Book Review and Giveaway: Jantsen's Gift

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by Hachette Book Group for this review.



Of the several books that I've had the opportunity to review lately, Jantsen's Gift was by far my favorite.  This compelling book is a true story of how a mother used her grief after her son's death to eventually aid dozens of needy children all over the world.

After her son Jantsen's sudden death at age 15, Pam Cope was plunged into grief and depression.  However, after a trip to Vietnam to investigate making a charitable gift of her son's memorial fund, she felt a calling to aid the orphans there.  She and her husband ended up adopting two Vietnamese orphans and starting the Touch a Life foundation, which now aids orphans and victims of human trafficking in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ghana.

This book is an absorbing tear-jerker.  I think any parent, especially a mom, could not fail to be affected by Pam's experience with what every parent fears the most, as well as by her eventual experience of what we as American parents can hardly imagine.

One of the things that most struck me in this book was an unexpected connection to frugal living.  After Pam and her family started the Touch a Life foundation and were trying to raise additional money, they actually sold their large, luxurious home and moved to a smaller one.  Also at this time, they switched to a cash-only budget and paid off all their debt. 

These sacrifices really struck me because it is clear that their work with the poor really made them realize the true meaning of their possessions.  After mentioning earlier in the book how empty her upscale suburban life used to feel, Pam writes how she actually felt freed when she downsized her home.  Also, one might think that the family might actually go into debt because they were trying to help so many desperate children.  But instead, they realized that they could be of the most help when they had their own finances in order.

Jantsen's Gift is published by Hachette Book Group and retails for $24.99 (hardcover), although it's on sale for $18.24 on Amazon right now.  Best of all, thanks to the generosity of Hachette Book Group, one Frugally Blonde reader can win a copy of this meaningful book!

Just leave a comment on this post saying that you would like to read the book, and make sure that your email address is included if it is not in your profile.  The contest runs until next Tuesday, November 15, at 8:00PM EST, and I will randomly choose a winner after that.  I will email the winner, and she winner will have 72 hours to respond, after which I will choose a new winner.