When Daniel Martin was a teenager he left his strict, overly religious home for a life on the streets. Robbery and prostitution raised funds for his drug habit and he was in and out of rehabs and homes for many years. Who Lied… is Martin’s memoir of this time in his life and the lessons he learned.

The first thing I have to say about this memoir is that you can tell Martin isn’t a trained writer- and I mean this in a good way! The very fabric of this book is a series of stream of consciousness essays, all interweaving and culminating in a divine theme. Daniel Martin is the kind of guy you might have gone to high school with and then run into at a party years later- you exchange pleasantries and then catch up on each other’s lives. Only Martin didn’t go off to college and a 401k job- instead he tells you of his time on the streets, but in such a calm summery that you’re spared the gory details. Most memoirs focus on the details- Who Lied… focuses more on the lessons.

The absolute biggest problem I have with this book is the cover. I know this may seem shallow, but if you’re familiar with my take on small, independently published books you’ll understand. Let me explain- the cover of Who Lied… features an apple on a branch framed by a waterfall view, overlaid with bright yellow text and a red and black nautical star. Wow. It’s just too busy. This is a very common problem with indie books, and one that turns away a lot of readers. Just because you’re low budget doesn’t mean you have to look it- a solid colored cover with just the apple or just the star would have been tactful and not overdone. Err on the side of simplicity people! There are some wonderful books out there that no one reads because of bad cover choices. I know, I know- never judge a book by it’s cover… well, sometimes it’s difficult not to!

Even with the crowded cover Who Lied… is worth a read. Trust me, it’s unlike any memoir you’ve ever read before- zen and unapologetic. Martin has a great conversational style that makes an easy read and his life is engaging and interesting. Some of the spiritual elements (talk of the Creator and such) get a little overpowering at times, but if you can overlook that you’re in for an insightful read. Martin shows us that change doesn’t happen all at once and sometimes people make mistakes… but life is a series of lessons and the important part is what we learn from it.

Daniel Martin’s memoir is filled with a powerful sense of hope – both for himself, and for the whole human race. ‘Who Lied and Said We Left the Garden of Eden’ is more than just the memoirs of a homeless man as the sub-title proclaims. It is a passionate statement of one man’s powerful, life-affirming beliefs.
I found myself quite enjoying this small, intense book. The first half takes you through Daniel Martin’s past, and the terrible choices he made through most of his early life. He is very honest about the numerous times he tried and failed, and the underlying beliefs he held at the time – that he was unworthy and unlovable, that he could ‘handle’ the drugs – that made him relapse. In the end, love for himself, finally , and for the family he wanted to create seemed to give him the strength to stick with a recovery program, though not before risking losing it all.
My only difficulty with this book is that in the first half, events seem somewhat glossed over and the style rendered rather jerky. There is a sense of much more depth to Mr. Martin’s life that does not end up on the page, and while this may be deliberate, a little more editing might have resulted in a smoother flow of the narrative.
In Part 2, Mr. Martin details some of the philosophies and beliefs which he now holds. No fad-of-the-moment mantra, but the little lessons which he has picked up over time and which speak to a life worth the living now. His hope that each person can become “another individual who will make a rational and loving difference within our human family” seems well worth striving towards, and this book well worth the read.