I had previously known Trevis Gleason only as the popular blogger at Life With Multiple Sclerosis. Within the constraints of this platform, he dispenses his wisdom, humor, and charm in 500 word snippets. But in Chef Interrupted Trevis throws off the shackles of forced brevity and reveals his considerable storytelling acumen.

When Trevis sent me, a fellow MS blogger, an advance copy, I devoured the book in no time at all. It’s a delightful read for anyone who longs to find meaning by going back to their roots, in this case his ancestral homeland of Ireland.

In this memoir, Trevis expertly blends an array of themes into a seamless mosaic. His stories are about realizing the dream to become immersed in rural Ireland, if only for three months (in this book). It’s about the connections he made with the people and with the land, and experiences he shared with folks from home who dropped in and out of his life, and his rented cottage, during that time. It’s about a fondness for good food and drink, and a loyal, furry companion. And yes, it’s about living a full life despite a debilitating disease.

You’ll think a little differently about multiple sclerosis and about the Emerald Isle after seeing them through Trevis’s eyes.

Chef Interrupted: Discovering Life’s Second Course in Ireland with Multiple Sclerosis will be released on Amazon on March 1, 2015, but is available for preorder today. Click here. I highly recommend it.