The Guide
Survival, Warfighting, Peacemaking
One’s origins do not determine one’s destiny according to The Guide, a memoir written by a marine and pastor who overcame childhood challenges.
Greg Munck’s uplifting memoir The Guide is about moving from a troubled upbringing to a life of military service and finding religion.
Munck was raised by an abusive, addicted father who often ran afoul of the law; desperate late at night, Munck prayed for his father to become sober. Memorable details arise in the course of his childhood stories: Munck set himself on fire during a youthful pyromania phase, was injured in a rock fight, was subjected to sexual exploitation by a neighbor, and once found his father and a friend heavily armed in the living room after stealing a drug dealer’s car. Such horrors are mixed in with everyday reminiscences about saving up to go to the movies; segues between the book’s episodes are few.
Munck played football in high school and later joined the Marine Corps. In boot camp, he experienced rites of passage like the gas chamber, rappelling, and ruck marches, while a drill instructor warned, “The Marines are looking for a few good men. Unfortunately, you ain’t it.” He participated in the invasion of Kuwait and dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder after his deployment, even brawling and starting fires. Later, he found God and cultivated a service mindset; he became a businessman and the pastor of a church in Laguna Hills, California.
The book’s storytelling comes in bursts and is quite anecdotal. Pop cultural references are used to appeal to the audience’s sense of shared nostalgia, as with mentions of Depeche Mode, New Order, Roots, and Saving Private Ryan. Instances of slang and mild profanities further humanize the book’s work.
And in time with telling Munck’s own story, the book seeks to set examples for others who are also, like he once was, looking for direction and purpose. It imparts familiar, encouraging lessons, such as that one’s origins do not determine one’s destiny and that forgiveness is preferable to bitterness. Further, it seeks to show others that they are not alone in their struggles. But it becomes noticeably more prescriptive when discussing topics like the Bible; indeed, the more serious it becomes, the more its personal touches recede.
An inspirational memoir, The Guide is about enduring extremes and finding peace through faith.
Reviewed by
Joseph S. Pete
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
