Jaed Coffin

An interesting memoir of a man who found a way to deal with the collected pain of a difficult family situation by finding release for the violence bubbling inside of him.

Jaed, after a kayak trip takes him to Alaska, fights and finds a coach who invites him to partake in coordinated barroom boxing events known as Roughhouse Friday. From there, the book more often describes the series of fights he has with other boxers throughout the area, and shows how important to the lives of these men, as well as himself, boxing truly became. You may well have heard the phrase “for love of the sport.” Truly, that love is demonstrated in this title, as Jaed shows how much more goes into fighting then simply two guys throwing punches.

If you enjoy sports, (especially if you are a boxing fan), there is a lot to like and enjoy here in this memoir. Jaed is very adapt at setting the scene and making you feel like you are watching these fights as they happen. But more importantly, he also has some great ideas and insights around masculinity, being a man, and what all that really means. Overall a rather interesting journey into a unique life story.

(I received an ARC of this title through a Goodreads Giveaway.)… (més)

In Jaed Coffin's memoir, ROUGHHOUSE FRIDAY, Coffin has recently escaped to Alaska after college unsure what to do with his life. He stumbled upon a local boxing club and quickly boxing gives his a drive, a purpose, and a hope for the future.
In a style that I can only describe as unique, Coffin quickly endears the reader to his choice to escape his world for a different land, one of desolation and a small, proud community, Coffin does his best to mix in with while still carrying the necessary respect an outsider should. Searching for a purpose is something we all have done as young adults and Coffin's description of his search meaning is full of mistakes, triumphs, and truths he didn't even know he was looking for. Coffin's ability to describe the landscape of Alaska, as well as the intricacies of the Alaskan boxing community are equal parts entertaining and fascinating. In the end, a brave new soul appears and the reader can't help but feel optimism that Coffin will figure the rest of his life out and at the same time cherish the time he grew as an individual in Alaska.
A intimate and moving memoir, ROUGHOUSE FRIDAY reminds and inspires readers to find something that moves their soul and gives them a purpose.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Jaed Coffin, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (més)

ix years ago at the age of twenty-one, Jaed Muncharoen Coffin, a half-Thai American man, left New England's privileged Middlebury College to be ordained as a Buddhist monk in his mother's native village of Panomsarakram--thus fulfilling a familial obligation. While addressing the notions of displacement, ethnic identity, and cultural belonging, A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants chronicles his time at the temple that rain season--receiving alms in the streets in saffron robes; bathing in the canals; learning to meditate in a mountaintop hut; and falling in love with Lek, a beautiful Thai woman who comes to represent the life he can have if he stays. Part armchair travel, part coming-of-age story, this debut work transcends the memoir genre and ushers in a brave new voice in American nonfiction.… (més)