I'm Supposed to Make a Difference by Kevin Vought ~ an Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

I enjoy reading the occasional memoir but I realized that I usually read memoirs by women. I also love stories of people overcoming extraordinary obstacles. And since I needed an audiobook to listen to this week, I took a chance on Kevin Vought's I'm Supposed to Make a Difference.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

September 2021; Indie; B09HJJ642Y
audio (5h 40m); ebook, print; memoir

I commend author Kevin Vought for making his past abuse and ongoing mental health battles public by sharing his story in a book. 

It is evident pretty early on in the book that the target audience is other people who have experienced abuse or other trauma. For those who need to know they are not alone in dealing with these issues and see that someone has been able to have a successful life, then I'm sure they will find this book to be inspirational.

Instead of taking the form of a narrative story, in I'm Supposed to Make a Difference Vought examines his memories much like he would in a talk therapy session. Therefore, I never felt an emotional connection with the author. Alan Taylor, the audiobook narrator, also delivers the text in a rather monotone voice so that the tone was much more clinical than what you would typically encounter in a memoir. At times, I felt like I was listening to a self-help book too. 

The only time I became slightly intrigued by the book was while Vought was discussing his memories of a blonde girl and the black-haired girl. As he tries to find out who these girls are by looking through police records of missing persons, it took on the tone of a true-crime story. 

Perhaps it was the only way for the author to detail his story, but I read memoirs for the emotional connection. I should have at least been misty-eyed while hearing of how his mother emotionally abused him or my heart should have raced as he recounted what led to his grandfather nearly beating him to death. But I could have been reading a case study for the lack of emotional connection. Or it might have been intentional so that those reading the book who have their own trauma would not be overly triggered.

Overall I just couldn't muster much enthusiasm for the book. As the audiobook is under 6 hours, I should have been able to finish it within a day, a day and a half at the most. But it took me almost 3 days as I didn't feel compelled to get back to the book to find out what happened next.

I'm fortunate in that I'm not the book's target audience nor am I particularly interested in the psychology of memories and dreams. But for people who have experienced trauma, are interested in psychology, or work with survivors of trauma and abuse, then this book may hold much more interest. 

Buy I'm Supposed to Make a Difference at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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