Of my own making : a memoir
(Book)

Book Cover
Average Rating
Published
New York : Legacy Lit, 2025.
Status

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LocationCall NumberStatusDue Date
Central - Adult Biography - NEWB BURKE DChecked OutJune 15, 2025

Description

We are not defined by our origin stories. We choose who we become.   Daria Burke’s childhood growing up under the shadow of an absent father and a mother debilitated by drug addiction was marked by neglect and poverty. Despite these fractured beginnings, she forges a triumphant path out of Detroit and into fashion’s C-Suite. After ten years of therapy, she believes her healing journey is complete. When she discovers a photograph of the car accident that she believes altered the course of her early life, Burke is forced to confront the parts of her childhood she had avoided. This discovery sparks a four-year immersion into neuroplasticity, epigenetics, the impact of adverse childhood experiences on early brain development, and ultimately, why some of us remain stuck in past trauma while others experience post-traumatic growth. She dives headfirst into an exploration of her trauma, grappling with the enduring grip of the past on the present and the mind's influence over the body. More than a story of personal triumph, Of My Own Making is a soulful and scientific exploration of the power to shape one's destiny. In facing the stark reality of her past, Burke reminds us that every moment demands a choice, and that we owe it to ourselves to reparent our inner child and reclaim the lives we deserve. Burke’s lyrical account of a life lived with courage and intention offers an empathetic and hard-won perspective on the nature versus nurture debate and the power of acceptance. Part memoir, part methodology, it is a fearless rallying cry inspiring us to excavate and examine the stories that define our lives. Ultimately, the narratives that we craft with our own hands are the only ones that matter.

More Details

Format
Book
Edition
First edition.
Physical Desc
viii, 277 pages ; 22 cm
Language
English
ISBN
9781538766804, 1538766809

Notes

Description
"Daria Burke's childhood growing up under the shadow of an absent father and a mother debilitated by drug addiction was marked by neglect and poverty. Despite these fractured beginnings, she forges a triumphant path out of Detroit and into fashion's C-Suite. After ten years of therapy, she believes her healing journey is complete. When she discovers a photograph of the car accident that she believes altered the course of her early life, Burke is forced to confront the parts of her childhood she had avoided. This discovery sparks a four-year immersion into neuroplasticity, epigenetics, the impact of adverse childhood experiences on early brain development and ultimately, why some of us remain stuck in past trauma while others experience Post Traumatic Growth... More than a story of personal triumph, Of My Own Making is a soulful and scientific exploration of the power to shape one's destiny."-- Provided by publisher.

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Published Reviews

Booklist Review

Burke's debut memoir is a meditation on her early life and the experiences that helped shape the woman she is today. She describes growing up in a poverty-stricken area of Detroit in the 1980s, her father having left before her second birthday. She found comfort in the love and support of her maternal grandmother, Effie, before losing her in a tragic car accident when Burke was seven. Consumed by grief, the author's mother turned to drugs to numb her pain, leaving young Burke to fend for herself. School was Burke's haven, and she devoted herself to being a good student. After obtaining multiple degrees and high-profile jobs with companies like L'Oréal and Estée Lauder, Burke began a quest to learn about the science of neuroplasticity in order to understand how a person could change her circumstances by changing her brain. Readers of memoirs like Educated and The Glass Castle will enjoy Burke's inspiring story of overcoming early abuse and neglect to build the life she knew was waiting for her.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Booklist Reviews

Burke's debut memoir is a meditation on her early life and the experiences that helped shape the woman she is today. She describes growing up in a poverty-stricken area of Detroit in the 1980s, her father having left before her second birthday. She found comfort in the love and support of her maternal grandmother, Effie, before losing her in a tragic car accident when Burke was seven. Consumed by grief, the author's mother turned to drugs to numb her pain, leaving young Burke to fend for herself. School was Burke's haven, and she devoted herself to being a good student. After obtaining multiple degrees and high-profile jobs with companies like L'Oréal and Estée Lauder, Burke began a quest to learn about the science of neuroplasticity in order to understand how a person could change her circumstances by changing her brain. Readers of memoirs like Educated and The Glass Castle will enjoy Burke's inspiring story of overcoming early abuse and neglect to build the life she knew was waiting for her. Copyright 2025 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2025 Booklist Reviews.
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Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Burke, D. (2025). Of my own making: a memoir (First edition.). Legacy Lit.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Burke, Daria. 2025. Of My Own Making: A Memoir. New York: Legacy Lit.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Burke, Daria. Of My Own Making: A Memoir New York: Legacy Lit, 2025.

Harvard Citation (style guide)

Burke, D. (2025). Of my own making: a memoir. First edn. New York: Legacy Lit.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Burke, Daria. Of My Own Making: A Memoir First edition., Legacy Lit, 2025.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

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