It makes me want to be a better person and not let any dreams die!
The sweetness between Linda and Dave was very touching, and there were many instances that had me choked up.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading memoirs. Just be ready to neglect your duties so you can devour this book (like I did).

3.5 star rating. In 1979, newly married Linda and Dave were involved in a horrific accident leaving her with just one remaining limb. This is her memoir of how literally she got back on her feet again. No self pity here, just an absolute determination to claw back her life, which she managed, in spades! Dave and Linda are a team in every way and he played a huge part in her struggles for “normality”. Anyone reading this with their own adversities will gain strength from it.

Broken, by Linda K. Olson is an amazing story of survival, perseverance, and above all love. When Linda is in a terrible accident that leaves her as a triple amputee, she makes the decision to move forward with her life, accept the challenges that lie ahead, and do everything in her power to make life as normal as possible. The ways in which she and her husband adapt and overcome seemingly insurmountable problems and obstacles is amazing. Linda never loses hope or her positive attitude and view of life. She does not ask "why me", or "what if", she simply accepts her new circumstances and moves forward every day.
While this story shows Linda as an amazing woman, a tenacious survivor with a quick sense of humor that puts everyone at ease, the other hero of this memoir is her husband, Dave. First and foremost- he saved her life, but then his continuous mantra of "I didn't marry your arms and legs" and his willingness to take on every challenge by her side, make him a true knight in shining armor. This is certainly a story of survival. It is inspiring. It make you laugh and cry, and is even at times jaw dropping, but in my opinion, this is at its core, one of the greatest love stories ever written.

Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Pretty, and the author for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Linda K. Olson's memoir, Gone, doesn't hold back any bunches and gets right to exactly telling you how the title was chosen. She is open and honest with what has happened to her, and how she has come to terms with her new normal.

Olson was a fairly newlywed young woman studying radiology and taken a much needed vacation in Germany with her husband and in laws. Little does she know that everything is about to change in the blink of an eye. One second, she's trying to escape a car stalled on train tracks as a train comes barrelling down. The next, she's being pulled from the tracks, thinking that something suspiciously like her shoe (with the foot still in it) is lying not all that far away; her right arm lays loosely in her sleeve. Not long after, Olsen wakes up in a hospital with only her left arm fully in tact.

This all comes to light relatively early in Linda Olson's Gone, a touching memoir that at times can feel a bit heteronormative but shows a touching story of a woman coping with going from being an athletic 30 something who loves biking and hiking, to a triple amputee who must learn to walk again and how to go life with only your left hand. Can she have a normal life?

My main feedback would be that it can at times feel a bit rushes, and like it jumps quickly through plots. Olson is in a fortunate position to have a loving husband who reminds that he didn't marry her for her legs and right arm, but for her overall being. She doesn't sugar coat when things weren't easy, but also recognizes the support she had to help her along. We hear a bit from her husband and children, and how this affected their lives as well.

This is a quick, touching read for anyone looking for a good memoir.

I couldn’t recommend Gone more. Olson is an ideal storyteller, crafting her narrative in a way that’s consistent with her person. She isn’t tragic or asking for pity. Gone is a story of recovery, of Olson taking her life back, as the title suggests. In learning and living through Olson in the confines of this book, my own empathy and strength were pondered. Gone is an introspective experience as much as it is an inspiring one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir, and I believe there’s value in it for everyone. Gone is the story of Olson’s experience, but its message transcends and seeps into everyone’s lives.

I received an advanced copy of Gone: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life in exchange for an honest review. Read the full review on Affinity Magazine, linked.

Wow! That is all that I can say about this book. The author's life changed in an instant when a train hit the van her and her husband were in on vacation. Now a triple amputee, the author finished medical school, raised two children and accomplished so much more. This woman is an inspiration, as I do not think I would be able to adjust as well as she did to a new reality.

BOOK REVIEW: Gone by Linda K Olson @lindakolson

4 stars

What an outstanding memoir about such a unique and tough situation. Gone had me gripped and I feel honoured to read Linda's story.

