Just One More Drive
The true story of a stuttering homosexual and his race car
by Robert James O'Brien
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Aug 15 2022 | Archive Date Feb 15 2023
Description
Robert O’Brien loves cars. Growing up in Dublin, they provided a welcome refuge from the human interaction he found so difficult. His father’s race car, a BMW E30 M3 Sport Evolution he named the Beast, became his alter-ego—powerful, admired, confident—and Robert began a quest to become a worthy owner. He completed a university degree, took courses to conquer his stutter and tried to come to terms with his sexuality. But still he remained more comfortable in the fantasy worlds of video games and television.
Escaping Ireland to pursue acting in Vancouver, Robert quickly realized there was one thing he could not run from. Himself. Refusing to give up, he delved into self-help courses and counseling and began journaling to pinpoint where things went wrong but continued to struggle with self-worth. During a particularly difficult trip home, it was the Beast that saved his life.
Just One More Drive explores dark themes—bullying, depression, suicide, loneliness, anxiety—with honesty, self-deprecating humour and hope. After years of struggle, Robert is proud of the man he is, no longer believes he needs to be fixed and is passionate about normalizing frank discussions of men’s mental health.
A Note From the Publisher
The author is a co-founder of Unblockables, an innovative program that uses improv theatre techniques to help people who stutter.
Advance Praise
What makes this a really special account of one man’s discovery of his true self, is O’Brien’s ability to tell his story with admirable sensitivity to the people he lives with, works with and knows, but also to himself. He depicts his strong early sense of himself and his potential, and describes the frustration and self awareness of not being that person with such clarity that, from the very first chapter, you will be willing him to succeed, urging him to leap the hurdles that life has put in his path...It is, to use that much over used term, a “journey” on many levels and as you get to know him and how he thinks it will have you cheering him on, with every heart-warming page.
Paul Blezard, Love Reading UK
. . . a forthright writing voice that’s welcome because it’s unexpectedly buoyant and intermittently lighthearted.
Brett Josef Grubisic, The British Columbia Review
Marketing Plan
- The author is a trained actor and accomplished speaker who advocates for people who stutter in North America, the UK and Ireland.
- A passionate advocate for men's mental health, the author welcomes virtual speaking engagements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781990160028 |
| PRICE | $17.95 (USD) |
