Life was good for Jorge Newbery. A high school dropout and serial entrepreneur, he had built a real estate empire of over 4,000 apartments across the USA. Taking risks and working tirelessly were the ingredients to his rise. But, he took one risk too many.
An ice storm on Christmas Eve 2004 triggered his collapse. He was maligned, publicly shamed, and financially gutted – even arrested. He lost … arrested. He lost everything and ended up $26 million in debt.
As he struggled to regain his footing, he spent what he could to get others to lift him up. But no one did. He discovered that there was only one person who could build him back up. To move forward, he crafted a new life’s purpose: to help others crushed by unaffordable debts rebuild themselves
Burn Zones is a story of playing life’s bad hands and overcoming adversity against the greatest of challenges. It’s an inspirational story of a man who was pushed to his mental and physical limits, and came out the other side even stronger.
And, most of all, it’s a lesson that you can do the same.
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Burn Zones: Playing Life’s Bad Hands by Jorge P. Newberry is a memoir of triumphs and failures. The author’s story is vividly told by sharing his dreams, how he has accomplished them, how he wanted to accomplish more, and how his greed for taking risks has put him in despair but at the same time, gave him realizations that brought his equilibrium back. This book is highly recommended to readers of all genres; Jorge P. Newberry’s life is the epitome of Confucius’ famous quote, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
There are so many things I love about this book and the author’s life itself: (1) I love the kind of family he has. Their neighbors thought of them as “gypsies” because of the parenting style but I envy that his parents always believed in what he can do, allowing him to do what he wants even at such a young age, (2) His drive that came from the challenge of prevailing where others have failed is very remarkable. He aimed to fix the impossible at his own risk, (3) His writing style reveals his many expertise; the very detailed job descriptions and functions are very informative, (4) The photos of the most important things that happened in his life were nostalgic and some captions showed his funny side. Lastly, (5) The realizations shared in this book made me less anxious of my own shortcomings and proud of the fact that I chose to get up every time I failed.
The only thing I dislike about this book is that it made me cry because I was envious of his relationship with his father. Jorge P. Newberry is the best son anyone can have.
Overall, I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars. The editing was flawless. I couldn’t elaborate much after stating too many things that I love about this book; it is obviously a book that I will cherish because of the wisdom I gained after reading it. This book tells a story that every household should keep and pass on to the next generation. It is a definite must-have.
Jorge P. Newbery has created a guide on how to overcome the hard patches in life. The moments when things start to fall apart or grow difficult are what he calls burn zones. He describes both his personal and business burn zones that he has experienced in life. Jorge’s narrative carries the information in an easy to understand and engaging manner. He doesn’t hesitate to expose some of his toughest burn zones and how he managed to pursue despite the obstacles against him.
This book also gives readers a good insight into the risks they may be taking. It is always best to look at all angles before jumping into new endeavors. This is something the author himself doesn’t always do and admits that he learns from his mistakes. But no matter what life throws at you, there are ways to continue to grow and reach for the next investment. Reading this book just might help you achieve what you’ve been reaching for.