Book Review: Thirteen Thousand Lonely Nights by Kendall Kenneth Folkhardt
In Thirteen Thousand Lonely Nights, Kendall Kenneth Folkhardt invites on a journey to the most intimate corners of his life. We are offered a deeply personal account of this journey through adversity and self-discovery, eliciting emotional responses from both writer and reader throughout. This extensive memoir serves as a testament to the incredible resilience of the human spirit and its capacity to endure and thrive, even in the face of extreme challenges.
The memoir begins with a candid and unfiltered account of Folkhardt’s childhood growing up in ‘Bullyland’ (an alternative name for the hostile country in which the author grew up). From the opening pages, it becomes evident that ‘Thirteen Thousand Lonely Nights’ is brutally honest and emotionally raw, offering an unvarnished look into the author’s life. Folkhardt leaves no stone unturned in recounting his experiences, making the reader a confidant in even his most personal and vulnerable moments. This transparency allows us to connect with the author on a profound level right from the start, and it sets the stage for an immersive reading experience.
“A central theme that runs throughout the entire narrative is self-empathy. Folkhardt navigates the tumultuous waters of his own emotions with an understanding and compassion.”
A central theme that runs throughout the entire narrative is self-empathy. Folkhardt navigates the tumultuous waters of his own emotions with an understanding and compassion that I find admirable. This awareness of such confronting emotions makes the story more relatable to the reader, as such when Folkhardt admits that he feels angry when reflecting upon his time at home and school. As we follow him through various highs and lows of his life, we witness his remarkable ability to confront his own pain and find solace within himself. This self-empathy serves as a glowing example to readers, encouraging us to approach our own trials with kindness and understanding.
Folkhardt’s writing is refreshingly informal. He weaves his narrative with a conversational tone, which makes the memoir accessible to the reader, thus allowing us to engage with the text on a personal level. It is this unadorned style of writing that draws readers closer to the author’s experiences and I view as one of the major triumphs of the book.
Kendall Kenneth Folkhardt.
Alongside the informal writing, “Thirteen Thousand Lonely Nights” is marked by a consistent narrative thread. The author maintains the reader’s engagement with cohesive, at times repeated language and a relatively steady pace, ensuring that each chapter unfolds seamlessly into the next. It is a testament to Folkhardt’s storytelling abilities, as he can sew a complex and often multifaceted chronicle into a cohesive whole.
Throughout the memoir, the author’s enthusiasm for astrology and relationship dynamics between the signs is palpable. This fascination with the stars and their influence on human personalities adds a layer of depth to the narrative and serves as a recurring motif that readers will appreciate as, once again, the readers feel they truly get to understand Folkhardt on a deep and personal level.
Folkhardt’s own personality also shines through his writing. He appears as the type of person who is not one to shy away from critique, and his unapologetic approach is greatly refreshing. As he grapples with the trials of his life, he approaches them with a strong and assertive disposition, showing the readers that strength and resilience can be found even in the darkest of times.
Author Kendall Kenneth Folkhardt was recently awarded the Literary Titan Book Award.
The straightforward, unadorned language adopted throughout the narrative aligns with the honestly with which he shares his life’s story. His experiences are always presented with simplicity and clarity, and he does not try to mask his experiences with flowery prose. This raw and unvarnished approach is both poignant and powerful.
Another of the memoir’s strengths is Folkhardt’s ability to maintain an air of mystery surrounding the location of his early life. While he manages to unveil his innermost thoughts and experiences, simply naming the place ‘Bullyland’ allows him simultaneously to succeed in leaving space for the readers to interpret and explore through their imagination the backdrops and settings of the events taking place. This duality keeps the text engaging, and I found myself reflecting on my own experiences in parallel with the author’s.
As the memoir continues to unfold, it becomes evident that Folkhardt’s perspectives are nuanced, and his viewpoints are multifaceted. He does not seem to adhere to a one-dimensional understanding of his horrific experiences of abuse or bullying; instead, he examines them from multiple angles. This intellectual willingness to explore different facets of life make his narrative engaging and thought-provoking.
What struck me the most when reading ‘Thirteen Thousand Lonely Nights’ was Folkhardt’s striking ability to describe the feeling of loneliness. His words paint a vivid and often heartbreaking picture of what it truly means to feel alone. Through his experiences, and subsequent descriptions of these moments, readers gain a profound understanding of the depths of human solitude and the yearning for connection.
Another great strength of Folkhardt’s which stood out to me was his talent for colourful storytelling. Woven into his compelling story are rich and evocative descriptions which draw the readers deep into the heart of his experiences. This storytelling prowess adds layers of depth to the memoir, making it a captivating and immersive read.