Book Review: ‘Thank God for the Shelter: memoirs of a homeless healer’ by Versandra Kennebrew

I met holistic health educator and author Versandra Kennebrew at a popular Downtown Detroit breakfast spot to discuss her new book, Thank God for the Shelter: memoirs of a homeless healer. She was 30 minutes late.

Over a supple breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, English muffin, grits, hash-browns, coffee and cigarettes – and Kennebrew’s vegetarian omelette concoction, I listened to her ramble on endlessly about her new paperback book (while I periodically zoned in and out, remembering the time I was homeless, broke, cold and hungry, stammering out of the Erma Henderson Recreation Park in search of the origin of a McDonalds sausage Mc Muffin smell. It was like following the sounds of an invisible Pied Piper.) 

“wa wa wawawa wa wa,” Kennebrew explained while handing me a copy of her book.

“Certainly, VK, I’d love to review it!”

Several years ago, life’s imminent struggle had placed Kennebrew between a rock and a hard place, leaving her homeless, broke, cold, and hungry. Faced with crippling despair, no resources, emotionally bruised by the wicked wrench that life had thrown into the spokes of her once prosperously spinning wheel, Kennebrew eventually fastened her bootstraps, restructured her life, got it together, and made a vicious comeback.

Today, Kennebrew is quickly becoming a successful business owner and an acclaimed holistic health educator and healer. She recently returned to school, founded the ‘Touch is Great Campaign’, and joined a vibrant network of other women with similar goals to heal, motivate, and uplift. Recently inducted into the International Honor Society, Kennebrew says that part of her mission is “to encourage each of my friends to reach, fight, strive for their goals in life but never forget that education opens the door to true freedom.”

So, Kennebrew’s paperback story is a good one because it grapples with an issue that is often overlooked, and the book actually engages the community and provides relief and comfort to those dealing with similar issues.

On that note, everyone loves a winner’s tale, and in these perilous times of economic and spiritual conflict, Kennebrew’s book is just what the doctor ordered. And that is why Thank God for the Shelter: memoirs of a homeless healer is a necessary and worthwhile read.

Push Scale 5/5

The Versandra Kennebrew International Website

Click here to cop the book!