5 comments about In Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer's Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road.

1. I picked up this book after having read the fictional "Cosmic Banditos". It's the mind-boggling road diary of Weisbecker's trip off the grid. He sells off his life, grabs his dog and surfboards, and heads out with no real direction other than 'south'. His funny, relaxed writing evokes a storytelling session around a campfire on the beach.
   
   
   This is the kind of audacious drop-out from society that most of us will only dream about. After cringing at some of Weisbecker's more harrowing adventures, some of us will be glad we never took the leap. The story takes an uncomfortable turn when Captain zero is finally found, a turn which may cement your commitment to staying safely on the grid.



2. Anyone who is nostalgic about surfing, the beach, women, friends and the passage of time should read this book. It is hard to believe how well written it is. There are many interesting, sad and funny stories in the book. The scene about the large wave hitting their small beach house in Hawaii actually had me, dare I say, laughing out loud. I'm now reading the book a second time after a one year hiatus, and enjoying it just as much (a good activity until I can get back to the beach!).



3. There's nothing like a surfing trip to Costa Rica with flashbacks to drug dealing days to make for a great literary achievement.
   
   The book may be $10.00, but the chapter on "The Boat" is priceless! I've bought at least 10 copies to give to my friends to read. It is a true classic.
   
   How this book has gone this long without being made into a movie is incomprehensible.



4. This book appealed on so many levels. Want a good surf adventure, you got it. Like a nice travelogue, it hits there too. Want an excellent character study, absolutely. If you want to shake your head while laughing out loud, you get that here also. It was a book that was fun and yet thought provoking, strongly recommended.



5. A very different kind of surfing story. For those that that are into surfing and travel it's pretty cool. It's a good adventure surfing story. I started reading it on an island in Panama durring a surf trip which gives me a different perspective. It definetly made me want to keep traveling/surfing. For the non surfing types, I have no idea how it would be recieved....

5 comments about Scheisshaus Luck: Surviving the Unspeakable in Auschwitz and Dora.

1. I've read countless accounts, short and long, on the holocaust. Berg's piece can take its place alongside the important works of Weisel, Ten Boom, and Steiner.
   
   Each eyewitness retelling of the experience reads differently. Not because history is subjective, but rather each writer is simply sharing their own hellish experience from the perspective of the small world through which they survived. Each story is coloured by the age, gender, religious belief system, personality, and circumstances of the author. In the present case -- an 18 year old gentile snatched up with the Jews and shipped to Auschwitz (then marched on to Dora). He is strong-willed, resourceful and clever, and "lucky". He survives.
   
   He was a young man, not a child, not an observant Jew, and writes with a sense of dark, wry humor - mindful of the bad and good circumstances through which he survived. As always, the story is horrific. It is important that these memoirs are put to paper. Each tells the story of a survivor and 6 million non-survivors. This one is well told. Recommended.



2. The absorbing account of a young French resistance courier's capture by the Nazis, Scheisshaus Luck is a valuable addition to the library of WWII survivor stories. The title refers to the random nature of life and death, freedom and capture that prevailed in the occupied territories. The reader must be impressed by author Pierre Berg's remarkable resourcefulness and resilience as a "guest" of the Nazis at Auschwitz and Dora camps. Berg answers two questions I have long wondered: what kind of person could survive the Nazi camps without losing all humanity, and what kept these poor souls going in this terrible Hell on earth? (The answer to the latter here is the author's love of a girl, whom he believes he re-encounters near the end of the story.) Scheisshaus Luck is especially useful for its detail of the death march prisoners had to endure, even as Russian liberators were days away. I am deducting one star from my rating, for this book, as interesting and well written as it is, falls just short of the top tier of survival stories. It is ironic that the author's sang-froid and sense of humor that were so essential to his survival here undermine his effort. This book does not get your blood boiling about the Nazi atrocities, nor does it get your tears flowing. For that, I recommend 80629: A Mengele Experiment, which is the most harrowing account of human suffering and barbarity I have ever read.



3. Pierre Berg picked the wrong time to visit a friend's house, but he most certainly didn't pick the wrong time to team up with Brian Bock. Together this writing team has picked through a Halocaust experience with wisdom and wit. I am sure this work was a struggle to reach into some deep memories so that a history from the view of the imprisoned resistance fighters could be told. Very well done!



4. Author Pierre Berg adds a fresh perspective to the well established post-Holocaust literature. As a young French teenager, he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time while visiting a friend's house at the same time as the SS and he found himself plunged into the nightmarish world of the Nazi concentration camps. If we can believe his account, he survived from a combination of being non-Jewish, athletically fit, being bright and resourceful, his multilingual talents and from pure dumb luck- hence the title. Although conditions were better for non-Jews, the suffering endured by the protagonist and those around him was horrifying enough. Mr. Berg, however, always seemed to keep his wits about him and that more than anything, kept him alive. This is a very straightforward telling of a fantastic tale and one is struck by the strength of his survival instinct as well as his inborn gallic cynicism- a healthy cynicism, it turns out. Though one cannot help but reel at the atrocities he was forced to witness and endure, he never seems to lose his cool, save when, after his liberation, he fails to find the girl he was romantically entangled with at the start of his ordeal. It's an understandable lapse. This sense of detachment keeps the book from collapsing under the weight of the appalling suffering detailed within. I was a little disturbed by his indifference to the forced rape that occurs throughout much of the book and though he belatedly offers apologies for his insensitivity, it struck me as a little false. That point aside, I was riveted throughout most of the read. Although this book is a bit late to the dance, it is a very readable and valuable addition to the history of that accursed time.



