He was born broken. Bruised, early, and barely breathing. But life had other plans for Chance Brogdon.
Chance Beginnings is not just a memoir; it’s a window into a world many remember but few talk about with this kind of raw honesty. Set in the Deep South during one of America’s most turbulent eras, this unforgettable book follows a boy raised in poverty, shaped by faith, and tossed between survival and hope at every turn. From a rain-soaked shack in rural Georgia to a life carved out with grit, heartbreak, and grace, Chance’s story is deeply personal yet strikingly familiar. He grows up amid segregation, war, family fights, societal shifts, and spiritual awakenings. But through it all, illness, tragedy, rebellion, and redemption he never stops pushing forward. Told with humor, grit, and a sharp memory for detail, Roberts Essex captures what it meant to grow up in America when values were strict, struggles were real, and nothing came easy. This is a story about good men making bad choices, broken families trying to stay whole, and a boy who keeps asking the same Why me, and what now? If you’ve ever questioned your path, felt like an outsider in your own family, or fought to find meaning in the mess of it all, this book will feel like home. Chance is for every reader who knows that the real stories aren’t polished...they’re lived.
Chance: Beginnings is one of those rare books that feels less like reading and more like being invited to sit down with someone’s life story in all its rawness and truth. Roberts Essex doesn’t polish over the hard edges he leans into them and that’s what makes Chance’s journey so unforgettable. From his fragile beginnings to the storms of poverty, segregation, family struggles, and personal battles, Chance’s life is told with honesty, grit, and surprising moments of humor. What struck me most was how real it all felt you can almost hear the echoes of the Deep South, smell the rain on that shack roof, and feel the weight of each choice and consequence. This isn’t just a memoir; it’s a mirror for anyone who has ever wondered “why me?” or struggled to find meaning in the chaos of life. Despite the heartbreak, there’s a steady thread of resilience and faith that makes the story deeply hopeful. If you’re looking for a book that’s brutally honest yet deeply human, one that reminds you that real stories aren’t about perfection but about survival, redemption, and grace this is it.