Wave - Deraniyagala

In December of 2004, Sonali Deraniyagala and her family were enjoying a lovely holiday in Sri Lanka. Deraniyagala's two sons were enjoying their time off from school in London, while she and her husband were resting from their busy lives as economics academics. Her mother and father had joined the family to enjoy their southern coast vacation. 

Life was good.

Sadly, on December 26th, the world changed. An underground earthquake off the coast of Japan set off a tsunami which traveled many miles and struck their holiday get-a-way quickly and harshly. The family ran, but luck was not on their side. While Deraniyagala amazingly survived, no one else did. Her husband, children and her parents were killed by the Wave.

In this touching memoir, Deraniyagala recounts her horrific experience during the tsunami, her immediate and prolonged attempts to deny and forget the loss, and ultimately her journey toward acceptance and a life which enables her to enjoy and cherish the memories of her lost loved ones.

Well written, heart wrenching, but ultimately triumphant. An excellent read.

4/5- Great. Push it on your friends and family.