In 1979, Linda Olsen was involved in an accident where a train ploughed into the car she was next to and subsequently was trapped under. She lost both her legs from above the knee and her right (dominant) arm.
"Gone" is her story and about how this accident shaped the rest of her life in both positive and negative ways. The story also focuses on disability in the 80s and how little technology there was to help amputees, let alone triple amputees. Gone also looks into a beautiful love story of Linda with her husband Dave who stayed by her side, was her support when she needed help but also her lover, best friend and husband who pushed her to do her best and never let her feel that anything was impossible. It is a sad story but also a beautiful and uplifting tale of survival, love and success.

As a disabled person who has all of her limbs, I felt really inspired by Linda and her strength and bravery. In a time when she could have been swept aside, she never gave up on her goals and pursued her dreams with a smile on her face and always making others laugh. I would find what she accomplished amazing for an able bodied person, let alone a triple amputee.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to read an incredibly brave and beautiful story. I am so glad that I have read this book.

Please note that I was #gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the true story of a 29 y/o newly married woman, who is in an accident that sees her losing both her legs & 1 arm. What a story of positivity & determination! It's really as much a story about her husband too.....positivity & determination from both of them. An honest & open account of many of the challenges they faced.....financial, social, sexual, physical & mental. She did a good job of putting the story together in a real interesting, readable form. I found it easy to stay up late at night reading it.
I received an e-ARC from She Writes Press via NetGalley, with the understanding that I'd read it & post my own fair/honest review.

Absolutely awesome. What a tale of heroism, grit and determination. Inspiring and deeply moving. This book also made me laugh which is amazing given the tragic nature of Linda's disability. Dave and Linda are truly amazing.

Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for giving me an opportunity to read and review this memoir.

Out of all the memoirs I have read till date, this was the first that I read about physical disability. Linda is a triple amputee. A tragic car vs train accident in Germany at the age of 29 lead to a complete change in life as she knew it. What follows is a story of sheer determination: the will to live life to the fullest - learn to drive a car, have kids, complete her education to become a radiologist and stay in a happy marriage.

The prologue of the book is written by her daughter and the epilogue is written by her son. Her husband also writes a few sections of some of the chapters.

I didn't particularly enjoy reading this book because of certain issues I faced with the narration. There's a lot of repetition of ideas. For example, one of the ideas that is repeated often is that the author thinks that her husband would leave her just because she doesn't look sexy enough post the amputation. While I do not dismiss that thought, and I completely understand and empathise with the author's struggles, I just felt that the effect of disability on intimate relationships could have been drafted better.

Another issue I had with the book, is that the sentences in some paragraphs don't seem to follow any logical order. Much like flitting around from one idea to another.
And some of the sentences seemed downright disturbing:
"In fact, in all the years my two children were babies and toddlers, neither one ever fell out of my wheelchair. That's not to say that on occasion I didn't think about throwing them out".

I must clarify that I'm not at all ableist. I'm reviewing this book for its literary merit alone. The story of Linda fascinates me, and all the effort she's taken to defy the odds certainly inspires me. However, this book could have been better encapsulated in a TED talk or a long form essay.

Linda Olson is one persistent, scrappy woman!
Her memoir/ love story of overcoming a horrific train accident while on vacation was gripping and inspiring. It was very uplifting to read about such a determined woman surrounded by so much love and support as she stubbornly pursued her dreams of remaining married, starting a family and completing her residency in radiology to become a doctor.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book This book is David and Linda Olson who inspired me by the way they overcame such adversity. This book was well written and makes you look at your life in a different way.

I received an advance copy of, Gone, by Linda K. Olson. This book was very moving and inspirational. Linda Olson and her husband Dave Hodgens, were young doctors, on vacation in Germany, tragedy struck. Linda lost her legs, and an arm. Lind and her husband tell their amazing story, and her fight for a normal life.

Inspirational. Lovely read. Puts things into perspective for sure.
Well written book!

Thanks to author,publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free,it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book, I was definitely intrigued by the story and I read it cover to cover in a short period of time. I loved how her she and her husband were always thinking one step ahead and never letting a disability stop them from having everything they wanted but always being honest when things weren't working. They were literally planning life out in the hospital right after the accident. I will say, I think the prologue by her daughter and the epilogue by her son were really the perfect frames for the book, loved how they both were so proud of their mom. Such an inspirational story. The only thing that I was bothered by was not being able to really view the pictures.