Brave(ish): A Memoir of a Recovering Perfectionist

2020 Sarton Awards Gilda Finalist

"In Brave(ish), author Margaret Davis Ghielmetti travels the
globe, describing the Technicolor riches of places and people with
humor, generosity, and candor. As she discovers the world's splendors,
however, from incandescent rice paddies to moonlit deserts, she also
learns to navigate another landscape: the fiercely beautiful, sometimes
rocky terrain of her own heart."

--Janice Deal, award-winning author of The Decline of Pigeons

"Written in lyrical prose peppered with insight and wisdom hard-won through travel and personal struggle, Brave(ish)
is Margaret's continuation of her storytelling and one-woman shows that
left audiences wanting more. In this uplifting, witty, and sometimes
dark memoir, Margaret discovers her truths and her story, one
destination at a time."

--Jen Cullerton Johnson, award-winning author of Seeds of Change

"Brave(ish) should be required reading for all perfectionists who
are sick of people pleasing and ready to reclaim their own lives.
You'll love traveling around the world with Margaret, and you'll root
for her as she embraces her true self. By owning her desires and asking
for help, she is able to become the type of authentic person we all hope
to be."

--Nadine Kenney Johnstone, award-winning memoirist of Of This Much I'm Sure

"Margaret Ghielmetti shows us that sometimes you have to travel a long way to find a path back to your true self. Brave(ish) is intimate and honest- the two best words to describe a memoir."

--Arlene Malinowski Ph.D., award-winning playwright of "What Does The Sun Sound Like"

"Travel lover Ghielmetti sets her coming-of-middle-age tale against a
vivid and alluring backdrop of beautiful and complex places such as
Egypt, Singapore, Paris, and the Presbyterian Home in Evanston,
Illinois. This culturally rich narrative makes us long to travel with
Ghielmetti as she comes to understand that discovering her exterior
landscape is secondary to discovering her interior one; that she can
create momentum even when being still; and that living in these distant
places in the world has brought her nearer to places of the heart, and
of the spirit."

--Patricia Ann McNair, award-winning author of The Temple of Air and And These Are the Good Times

"This beautifully written book invites readers to join the author on a
parallel journey. A wonderfully rendered narrative of life and travel on
multiple continents around the world, Brave(ish) explores the
humor and humanity of the places Ghielmetti inhabits and chronicles a
poignant interior journey and her struggle to transcend constraints of
childhood rules. Told with love, warmth, and brave self-reflection, the
victories and losses along these two journeys coalesce to form a
nurturing path of being at home wherever your travels take you."

--Dr. Niva Piran, award-winning author of Journeys of Embodiment at the Intersection of Body and Culture

"Brave(ish) is a breathtaking journey across the globe and into
the soul. The author's adventures as a 'trailing wife' will captivate
you with glimpses into the opulent world of first-class hotels and
jaw-dropping travel destinations--but it's her determined quest to find
home within herself that will hold your heart."

--MT Cozzola, author of Boy Small

"Brave(ish) invites us on Margaret's amazing adventures, where
treasures are unearthed--some from worlds beyond what most of us have or
will ever experience. Women's lives often have a tipping point, and
Margaret shares with us that moment of revelation where what she once
dreamed and imagined no longer suffices."

--Laurie Kahn, director of Womencare Counseling and Training Center and author of Baffled by Love

"Ghielmetti's sure hand and clear prose guide us through her compelling
story of breaking free from the straightjacket of perfectionism. If
memoir is the art of making the personal universal, she has hit the mark
and then some. You'll enjoy her often wise, often funny journey through
an emotional and international landscape."

--Anne Laughlin, author of Lammy-nominated The Acquittal

"Reading Brave(ish) led me to an "aha" moment I had been unknowingly
awaiting my entire adult life. A recovering perfectionist myself, I
found solace in another woman questioning "What will I be if I'm not
perfect?" Kudos to Margaret for asking tough questions and finding
answers. Let us take her example and forge ahead towards being--at the
very least--brave(ish)."

--R.C. Riley, author of the solo show "Wrong Way Journey"

"To use Ghielmetti's own words, reading her memoir is like an 'otter
easing into a river.' It's easy to cry and laugh with her on her journey
through both exotic places in the world and intimate places in the
heart. At the same time, I was permitted to walk through the door of her
complex family and marriage and witness firsthand the behind-the-door
feelings of both. Rarely is a reader given such profound access to the
humble humanity of another person."

