Written with passion and raw honesty by Patrick Callaghan (pen name), ‘Just Another Gulliver and His Travels’ tells a transformative story of the author’s neglected upbringing and separation from his father, his wild and tumultuous younger days and finally finding peace and contentment as an older man. While fascinating in its own right, Callaghan has committed his story to paper so that his grandchildren would understand why he lives so far away.
Somerset, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/22/2014 -- England’s West Country boasts some of the world’s most impressive scenery and unique close-knit culture. However, for Patrick Callaghan, this quintessential and supposed paradise became the playground for a mentally abusive upbringing that would alter life’s course forever.
Leaving his native UK due to work, Callaghan has lived a life that – while unpredictable and unlikely – makes for an engrossing and heartfelt story. That story has now been published to the world as ‘Just Another Gulliver and His Travels’.
Synopsis:
This book tells the story of a young Englishman’s voyage through life. He never experienced love from his mother. As he grew up, he discovered so many lies and deceit. He was denied the opportunity to hold his paternal father.
A hug would have fulfilled a dream. He was also cheated from the dream by his aunt. He discovered a half sister in America when he was thirty-three and never connected with his brother; they drifted apart. He was hit by an angry uncle who was his mentor. He was cheated and lost a business that had the makings of a huge success. Foolishly, he allowed good times to override the serious side of life. Thus, he lost his wife, his children, and his beautiful home. A caravan on a farm became his sanctuary, stealing vegetables to survive. He rose from the wilderness and ran with the wind, breaking hearts as he traveled over and through other countries.
Later, he married for a bet in a foreign country and soon divorced, only to marry again to an American Christian who emptied his bank account. She left him homeless and penniless. His family and friends discovered he would rise from the ashes and run again. He enjoyed many women; they enjoyed him.
Working hard all his life gave him some lovely rewards. He endeavored to enjoy life to the fullest and make friends wherever he went. Finally, at age fifty-eight, he settled down, having found happiness in the Midwest of America. This is the story of how the author transformed from a wild young lad to a very content older man.
“Writing this book required me to literally relive my life in my head; revisiting many of the traumatic experiences of my youth. While doing so, I became acutely aware of just how bad my start in life was. My Aunt was kind, but she had a dark secret and still does. You really don’t appreciate this kind of thing until you grow up and can look back on life in retrospect,” says Callaghan.
This project also fulfills a deeply-personal mission.
“I want my grandchildren to understand why I am living where I am, and why I am here. It’s also about spreading a message of hope and the importance of never giving up. I want them to seize every opportunity they get and, while I won’t be there to sit around the dinner table or hand them gifts at Christmas, I hope my writing can allow me to have a different kind of influence on their lives,” he says.
To date, the book has garnered rave reviews. For example, one reader comments, “This book is very moving. It made me laugh and brought a few tears. What a amazing man and his travels in life and lessons learned along the way. I could not put the book down. This book is well worth reading and I think it would make a great movie.”
‘Just Another Gulliver and His Travels’, published by Xlibris, is available now: http://amzn.to/1v8USZT.
For more information, visit the author’s official website: http://www.shaunshanahan.com.
Reviews: http://www.amazon.co.uk / http://www.barnesandnoble.com / http://www.amazon.com
About Patrick Callaghan
Patrick Callaghan was born in a small west country town in England. He loved going out and working on friends farms. As he grew he wanted to work hard and play hard. Oppertunitys took him to many countries where new friends were always made over a beer. He loved dancing and music. That drew the ladies and jealous guys. Never one to back away he took some hidings. He found Denmark a country he fell in love with. He also found an American and got married. Not knowing what was ahead of him he took another adventure and moved to America. With nothing more than 2 suitcases, 1,000 dollars and a wife who turned out to be a criminal. She milked him dry after several years leaving him homeless and penniless. He now lives happily in the land his unknown paternal father is buried.