Books That Open Minds

Books That Open Minds

By Alyse Mitor

Stories have power—not just to entertain, but to crack open the hardest shells of doubt, shame, and limitation. Debbie Ethell’s The Will of Heaven series does exactly that. This remarkable collection begins with its first book, The Will of Heaven, a raw and triumphant true story of transformation. It traces one woman’s harrowing battle with debilitating addiction, from the cold courtrooms of her past to the vast grasslands of Kenya, where she emerges as a conservation research scientist living her dream of working with wild elephants. Debbie’s journey mirrors the resilience of the majestic creatures she studies, blending biography with profound revelation. It’s a testament to inner strength, delivering a vital message of hope—for alcoholics clawing their way to recovery and for elephants enduring the brutal threat of poaching. Readers finish this book not just moved, but changed, ready to stretch beyond their own imagined limits.

I’m thrilled to share that the second installment, Elephant Mountain, has just been published, deepening the series’ grip on the reader’s soul. This gripping sequel follows Debbie as a young woman captivated by an elephant skull in a bone museum, unraveling a web of secrets tied to Morgan Berry—the man behind Packy, the first baby elephant born in a U.S. zoo in forty-four years—and Eloise Berchtold, a legendary animal trainer. Both met tragic ends at the hands of the elephants they raised, leaving a trail of hidden truths. As Debbie digs deeper, armed with her scientific expertise and the unwavering support of her best friend battling a life-threatening illness, she confronts her own sobriety. Strength drawn from Kenya’s wild elephants propels her forward, turning a quest for answers into a test of courage that reshapes her destiny.

These books don’t just tell stories; they shatter complacency and ignite purpose. In a world desperate for narratives that bridge personal pain and global crises, Debbie Ethell’s work reminds us: true change starts when a mind opens. Dive into The Will of Heaven series, and discover the wild possibility waiting on the other side.