Reflections on Life's Illusions: A Memoir of Culture and Consciousness

“It is not our business to solve all the world’s problems. It is our business to learn to be aware of as much as we can...and to act as wisely as we can.”

As growing children, the baby boom generation experienced a vast array of cultural extremes, from McCarthyism's anti-communist paranoia to the Vietnam War, Watergate, systemic racism, second wave feminism, the birth of rock ’n’ roll, the civil rights movement, the environmental movement, and more. This memoir reflects on the dynamic relationship between the development of personal and cultural consciousness in order to highlight a path to resilience for anyone seeking to heal Earth's living systems.

Reflections on the effects of childhood awakening to cultural grief following the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, mingle with reflections on the cultural impacts of rock ’n’ roll, the hippie movement, and the atrocities of Jim Crow racism. From challenges faced in search of personal identity, meaningful relationships, and a rewarding career to the repercussions of a life-changing hike through the mountains of Peru, a focus on the outer journey throughout the book is coupled with attention to a corresponding inner journey to reconnect with wonder, joy, and awe against the backdrop of a nation increasingly at war with itself.

Reflections on Life’s Illusions maps a path of discovery, illuminating what it takes to thrive personally and professionally while working to foster resilience within the turmoil of Western culture and the matrix of life on Earth.

Praise for Reflections on Life's Illusions
"Part memoir, part social commentary, Jane Gallagher's book is both unique and deeply thoughtful in its exploration of the relationship between her personal journey and how it was shaped by the cultural influences throughout her life. A multifaceted, heartfelt book, Reflections on Life's Illusions is rich with both personal stories and skillful cultural analysis, revealing the author's passion for self-understanding, propelled by compelling questions about the mystery of existence." ~Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle, author of Aging with Wisdom

"Jane Gallagher's memoir charts her journey to find direction and connection against the backdrop of the social and cultural mores of the baby boom generation. We attend her long quest to seek a clear and independent voice. She leaves us with a map to unearth the wisdom that nurtures and heals." ~Linda Hoffman, author of The Artist and The Orchard: A Memoir

"A tapestry of experiences that reflect not only her individual journey but also the broader context of the times in which women in her family lived." ~Olivia Thomes, Hare's Paw Literary Journal