Wake the Bear

'Wake the Bear' is a raw, unflinching memoir of survival, identity, and the redemptive power of art. "Wake the Bear is the raw memoir of C.R. Liles, a man shaped by extreme childhood abuse and systemic neglect after being passed through more than thirty foster homes across upstate New York. Long before healing was possible, he learned how to survive— through art, endurance, and the consequences that followed him into adulthood." From the earliest moments of childhood, C.R. Liles’ life was marked by violence, abandonment, and relentless trauma. Passed through more than thirty foster homes across upstate New York, he endured extreme physical, emotional, and psychological abuse—often at the hands of those meant to protect him. Doctors dismissed his injuries. Authorities ignored his truth. Again and again, he was taught that his pain did not matter and that his voice would not be heard. Yet through it all, one thing kept him alive: art. Told in Liles’ own voice and shaped through years of recorded conversation 'as told to' Leslie Gelb, Wake the Bear traces a life lived on the edge—from a half-Irish/half Native American child navigating cruelty, racism, and isolation, to a fiercely independent young man who survived by qacreating drawings and sculptures in secret. Art became both refuge and rebellion, a way to imagine freedom when none seemed possible. The memoir moves through harrowing foster home experiences, moments of rare kindness, and formative lessons passed down by a Lakota grandfather whose spiritual teachings planted seeds of resilience that would take decades to fully bloom. As a teenager, Liles excelled in athletics and earned multiple college scholarships—only to have them stripped away in an instant, reinforcing his belief that the world was determined to break him. Facing prison after a final act of defiance, he chose the U.S. Army instead, stepping into yet another arena of danger and transformation. What followed would further test his limits, deepen his scars, and ultimately force him to confront the long-buried truth of who he was—and who he refused to become. Wake the Bear is not a story of easy healing. It is a testament to endurance. It explores PTSD, rage, shame, and the lifelong consequences of childhood trauma, while also illuminating how creativity, spirituality, and self-belief can carve meaning from suffering. This is a memoir about listening to one’s spirit, reclaiming one’s identity, and learning—slowly, painfully—to lay the past down without forgetting it. Powerful, haunting, and deeply human, Wake the Bear is a story for anyone who has survived the unimaginable and searched for a way to keep going.
ASIN: B0GL56C14Y
VSKU: BVV.B0GL56C14Y.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Gelb, Leslie
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.