COS Review

The Salt Lake Tribune

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From its fond reminiscences of early success through its apple-pie earnestness, Chords of Strength is a memoir you can bring home to Mom. If you want a scathing tell-all about the seamy underbelly of the recording industry, you won't find it here. Wait another 19 years, and maybe Archuleta will have collected the material for that kind of book.

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USA TODAY

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David Archuleta's 'Chords of Strength' memoir out this week

David Archuleta looks at the world with an appreciative sense of wonder that's both charming and appealing. That trait comes through loud and clear in the 19-year-old's book, Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song, and the Power of Perseverance, out this week.

Most celebrity memoirs, especially ones from young stars, read like superficial, thrown-together works. But Chords of Strength is something different: It genuinely captures David's voice, in both its content and its cadence. Reading the book is like listening to him speak.

The book spends as much time on the way David views life as it does with his personal history. American Idol weaves through the story on many levels -- attending the first season's finale shows, meeting future contestants Joelle James (a Season 6 semi-finalist) and Tori Kelly (a Hollywood contestant during Season 9) while competing on Star Search and, of course, his time on the show.

David also discusses his vocal paralysis at length. While he was on Star Search, David was diagnosed as having one working vocal cord and one that was paralyzed, a condition that forced him to stop singing publicly for a while. Though he eventually regained his voice, he learned the true extent of his condition during his Idol run.

"The one vocal cord, it seemed, had actually grown up over and around the weak one in order to adjust for the other one not working," he writes.

The book several lists, such as favorite artists, interviews and Idol memories. David also offers a musical appendix listing several of his favorite songs, which range from Mariah Carey's Butterfly to Led Zeppelin's Kashmir.

It's hard to imagine one of David's fans not enjoying Chords of Strength. It would also be instructive for aspiring singers considering the talent-competition route, since David goes into great detail about the things in his life that prepared him for Idol and his thought processes and biggest challenges during the show.

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From A fan:

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It was nothing that I’ve expected to come from David Archuleta himself. I guess I really do not know him, WE the fans do not know him that deep, aside from the fact that he’s really very nice to people and to his fans most especially. But this book is a very deep affirmation of that goodness that we see in him, from how he treats his fans and the people whom he works with, to the way he talks, the way he smiles, the way he sings, his belief, and just how genuinely good he is inside and out.
This book is truly inspiring. To a true fan like myself, this book will surely make you laugh, cry and smile. From the very start to the end, I find him very consistent and very clear on what he’s really trying to convey to the readers; his purpose, his drive and his belief. To have this book is truly a gift from David. It is through this book that we get to know him a bit more. Here, he shows how mature he is deep inside (though he looks oh so young physically), it’s Amazing!
The purpose of this book goes beyond knowing more about David but sending a very important message on believing in one’s dream, SELFLESSNESS, perseverance, trusting in one’s instincts , believing in the power of prayer and deepening one’s relationship with the Heavenly Father .
I know I would read this book over again and again and would share this to everyone, because this book has touched me, has inspired me and has brought joy and healing to my soul.
I just had to mention the last line though: “And remember, even you can’t sing, you can always plant a tree…” haha. yes, that’s how he got his EAGLE!!
(I had to be extra careful in handling the book though, since there were times when tears would just fall, and you don’t wanna ruin a page, do you? I wish I could just highlight some lines and dog ear some pages that contains the lines and phrases that struck me most, but no, this book is way too precious. )
-Shine La Rosa

Source:archuletaphilippines