Sneak Peak of Arshay Cooper's Let Me Be Real with You

In a time when the world is yearning for real connection and healing, Arshay Cooper’s latest book, Let Me Be Real with You, feels like a comforting hug from a dear friend accompanied by words of wisdom and a compass to find the way through life’s challenges. Cooper’s book is not just a memoir- it's a compassionate companion to guide the way to inner peace and collectively has the potential to ignite community change and provides ways to support this process. Drawing deeply from his personal journey of growing up on the West Side of Chicago and discovering the power of rowing, Cooper invites readers to witness how transformation begins from within and ripples outward. 

Cooper begins this book by sharing stories from his childhood, like from middle school PE class and high school football which paints the picture of Cooper’s upbringing. His honesty and frankness about his life and the vividness in which he describes past experiences, makes reading this book feel like being invited into a close conversation with a trusted friend. While these stories are uniquely Cooper’s, the feelings provoked are universal. He shares vulnerable memories to remind us of the power of connection and self-reflection. His storytelling makes readers feel both empathy for his past, a sense of connection in shared emotions and a guide for a way forward.  

Each chapter explores a different dimension of wellness—mental, physical, emotional, environmental, social, financial, intellectual, and spiritual and Cooper links these themes to stories from his past. Using rowing as an example, Cooper makes wellness tangible and accessible, especially to those who may have once seen it as a luxury. The power comes in finding ways to incorporate the practice of wellness into our everyday lives. He pairs his experiences with actionable steps for growth—offering both wisdom and a guide. Through his storytelling, we are reminded that we all experience fear, sadness, rejection, and loneliness—but also laughter, love, and joy. Cooper builds bridges between people from all life experiences, inspiring readers to share their stories and commit to healing together. 

Throughout the book, rowing serves as both a method and metaphor for Cooper. The discipline, teamwork, and connection required in rowing reflect the inner work necessary to heal from past traumas in an effort for collective change. He recognizes that healing is not a straight path—sometimes the journey is filled with detours and setbacks but the connection or transition between our chapters in life is a part of process.  

Cooper speaks about wellness in the holistic sense; all eight elements of wellness must come together to feel whole. Whether it is self-love, finding a community connection, or paying attention to a peaceful environment, each piece plays a role in wellbeing. Ultimately, this book is a call to rise up – together and as one. We each have a place in this movement to a better, more just, and healthier world.  

Arshay Cooper’s book, Let Me be Real with You, already a bestseller, is available online and at local independent booksellers across the country.