Description

The Parrot’s Perch opens in 2013, when Karen Keilt, age 60, receives an invitation to testify at the Brazilian National Truth Commission at the UN in New York. The email sparks memories of her “previous life” – the one she has kept safely bottled up for more than 37 years. Hopeful of helping to raise awareness about ongoing human rights violations in Brazil, she wants to testify, but she anguishes over reliving the horrific events of her youth.

In the story that follows, Keilt tells the story of her life in Brazil – from her exclusive upper-class lifestyle and dreams of Olympic medals to her turmoil-filled youth. Full of hints of a dark oligarchy in Brazil, corruption, crime, and military interference, The Parrot’s Perch is a searing, sometimes shocking true tale of suffering, struggle – and survival.

Karen Keilt lived through the darkest days of Brazil’s military dictatorship. In her courageous and compelling memoir, Keilt narrates an emotionally honest reckoning of her desire to find true happiness. Forbidden by her wealthy family to even mention her imprisonment, torture, and rape, Keilt is forced to make a change that will affect the rest of her life. Seen through her testimony to the Brazilian National Truth Commission at the UN, listeners become witnesses to both her vulnerability and her quiet strength.

Details

PRAISE FOR THE PARROT’S PERCH

“In writing this courageous, grueling memoir, the author has made an important and powerful statement regarding human rights violations. Her recollections will undoubtedly leave a mark on readers… An astoundingly brave and lucid gathering of horrific memories.”

Kirkus Reviews

“Keilt narrates an intense yet even-handed story of living under a dictatorship.”

Publisher’s Weekly

My Thoughts

I was quickly pulled into the story that unfolded when Keilt traveled to the UN headquarters in New York, December 2013, to testify. Testify about what? An experience that she and her husband endured nearly 34 years earlier in Brazil during the country’s military dictatorship.

Consider yourself warned. When you start listening you’ll have a hard time stopping. The narrator takes this well-written story and brings it to life. I listened to the highs and brutal lows of a story of wealth, relationships, abuse, and secrets as often as I could during the day.

It took hold of my thoughts and wouldn’t let go. 

The personal journey that Keilt shares is not only informative but inspirational. If you’re like me you’ll get to the end and marvel at her strength. And then the inevitable question: How strong would I have been? 

This is a powerful memoir that you won’t want to miss.

My Concerns

I hope readers don’t assume this is a story of torture and rape. It is far more than that. It is a story of determination, inspiration, and survival. Even when family and closest friends abandoned her, Keilt stands up for her beliefs.

Final Thoughts

This is written and narrated so well that I won’t soon forget it’s contents and message. The author conveys her story in such a manner that you’ll marvel at your interest, even if you previously weren’t a fan of memoirs.

My thanks to #BookSparks tour for a copy of this audiobook and the ability to review it without stipulations.

Rating

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN!

About the Author

Born and raised in Brazil to a Brazilian father and an American mother, Karen Keilt had a childhood of luxury and privilege. She began riding horses at age five and competing at age nine. She attended University of Sao Paulo, Faculdade Objetivo. However, in 1979, she fled to the US, after being unlawfully held prisoner and tortured by Brazilian police for 45 days before being ransomed. Since coming to America, she has enjoyed an eclectic career, including serving as Riding Master at the YMCA, and the first-ever female general manager of a men’s professional RHI League hockey franchise, the Florida Hammerheads. She always gravitated back to her love of writing–first as a newspaper columnist in South Carolina, and later writing four screenplays: The Parrot’s Perch, Bethebotu, The Gnashing of Teeth, and Maracanazo. Keilt enjoys traveling, hiking, Anusara yoga, amateur photography, and horseback riding. She lives in Carefree, Arizona, with her husband, Jack, and their dog, Luna.

You’ll definitely want to visit Karen’s website to view her gorgeous photography and interesting book information.

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