--Adrienne Weiss, author of Brand Buzz: Three Breakthrough Secrets for Building a Winning Brand

"In her eloquently crafted memoir, Margaret Ghielmetti takes us along on
parallel journeys. Each stop along the way of her 'sheroe's journey'
back to self is set against a gorgeously painted backdrop that is her
literal journey around the world."

--Rita Balzotti, Career Advancement & Alumni Manager, Cara Chicago

"Margaret shares a mosaic of intimate thoughts, souvenirs, and memories
with a humorous and colourful writing style that compels you to read to
the end of the story. This book should be a 'must-read' for anyone
embarking on an international career as an expatriate--with all the good
and not-so-glamorous aspects of it. Most importantly, this book is a
love story about acceptance of oneself."

--René Beauchamp, founder of Rise&Spice blog and consultant hotelier

"What an inspiring book with memories of the glamorous life of a hotel
general manager--and the trepidation of daily life trying to get the new
culture and customs of each new move. The beautiful writing transports
us on an expat journey and I would highly recommend this book for anyone
about to embark on this life."

--Louise Beer, founder and director of Prag Artworks Gallery, Czech Republic

"Brave(ish) is a revelatory and rich mix of memoir and
travelogue. In this emotionally powerful book, Ghielmetti reveals the
painful journey she takes to self-discovery with insight and humor. An
acclaimed storyteller, Margaret writes with raw honesty, probingly and
hilariously, about her adventures and struggles as a trailing spouse."

--Don Henderson, retired book buyer for Gallery Shops, National Gallery of Art

"Brave(ish) is an international journey and a glimpse into the
interior of the soulful writer. Ghielmetti's candor gives context to
her experiences and each of the places--and transported me there. With an
openness to share without holding back, she allows the reader a
firsthand experience into her emotional life--and in doing so allows the
reader to be in touch with theirs."

--JoAnn Kurtz-Ahlers, president of Hidden Doorways, A KAA Travel Collection

"Margaret takes her readers on a tour of far-off, exotic locations
through her beautiful storytelling. It's in these places that she comes
to grips with her need to please. The unfolding and rediscovering of who
she is in this world and the power of her story is a triumph."

--Deanna Moffitt, CEO of Luminant Leadership and transformational coach at The You Experience

"In this intimate memoir, Ghielmetti takes us on several voyages at
once. Through vivid sketches, we travel with her to France, Egypt,
Thailand, Singapore, and India. Along the way, we see how she refashions
her family's rigid code of behavior into more flexible guidelines. We
watch the growth of her relationships with her husband, her aging
parents, and her higher power. We're alongside as her self-concept
evolves, from 'Trailing Spouse' to aspiring writer to confident
story-teller to--at long last--published author. It's one woman's
inspiring voyage of self-discovery and empowerment."

--Dan Richman, editor of Drive or Die

"As one of live lit's most skilled and respected storytellers,
Ghielmetti consistently weaves the perfectly crafted tale on stage, and Brave(ish)
is as bold, fun, and fascinating as her spoken-word performances. Turns
out this self-proclaimed 'teacher's pet' also has an adventurous
streak!"

--Stephanie Rogers, producer and chief creative officer at Story Jam and Story Jam Studio

"Brave(ish) impacted me deeply. It made me laugh and cry out
loud, sometimes simultaneously. While Margaret's journey is an unusual
one that has taken her all over the globe, it is one that so many of us
can relate to while enjoying the wonderful travel tales. It made me
think about my own 'family handbook' and how it has impacted my
decisions and my life. Margaret reminded me that it's never too late to
find yourself."

--Alexis Romer, VP-Sales, Luxury Travel Industry, Bulgari, EDITION, Luxury Collection, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels

"Brave(ish) traces a journey of life: learning the 'family
handbook' of rules while we're young, then applying the rules
religiously--until we evolve and shed layers to eventually get to our
place of peace. Margaret reminds the reader that it's acceptable to
'kiss our good little girl or boy good-bye' in order to unleash our
essential selves into the world. This book inspires me to investigate my
own family handbook, setting down the rules which no longer work for me
and breaking free from their grip to accommodate who I am now."

--Michelle Sanford, leadership coach at Impact by Design/Sanford & Associates

"If you've picked up Brave(ish), you're about to journey to some
of the world's most fascinating places, including those within. Admitted
people pleaser and perfectionist Margaret brings humor, tenderness, and
authenticity to the practice of releasing perfectionism. She is pure
class without the 'act, ' a guide who journeyed the world to find home."

--Lynne E. Sheridan, transformational trainer at Inspire Coaching