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High Hopes

A Memoir

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Pub Date Sep 23 2025 | Archive Date Aug 31 2025


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Description

Fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild will root for Anne Abel as she intrepidly sets out alone for Australia at the age of sixty, seeking to capture some Bruce Springsteen energy and fight off her lifelong, debilitating depression.

At the age of fifty-nine, Anne has never been to a concert. Then, as a way to spend time with her son and daughter-in-law, she reluctantly goes with them to local arena to see Bruce Springsteen—a man she knows nothing about. For three-plus hours, Bruce Springsteen’s energy, humanity, and enthusiasm lift Anne and make her feel like she has a chance. For three-plus hours, she feels alive.

A year later, after having one desk too many thrown at her, Anne quits her community college teaching job . . . and then she panics. She suffers from severe recurrent depression, and she is terrified that without the structure and focus of teaching, she will be at risk for falling into a deep depression. Having been inpatient twice at a psychiatric hospital, undergone three regimens of electroconvulsive shock therapy, and tried over twenty medications, she knows she needs a new and different plan. Then she remembers how hopeful and alive she feels at Bruce Springsteen’s concerts and that he will be touring in Australia in four months. So, even though she hates to travel, hates to be alone, and didn’t even know what a Bruce Springsteen was a year ago, Anne books the trip. Eight concerts, five cities, twenty-six days. She hopes that harnessing some of Bruce Springsteen’s energy will keep her out of the abyss.

Anne doesn’t go on this trip to change. But change she does.
Fans of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild will root for Anne Abel as she intrepidly sets out alone for Australia at the age of sixty, seeking to capture some Bruce Springsteen energy and fight off her lifelong...

A Note From the Publisher

Anne Abel is an author, storyteller and influencer. Her first memoir, “Mattie, Milo, and Me,” about unwittingly rescuing an aggressive dog, was inspired by her Moth StorySLAM win in New York City. It was published in 2024. Her second memoir, “High Hopes,” is about fighting depression by following Bruce Springsteen’s Australia tour, at the age of 60, even though she hates to travel and hates to be alone, and hadn’t known what a Bruce Springsteen was a year earlier. This story won a Moth StorySLAM in Chicago. It will be published by She Writes Press on Sept. 23, 2025, Bruce Springsteen’s 76th birthday. In January 2025, she was featured on Newsweek.com: “Boomer’s Story About How She Met Husband of 45 Years Captivates Internet.” Her credentials include an MFA from The New School for Social Research, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a BS in chemical engineering from Tufts University. She has published on topics ranging from dogs lovable and difficult, to coping with depression, family dysfunction, generational trauma, overcoming writer’s block and being a FaceTime grandmother. She has freelanced for multiple outlets and formerly wrote a weekly column, “The Homefront,” for Main Line Welcomat. She taught English and creative writing at the Community College of Philadelphia. Anne lives in New York City with her husband, Andy, and Wendell, a one-year-old cavapoo.

Anne Abel is an author, storyteller and influencer. Her first memoir, “Mattie, Milo, and Me,” about unwittingly rescuing an aggressive dog, was inspired by her Moth StorySLAM win in New York City. It...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781647429720
PRICE $17.99 (USD)
PAGES 424

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Average rating from 8 members


Featured Reviews

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Inspiring story reminding us all to challenge ourselves and live life to the fullest. Being a Jersey Girl , Springsteen is a name I grew up with. However , Anne was truly able to convey his passion, artistry and energy through her magnetic words. I really enjoyed that Anne did not sugar coat how lonely her struggle with depression can be and how every day she must work on turning her symptoms upside down. She does not scare the reader away , yet simply allows them into get a small glance of how the chemistry of a brain can be extremely powerful. This book served as a guide for how to win at life .

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Sooooo good.

I love how this book tells us that we will never know what will inspire us to be a better <you>.

I am close to Anne<s age and went back to school to become a librarian, so I know how you are never old enough to discover you and to take that leap to do what you want,

Page after page, Anne is both brave and questionning herself, yet, continues to pursue the positive thoughts that come with Bruce Springsteen.

Beautifully written and so inspirational

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Remarkable memoir by a 60ish woman who has struggled with sever depression, ECT, PTSD, and lack of motivation or appreciation by family for most of her life. After attending a Bruce Springsteen concert on a whim, she is stirred profoundly by his ebullience and sincerity in his music, lyrics, and improvised spoken interludes with the audience. She is overcome with curiosity to find out all about him, having never been a music fan.

After her draining job becomes too much for her, she abruptly leaves and decides to embark on an 8-concert Springsteen tour of Australia. She travels first class and has a travel agent arrange her connections, tickets, and hotels. Clearly she is well-to-do as it seems she can afford to travel in style. During her travels she rubs elbows with Springsteen's team but that's about all.

This book is mainly about the major changes in her that she pushes forward with, determined to bring some semblance of hope (although the tour name is High Hopes) and glimmers of joy which transports her with Bruce's music. She meets interesting people in Australia, but mostly meets herself.

Great read for music fans and ESPECIALLY Bruce Springsteen fans.

Without giving spoilers: a message to Ms. Abel--- you should ask Dave Marsh to have you on his show to talk about THIS BOOK.

Thanks to Net Galley for the eARC.

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