Showing results by author "John A Brink" in All Categories

At 57 years of age, John Brink, a successful entrepreneur, found himself in a local bookstore. As he casually wandered through the aisles, his eye was drawn to a particular title: Driven to Distraction, by Edward M. Hallowell and John Ratey. Reading the opening paragraph, John felt an uncommon connection to the material. The authors weren’t just talking to him; they were talking about him. In that moment, John was hit by a thunderclap revelation that upended his entire world. For the first time in his life, he realized who he really was.

Three siblings from the Philippines wrote down what they remembered about being imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II. Pamela J. Brink, Robert A. Brink, and John W. Brink all survived the ordeal, but only one of them—Pamela—is still alive today. She shares their experiences in this memoir that recounts the horrors of war as seen through the eyes of children. At age 13, John W. was the oldest when they were captured, and his account is likely the most accurate of all three. Robert and Pamela's versions are different as they saw everything through younger, more fearful eyes.

In 1965, John Brink left the Netherlands for Canada equipped with only a single suitcase and $25.47 in cash. He had no connections, he didn’t speak the language, and he’d never finished elementary school, yet he was convinced he could make his dream to build his own sawmill come true. With a tenacity bordering on obsession, John achieved his dreams...and then some. In this lively autobiography, John distills a half-century’s hard work to share 10 simple takeaways.