About The Book

Turning Water Into Butter

Living the Power Within

Though born into a household of modest means, in which neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend middle school, Sammy nevertheless found—or else created—ways to overcome the many roadblocks that confronted him due to his humble beginnings. He eventually earned a doctorate in biostatistics and founded two multi-million-dollar companies in different industries.

As part of his less than smooth trajectory to worldly achievement, he has, on an inner level, had to confront the emotional and spiritual challenges of spending only nine years of his childhood with his parents, experiencing a life-fracturing divorce after twenty-five years of marriage, and facing several major lawsuits, including an investigation by the US Department of Justice.

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 10 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
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   Laura W. 
 
 
 
 Verified Could not put it down That's good I kept reading way into the night when I should have been sleeping It is a very well written honest and illuminating story.
  
 
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   Jill D Sansom 
 
 
 
 Verified Honest Humble and Inspiring I truly enjoyed digesting this heartfelt and vulnerable yet inspirational memoir! I felt like I could hear this author's voice and passion through the intentional words and experiences he shared. I found this man's journey to be complex and difficult, but authentically shared, showing how challenges do not have to define you, but motivate you and give you the very stage to explore, to learn and to evolve. I enjoyed the many insights given and made side notes of some of the simple, yet powerful, descriptors he used. We are "meaning makers" - with an ability to shift and adjust our perspectives (loved this one!). I also loved how he talked about making lemonade from apples (you will just have to read about this yourself to smile through it!). He to explore from cover to cover. I believe he has a soulful finger on the pulse of humanity and I thoroughly enjoyed the read!
  
 
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   Thomas Rao 
 
 
 
 Verified Inspirational Reading I do not read many books, but I read “Turning Water into Butter” by Dr. Jean-Guilmond Orelien in two sittings: while going to India and on my return flight. That is a testimonial for what a great reading it has been.Jean eloquently combines his life journey as a lone wolf with his spirituality, scientific training, and business acumen. Not every businessperson is an entrepreneur, and Jean shows in this book how he managed to be a great scientist and an entrepreneur without sacrificing his religious background and upbringing. I highly recommend this book for general reading, and it will be a good gift material for your family and friends.
  
 
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   Carl Edward Nicolas 
 
 
 
 Verified A classic and an amazing account of a life well lived through struggles: Turning Water into Butter! Jean Sammy Orelien's personal biography "Turning Water Into Butter" is a Testament to the resilience of Haitian people, but it is also a Universal Testament to the drives of humans to carve a niche on this earth, not only to survive but also to make it in society.In that way, it is a classic, beautifully written, relating the story of a child growing up in Haiti, with a poetic innocence. The struggles he has to face, and the mindset he cultivates afterward, are described in a distinguished langage, making this book a delight to read, as one is hooked on the pages, wondering what's next.The stories are poignant, and yet he breezes through them with humble elegance, in the pursuit of goals he has set for himself. But one easily forgets the ease of the read as the focus is on the narrative, settling on each story, as if it was the life right now. One lives the moment with him, as the images jump out of the page as the scene evolves with simple familiarity, the simplicity of the language and his warm expression of it.He engages the reader in the quest of the Lone Wolf he calls himself at that stage. There are so many hurdles to cross and so many challenges, and yet his rendition is grounded in relatedness as if he was talking to a friend, but in a classy literary language. There is no pretention, but simple class.His dedication at work, after pursuing serious studies, pays off, and he gets successful in business. However the challenges become bigger, and he deals with them with the maturity gained through the school of hard knocks and the experience of an amazing life throughout adversity.This journey has brought him to a level of wisdom accomplished together with the Providence of God moving him at every step of the way with protection, breakthroughs and facilitating circumstances. However his faith is ingrained in the determination God has planted inside him, as he firmly believes he partakes of the divinity. His stances are a bit different from traditional Christianity, in the sense that he moves with the certitude that God has empowered him with seeds of of the divine. He does challenge some stories in the Bible, and he has become reactive toward religion, having grown up in versions of the Seventh Day Adventist church that may have been more severe than others as it happens in every religion.Now he has relinquished as much as he can the tenets of the Lone Wolf concept, for a deeper understanding of co-creation with others. But the whole adventure is told so briskly and so poetically, with profound intellectuality, and yet with precise and concise sentences that are easy to read. This book will definitely become a classic, and there is yearning to inquire about the rest of the story, how things evolve from there.I recommend this book to any reader, as this is an inspiring storyCarl Edward NicolasPsycho-Social Sciences and Literary Researcher
  
 
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   Bill Buxton 
 
 
 
 Verified Fun and inspiring read The book was very engaging and insightful. It is a true autobiography, unafraid of the truth. Wonderful vignettes across two cultures. Journey across the globe, journey of a life and journey of the soul. 👏👏
  
 
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   JULIE MOHNKERN 
 
 
 
 Verified A true gem! Written from the heart... revealing the Soul Sammy’s memoir is a powerful exploration of the immigrant experience and the pursuit of the American Dream. The stories highlight the incredible strength and determination it takes to overcome significant challenges, such as language barriers and cultural differences. Sammy uses the metaphor of "Turning Water into Butter" to illustrate the transformation from mere survival and the achievement of material success and wealth to a more fulfilling existence, emphasizing the importance of intangible qualities like love, community, and inner strength.The personal stories shared are not only entertaining but also serve as a reminder of the shared human experience of striving for a better life. Sammy’s story shows us that while hard work and grit can get you pretty far in life, true alchemy comes only from a life lived from the heart.A book you will definitely want to come back to. An excellent choice for a book club!
  
 
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   Barney M Brown 
 
 
 
 Verified A heartfelt, humorous, recounting of a life consciously lived. I loved the Sammy's honesty. An amazing story of survival.and self discovery. Each chapter made me want to read more. Despite the enormous challenge.of overcoming poverty, race, language, and location Sammy finds the gift and the Grace in each challenge. Truly magic....turning "water into butter".
  
 
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   Debora A Coons 
 
 
 
 Verified Amazing and Powerful book for any reader Turning Water into Butter is a wonderfully easy read, yet full of rich content that describes the author’s journey from third world poverty in Haiti, to the pursuit of a doctorate and ultimately success as a full-time entrepreneur in America. The author, Sammy Orelien, completes his memoir by inviting the reader to join him on a joint venture with others, to move beyond self, to love others, and to make a difference by addressing major socioeconomic issues, such as homelessness, child hunger, improved educational system, and so forth.Dr Orelien describes how we create stories in response to events that happen in our lives to provide interpretations or meanings to them, impacting “how we interact with others”. He suggests that we can reframe our thinking, particularly at different stages of our lives, to help move us forward on our journey.Turning Water into Butter is an amazing and powerful book for any reader, no matter their background. It broadened my perspective on the challenges of being born into poverty in a third world country and the capacity of a young, abandoned boy, to find the resilience needed to pursue a successful and meaningful life.

‘Turning water into butter’ is a Haitian colloquialism for overcoming the impossible. It is the affirmation that we have the power to rise above any external circumstances to achieve our desires in life.

However, this book is not about a rag-to-riches tale or acquiring material possessions. Through sharing his journey, Sammy hopes to extend an invitation to some and offer encouragement to others to create the masterpiece that we are meant to be.

In life, ‘stuff’—as they say—happens, and there is no one among us who is immune from career setbacks, heartbreak, illness, or the death of a loved one. These setbacks and unexpected turns are ‘the water’ available to us for the ultimate act of alchemy: unfolding and harnessing the power within us.

This is much more than a book about resilience; it’s about going far beyond mere survival or recovery and living our best life by becoming the best version of who Life intended us to be.

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