For a memoir to be inspiring the writer must be honest with themself and their reader. They must know that their life story is an important and valuable one that needs telling. The process can be daunting, triggering in fact. We must honestly look at what we sometimes are nostalgic about in our lives. We must be brave enough to look directly into our past to give a true account of our lives. We must remember our demons and angels and embrace both in our quest to portray our life in a meaningful, and truthful, telling of our tale of surviving and hopefully thriving. From the Ashes: The Writings of an All-American Transgender Boy is such a telling of truth.

I had the pleasure, and honor, of having Phoenix Gray as my student in my Creative Non-fiction class. The bulk of this book was created one class at a time. Each writing exercise that Phoenix wrote for the assignments I gave was another piece to the puzzle. By the end of the semester the exercises became the basis of this excellent portrayal of Phoenix's life. He bravely recounts both the good and the not so good with a style that is engaging. This memoir is one that deserves reading. It is a beacon for the darkness of living a false self. It is also a bonfire for letting go of the false self and courageously claiming our true nature. This is evident in From the Ashes: The Writings of an All-American Transgender Boy Written by Profressor Tammy Morgan