One Book, Three Lessons

Book Title: Pounding Chest: A Young Man's Journey from Dealer to Healer

Author: Armani Antonellis

What if the streets that raised you also tried to bury you? In Pounding Chest, Armani Antonellis delivers a raw and redemptive memoir that chronicles his transformation from a life of risk and addiction to a path of healing and purpose.

Three Lessons We Took From It:

1. Redemption is real - and often messy.
Antonellis doesn’t sugarcoat the journey. His healing wasn’t instant or linear, and that makes his story all the more powerful. This book reminds us that change doesn’t happen all at once, but every day we choose better.

2. Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.
By confronting his trauma and sharing it with the world, Antonellis redefines what masculinity can look like. His emotional honesty is both disarming and inspiring, especially for young men navigating similar paths.

3. Your past doesn’t define you — your choices do.
Antonellis’s story is a testament to transformation. Through mindfulness, therapy, and service to others, he proves that even the darkest chapters can lead to light.

This book is a must-read for fans of memoir, personal growth, and social transformation. Available in-store and online at Nena Book and Gift Store.

Share your reflections with us using the comments or #NenaReads on social - we’d love to hear what this book meant to you.