The Yin and the Yang of It All — Rock ‘n’ Roll Memories from the Cusp as Told by a Mixed-up Mixed-Up Race Kid by John Kim Faye explores the duality of life and how we can find balance in the midst of chaos.
In the beginning
At the beginning of the book, we learn about Faye’s childhood. He was born to a Korean mother and an Irish Father. His father died when he was a child and it was devastating to him.
He went through a lot of turmoil as a child getting teased by the other schoolchildren. He had to dig deep within himself to find his passion and move forward. The one guiding light was his mother.
Faye uses personal anecdotes and experiences to illustrate his points. He shares his own struggles with finding balance.
The Caulfields
Faye was passionate about music at an early age. He formed the band and was the lead singer. The band had a core message of striving for peace and understanding in our increasingly chaotic world.
While in his band, he performed odd jobs to keep the money flowing. Until they got a record deal. They made only two albums, even though they had a 7 album contract in the 90s. Their hit song was called The Devil’s Diary.
When I read this book, I had never heard of Faye or the band. What interested me about the book was the struggle that Faye had in our turbulent world.
What I thought
I felt the book was about his intertwined relationship with his mother. She made a huge impact on his life. But it was also about yin and yang, the ancient Chinese philosophy that suggests that everything in the universe is made up of two opposing forces that are interconnected and interdependent. Through the book, the reader learns that this can be applied to various aspects of our lives, including relationships, work, and personal growth.
I also found the writing style clear and easy to understand. It was a long memoir of more than 400 pages and although I finished the book quickly, I thought it could have been a lot shorter.
You can pick up the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Yin-Yang-All-RocknRoll-Mixed-Race/dp/1642257435
