Apr.

13

All That Is Bitter and Sweet

One of my all-time favorite actors, Morgan Freeman once said of Ashley Judd: “Ashley is a repository of intimidating intellect housed in the body of Aphrodite,” and I thought it was the coolest compliment because Morgan honored Ashley’s brains before stating the obvious about her physical beauty. And what I’ve always liked about Ashley is that she seems to balance celebrity and being true to her Southern roots really well. And in her new memoir, All That Is Bitter and Sweet we learn that Ashley’s life growing up in Tennessee was not always peaches and cream. I just finished reading her book and I applaud Ashley’s honesty and openness in writing about her childhood challenges, but more than anything, I came away admiring Ashley’s seamless transition from Hollywood “It” girl to human rights activist. After all, it takes chutzpah to walk away from the bright lights and glamour of Hollywood and into the slums of India.

More than once, I’ve tried to explain to my friends how it is virtually impossible to travel to places like South Africa where unimaginable poverty is rampant and not come back home fired up and ready to make a difference. Clearly Ashley’s work with PSI has allowed her to do just that, and she works tirelessly to find solutions that will empower women around the world to take responsibility for their own lives.

Ashley also shares the diaries that she kept while traveling to places like India, Thailand, Congo, Rwanda, and South Africa. Ashley so breathlessly captures the sights, sound and smells of each experience that you feel her pain and determination from page to page.

Admirable. Inspiring. Thought-provoking. Heroic. Tough as Nails. All That Is Bitter and Sweet is a must-read for those of you interested in overcoming personal adversity and making the world we live in a better place for all.