Jorge Mendelzon presents inspirational book, ‘Standing,’ at Encarnación Book Fair

Jorge Mendelzon told a packed audience of young readers that simply standing before them represented a personal triumph. The businessman and writer presented his second book, “Standing: Words to Sustain the Soul,” on the third night of the 22nd Encarnación Book Fair.

The title carries two meanings for Mendelzon. In the literal sense, it celebrates his ability to stand again after several months with restricted mobility. In the broader sense, it describes facing life’s hardships and continuing forward.

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I am very happy to present my second book, Standing, here. I will share experiences that were very hard, but I believe they were immensely enriching.

“I am very happy to present my second book, Standing, here. I will share experiences that were very hard, but I believe they were immensely enriching,” he said. His aim, he added, was “to inspire, to share my experience so people can love life.”

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To inspire, to share my experience so people can love life.

Mendelzon has spent more than 20 years dealing with pigmented villonodular synovitis, a rare, noncancerous disorder in which the lining of a joint grows abnormally. He said the condition had led to about 34 surgeries and months when he could not stand.

The book runs for more than 200 pages and describes his most vulnerable period, including his experience with depression. Mendelzon said he wanted his account to offer a possible path to readers who cannot see light at the end of the passage. He also credited family and friends with helping him move forward.

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Very long months when I could not stand. I consider it a triumph to be able to stand before you today, and that is the message I want to convey.