How Coffee Saved My Life: And Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace [Paperback]

Ellie Roscher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2009

Based on the author s true life experiences, How Coffee Saved My Life is a funny, tragic, provocative and touching story of a rich, white, North American overachiever who spends a year in Uruguay in hopes of becoming a more responsible and sensitive member of the global community. Throughout the book, vignettes tied to the Spanish language flow from observation to theological analysis.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At age 25, author Roscher, a self-described rich, white North American overachiever, decided to spend a year in Lascano, Uruguay. What Roscher discovered during that year was that the American culture, especially its Christian subculture, has many layers of insulation. She was abruptly thrust into the physical antithesis of the comfortable, cushy existence she was used to and immediately realized how her personal desire for control would be tested on every level. Experiencing chronic constipation (thus the newfound need for daily coffee), bouts of lice, language barriers and feelings of loneliness, depression and isolation, Roscher in her diary reveals how she struggled for survival physically and emotionally. Her spirit, too, was tried and tested and, eventually, flourished beautifully. The author's yearlong mission is riveting and wildly adventurous in both the content and style of this poignant memoir. Readers will be rightly amazed and pleased at how much aged wisdom emanates from such a young soul. (Aug.)
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About the Author

Ellie Roscher received her M.A. in Theology/Urban Ministry from Luther Seminary in St.Paul, MN and her B.A. in Pre-Medicine/Religion from Gusavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. She now teaches in the Religions department at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, MN.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chalice Press (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827214561
• ISBN-13: 978-0827214569
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #979,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellie Roscher holds a master's degree in Theology/Urban Ministry from Luther Seminary. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her spouse, Dan, teaching theology and coaching at Cretin-Derham Hall High School. Traveling, writing and being active in nature give her life.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories to Savor and Prose to Praise, October 1, 2009

By 

Michael J. Main "Eng Teach" (Saint Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: How Coffee Saved My Life: And Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace (Paperback)

Ellie Roscher will lift your spirits and pierce your heart. Her thoughtful and passionate style confronts the reader with visceral, raw emotion and gentle, sacred insight. Roscher relates her year of mission work in Lascano, Uruguay, a small town of 2500 that has no place for a blonde North American, or so it seems. The gut-wrenching (literally) nature of some moments will give even the most stoic reader pause. Roscher holds nothing back as she unfolds the incredible joys and sorrows that an entire year living as "the other" brings to her. While the material would have an impact in even the most clumsy phrasing, Roscher drives each moment home by bringing Lascano and its inhabitants to life, vividly capturing the essential humanity of every person she describes (even herself). Although Roscher's writing is reason enough to purchase the book, she has done a spectacular job of providing tremendous quotations from other writers that both frame and deepen her own work. She has also included numerous poignant journal entries that she wrote in the midst of her turmoil in Uruguay. While the book is billed as a piece about spirituality and mission (which it certainly is), Roscher's arrow hits many other targets as well. The book will definitely aid anyone preparing for extended travel. It will also allow even the most ardent homebody to connect in self-reflection. Finally, the book at its core lays bare the realities of White Privilege. Rarely, if ever, are most Caucasians in the United States confronted with their "whiteness." Ellie Roscher spent an entire year as "the other" because she was white. Her willingness to reveal intensely personal moments of both elation and tragedy is a gift for anyone hoping to better understand her or his cultural awareness. Ellie Roscher has written a book that has already changed lives - her own and those of many people in Lascano, but the amazing gift is that the book clearly has the potential to transform the lives of anyone daring enough to plunge in, even if it might mean some stumbling to Grace for the reader too.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Proof that poignancy and sage advice can come from any age, December 11, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Coffee Saved My Life: And Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace (Paperback)

Failure and accidents have many positive bonuses if you take them right. "How Coffee Saved My Life: And Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace" is an inspirational memoir from Ellie Roscher drawing on her own experiences and what she has learned through her own bumblings through the world and offers much wisdom. "How Coffee Saved My Life" is proof that poignancy and sage advice can come from any age.

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT READING!, July 25, 2011

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Nodozer (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How Coffee Saved My Life: And Other Stories of Stumbling to Grace (Paperback)

This is a true story and an incredible account of the dedication and courage of a young woman who served a year abroad as a missionary. I read it cover to cover in one sitting and bought 15 additional copies to give to friends.