It was an extraordinary evening of laughter, reflection, and profound vulnerability as award-winning media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo brought the global tour of his Amazon bestselling memoir ‘How Depression Saved My Life’ to New York City on March 9. Hosted by the Nigerians in New York Book Club, the event quickly turned into one of the most electrifying stops of the tour so far, a room filled with members of the African diaspora leaning in for a conversation that moved far beyond a book reading into something deeply human and transformative.
From the moment he stepped onto the stage, Jideonwo set the tone with humour that had the room roaring with laughter. Observing that New York buildings often look modern on the outside but hold relics of the past inside, he joked about the microphone he was handed, saying he hadn’t seen one like it “since the Biafran war.” The laughter opened the door to a much deeper exchange. Asked about the bold title of the memoir, Jideonwo revealed that the phrase ‘How Depression Saved My Life’ came to him unexpectedly. “I won’t take credit for the title,” he told the audience. “God gave it to me.” He shared how he once believed memoirs should only be written later in life, even criticizing those who wrote theirs before 70, only to find himself compelled to tell this story before turning 40.
As the evening unfolded, the room grew quieter, the questions deeper, and the reflections more personal. Jideonwo described the book as a tribute to the transformative books that helped him rebuild his life, encouraging readers to seek out the same wisdom. What followed was a wave of vulnerability rarely seen in public gatherings, audience members asking searching questions and sharing parts of their stories with a stranger who had suddenly made honesty feel safe. When the formal conversation ended, the room refused to disperse. Guests gathered around him with books to sign, stories to share, and questions they said they had never felt free enough to ask anywhere else. By the end of the night, it was clear that the New York stop of the tour had become something remarkable: not just a literary event, but a rare space where truth, courage, and healing met in the same room.
The ‘How Depression Saved My Life” Book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and all book stores. You can also get it on book.withchude.com
