Book Review - "Ashes in the Ocean" by author Sebastian Slovin

By Dawn Farnsworth

About "Ashes in the Ocean: A son’s story of living through and learning from his father’s suicide"

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Vernon Slovin was a legend—one of the best swimmers in his home country of South Africa, and for a time in the world. He prided himself on being the best—in sports, business, and life. He had it all, a big home, athletic prestige, fancy clothes and cars, and a beautiful wife and family. Everything was going his way until it all came tumbling down. He lost everything, including his own life. In the wake of his suicide he left his wife and two young children. In this riveting memoir, Vernon’s son, Sebastian Slovin chronicles his experience of living in the shadow of a suicide, and his journey to uncover why his father took his own life. A pilgrimage that led him around the world and eventually back to himself.

AMAZON

Goodreads

SEBASTIANSLOVIN.COM

About Sebastian

Sebastian Slovin grew up in La Jolla, California and traveled extensively as a professional bodyboarder. As a young boy, he lost his father to suicide, which would later deeply inspire his path in life. He holds a BA in Environmental Policy from San Diego State University and an MA in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. He and his wife, Sonya, founded Nature Unplugged, which focuses on cultivating wellness through healthier relationships with technology and a deeper connection to nature. When he is not writing or working on Nature Unplugged, Sebastian enjoys swimming, bodysurfing, surfing, and stand-up paddling (pretty much all things) in the wild Pacific Ocean.

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Dawn's Book Review

I truly enjoyed reading Ashes in the Ocean by Sebastian Slovin. This is a brutally honest book although it is not written in a way that makes you feel sorry for the author. Sebastian has shared the story of his father's suicide but it is more so a story about how he used that event to become empowered instead of using it as an excuse. Sebastian has risen above this tragedy and uses his book, Ashes in the Ocean, as a platform for helping others. 

Ashes in the Ocean goes deep into human behavior--this is not a book to be taken lightly (as of course suicide is not either). A child survivor of parental suicide is so much more than a child. The child is forever changed because of what they have experienced and what they will never experience. Sebastian has become a mentor and an example for others. He takes a situation that could break someone and becomes a shining beacon of hope for others with similar experiences. 

So many lives are touched by suicide. I recommend this book, not necessarily for those who have survived suicide, but for any reader who is interested in learning more about those around them. Everyone has a struggle and emerging from that struggle as a stronger individual is something anyone can and should want to know more about. 

About Dawn

Dawn is a Michigan native who is a  daughter, mother, grandmother, foster mother, and adoptive mother. Dawn is a helper who cares for those around her in any way she can. Dawn lives with her husband Larry and their two young sons in Omer, Michigan.