LOVE, which is often seen as overrated, is real for author Pradeep Berry. His love and dedication to his wife are deeply rooted, unfathomable as what you will witness in this memoir.
With just seven dollars on hand, never in his wildest dreams did Pradeep Berry expect to meet a beautiful, intelligent wife in America. His family embraced Connie when they realized she was polite, smart, and self-made. She became the star of the family. Berry lovingly describes Connie’s qualities, character, ethics, as well as her professional career. He observes that even though he’s been in tremendous pain since she died, he would have never had such a long and happy marriage if he and Connie had not loved each other so much. Connie and Pradeep both considered themselves as two bodies and one soul, and he hopes they will again be two bodies and one soul in the next life.
Reviews for the previous edition:
"A debut author pays tribute to his deceased wife in this memoir. The prose style is sometimes stilted and other times histrionic. However, it occasionally achieves moments of quiet lyricism, as a result, it doesn’t have much to teach readers about how to get over a loss. Rather, it’s a raw document of the middle of grief and all the emotions that come with it. An emotional elegy that’s somewhat undisciplined in style."
- Kirkus Reviews
"When a loved one dies, the grief can be overwhelming. For some survivors, this grief manifests in all different manners of behaviors in an effort to keep the memory of that lost loved one alive. For Mr. Berry, in the aftermath of the death of his beloved wife of 41 years, it manifested in him writing this loving tribute, My Connie."
- Pacific Book Review
"In 2015, author Pradeep Berry lost his wife of 41 years. His new memoir, however, isn’t an account of moving through grief to healing; rather, it’s a repository of his pain. Like a personal journal, its entries reflect his roller-coaster emotional state, recurrent thoughts about his wife’s death and grief-stricken lamentations."
- BlueInk Review
"My Connie is a heartfelt, if repetitive, account of a husband’s grief."
- Foreword Reviews
EVANSTON, IL, January 25, 2021, Pradeep Berry has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of the current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.Mr. Berry is a retired crisis management executive currently focusing on philanthropic work and writing as the president of the My Connie Foundation (myconnie.com). Named in honor of his late wife, Connie Berry, the My Connie Foundation pairs media outreach and the charitable support of cancer research with personal meditations on the American medical system. Moreover, Mr. Berry is the author of several books including "My Connie" in 2017, "The Untold Secret of My Connie, My First and Last Love: Medical Negligence and Conspiracy" and "The Medical Conspiracy Behind My Wife's Demise" in 2020, the proceeds of which directly benefit cancer charities. In memory of her life, he has written a total of 14 books.A chartered accountant, Mr. Berry has earned a Bachelor of Commerce with distinction from the Sri Ram College of Commerce at Delhi University and was presented with a four-year articleship with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. After relocating to the United States, he continued his formal education, obtaining a Master of Management from the Pillsbury Institute of Management. Mr. Berry concluded his academic efforts with a Master of Business Administration in accounting and business management at Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where he has given speeches.Mr. Berry's consulting and advisory work is directly credited with saving 15 institutions from bankruptcy. Moreover, he proudly served as a battalion sergeant in the National Cadet Corps of the Ministry of Defense of India and attained the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager. Mr. Berry has written extensively on topics in lending and risk management, with publications including "Special Reporting Procedures for Higher-Growth Borrowers" in 1994, "How to Structure Secured Loans for Luxury Coaches" and "Policy and Procedures for Internal Audits" in 1999. Over more than 40 years in the financial services sector, Mr. Berry became recognized as an expert in the intricacies of lending and credit, positioning him to be a leader at the forefront of the developing field of crisis management.Prior to adopting his focus on philanthropy and outreach, Mr. Berry enjoyed a successful career in finance and accounting as the president of Crisis Management for Financial and Auditing Consulting Services Inc., after excelling in senior executive roles with CIB Marine Bancshares Inc., Dina Corporation, and the Hong Kong Bank of Shanghai. He was also a senior officer at Charthouse Inc., a subsidiary of the Pillsbury Institute, from 1977 to 1978. He joined Heller, which was bought by Fuji Bank, in 1979 and worked there for 14 years. In 2005, he left a high position to look after his wife's health for 10 years. During this time they enjoyed traveling, attending symphonies, and spending time together - this time is precious to him as she was the most important person in his life. As he recounts, "Connie was a very intelligent American girl and it was love at first sight. She was born in Glenview, IL, and was a professor at army bases in Germany and France. They were married on January 15, 1976."
