The Yardsale of Life
The Eight Coats of Meaning
This journey of self-discovery is wrapped in a wry humor that makes the story enjoyable for skeptics and believers alike.
In this punchy parable, veteran writer Carol Gino sends a New Age Alice down the rabbit hole to learn life lessons in a magical yet very modern realm. Wit and wisdom shine throughout this deceptively short and simple fable. The Yardsale of Life: The Eight Coats of Meaning may have all the trappings of metaphysical philosophy—higher realms of consciousness, angels, and, yes, even unicorns—but Gino wraps it all with wry humor that makes her story enjoyable for skeptics and believers alike.
Written in the first person, The Yardsale of Life follows a stand-in for the author, also named Carol, as she’s led on an unusual journey of self-discovery by her resident angel, her “spirit of joy and creativity,” Rashana. Gino sets a brisk pace from the start, launching right into the playfully contentious relationship between the two as Rashana coaxes Carol to go to a “cosmic yard sale.” Carol accepts Rashana’s angelic presence in her life but retains some skepticism, noting, “It’s clear to me she’s from another realm and doesn’t have to pay rent and bills or buy food.”
Gino quickly whisks the pair off to meet peace-sign-wearing hippie Pete and to tour the vast yard sale that is his domain. It’s like no other yard sale, of course, but instead holds metaphorical lessons for Carol as she tries to figure out the next steps in her life. Over here are families, for instance, and over there, relationships. Would she like a new family? A new lover? No, thanks, that’s not what she’s looking for. Gino doesn’t elaborate on the metaphors; she just writes them clearly and convincingly. Her brevity seems as deliberate as the absence of illustrations; Gino’s goal here is not just to tell a story but to spark the reader’s imagination.
As Carol goes on to explore what “coats” might fit her best—the Coat of Trust or the Coat of Truth, for example—Gino gives only the most relevant details, leaving readers to create personally engaging imagery in their own minds. In the prologue, in fact, Gino talks about how important this mission of the imagination is, not just to her, but to our collective future. As she puts it, “the key to our planet’s future rests on our ability to imagine it.”
Though predictably plotted, Carol’s journey is both endearing and entertaining. Fast-paced dialogue moves things along and establishes quirky relationships and points of view efficiently. When Carol quizzes Pete about his awestruck attitude toward toasters, for instance, we laugh and learn along with Carol. Although Gino’s perspective is never in doubt—toasters are, like everything else on Earth, amazing things, if you really think about it—she seldom overexplains, instead leaving readers to draw their own lessons.
Gino’s experience as a nurse and a writer—she was an RN for twenty years and wrote a bestselling book, The Nurse’s Story, among several other titles—both ground her and free her. She’s clearly seen the gritty side of life and has also opened herself up to unexpected dialogue with the unknown. The Yardsale of Life reflects her personal growth while encouraging the same for others.
Reviewed by
Sheila M. Trask
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.
