At 360 pages, with no recollection of when or why I requested it, I lugged Warrior Pose home thinking I would skim a little bit and move on to something a little less daunting. That didn’t happen. The story is engaging and despite many opportunities for editing, I forgave Willis and read the book cover to cover.
The first two thirds tells of Willis’ experience as a war correspondent. Both how he got into the business, and how he worked while hiding a very serious back injury in order to continue covering international stories. In my younger years, I was never one to follow news closely and the events Willis writes about, and his treatment of them, is of great interest.
The last third begins as Willis' back, untreated after too many years, finally breaks irreparably. The eventual label of “permanently disabled” and additional treatment for throat cancer throws him into a depression. Only upon an intervention staged by his family, does Willis begin to look to the future. Because of his intense pain, Willis is allowed to transfer from the rehab facility to a pain center. There, he learns techniques for managing his pain, including the yoga practice that eventually saves him.
Willis' story is fascinating. While he has the means and the drive to practice yoga for many hours each day, he never suggests that his path should be mine. Or anyone else’s. He is simply telling his story; where he started, and the path to where he is now.
Warrior Pose is not beautiful writing and could have benefited from a ruthless editor. Despite this, I recommend it for those looking for inspiration or considering alternatives to a traditional path.