5. When I read the beginning of this book, the saying, "No good deed goes unpunished" popped into my head. The author Pierre Berg, as an adolescent involved in the French Resistance movement, wound up being arrested and sent to a concentration camp. His crime: attempting to aid a schoolfriend. Even worse, his parents were away on a trip, and he wasn't allowed to contact them.
   
   Shortly thereafter, the 18-year-old Berg found himself with other prisoners sent to Auschwitz, then onto Dora with several more stops before managing to find freedom. He endures all the horrors you would expect in such a situation, and relates them in stark, caustic prose.
   
   If like me, you think of the Holocaust as something which happened primarily to Jews, this book will be an eye opener. Berg, himself a gentile, meets political prisoners, Gypsies, criminals and others who unfortunate to find themselves considered undesirable by the Nazis. Berg
   survives partly by ingenuity and will, but also, as he says, through sheer luck. I hate to use cliches like "triumph of the human spirit" but that's exactly what "Scheisshaus Luck" is a testament to.
   
   
   

5 comments about Castaway Kid: One Man's Search for Hope and Home (Focus on the Family Books).

1. Castaway Kid: One Man's Search for Hope and Home (Focus on the Family Books)
   
   This book is amazing. I work in a school with much racial, religious, financial and ethnic diversity. This book was the center of our summer reading program. Rob's life was such a great example for our children who face discrimination that they too can be successful regardless of what others say to them. In addition, my husband and I found things in the book we could relate to as well. My favorite part was Rob's argument with God.
   
   It doesn't matter who you are or how you were raised, you will relate to some part of Rob's life. This is a book you will love and one you will want to share with everyone you know!!



2. We were fortunate to have Mr. Mitchell visit our school after all of our students had read Castaway Kid as their summer reading assignment. His connection with our community was immediate and deep. All of us can relate to feeling abandoned at some point in our life. And in walks this gentle man who has every reason in the world to be hard and bitter. If God can give Rob Mitchell the courage to forgive, that same courage is certainly available to me!



3. We chose Castaway Kid as a book for our whole school (private 6-12 independent school) summer reading book. Our librarian and her committee chose it from a long list of possibiities. We were not disappointed in the choice. The students and adults found it a powerful and positive read. The Castaway Kid is not an easy story but students identifed with it in powerful and significant ways. Even if they were not orphaned, all could relate to the feelings of abandonment and isolation that seems part of growing up. We were doubly blessed because we convinced Mr. Mitchell to come to campus and speak at our academic convocation and parents' night. He is a wonderful speaker and it greatly enriched our community's experience. The whole community gave Mr. Mitchell and his story two thumbs up--way up!



4. Many adults have suffered great hardships in their childhood, even being sent away. This now successful man had a horrible beginning. One can feel the isolation he felt when he was "dumped" off at the age of 3.
   A good book to restore your belief that you can make your life different.



5. I really enjoyed this book. Being from Chicago as well, I felt an ever closer connection to the author and his story. I had a real hard time putting it down and I had to keep tissue close by whenever I was reading it. As a Mother, it was especially heart wrenching to read some of the thoughts and emotions the author experienced as a child. Such wonderful writing and expression - always feeling the emotion the author was sharing. I would highly recommend it! I passed it onto a friend after I was done with it - so the enjoyment could be passed on!

5 comments about Storm of Steel (Penguin Classics).

1. For most people who only know World War I from their high school days when they did a book review on "All Quiet On The Western Front" this book is required reading. Against the spate of anti-war books by those who saw limited service and little combat, Ernst Juenger's book is truly authentic. He fought for his nation to win, and it was not until the Ludendorf offensive that he participated in during the Spring of 1918 was stopped (in his opinion, due to German artillery blocking the infantry's advance), that the author came to feel that Germany might lose the war. After all, at that time Romania, Serbia and Russia had been defeated, Italy was in disarray, the French relatively inactive, and the Americans had not yet arrived in strength. And it must be remembered that Germany always possessed inferior numbers compared to the allies on the Western front.
   
   The author has been condemned and marginalized in the US for his unabashed nationalism by the American leftist academic and political elite to the point that he is almost unknown in the English-speaking world. Juenger did his duty willingly and with enthusiam for four long years in combat on the Western front during World War I, and his refusal to condemn war has made him anathema to the Western literary world. Even though Juenger was not a Nazi and resisted Hitler's siren songs, his love for his country was enough to have his work censored through silence.
   
   The reader should carefully read the review by the Washington Post writer given above. Tellingly he states his personal viewpoint, "Like many people, I have absolutely no love for the martial spirit, detest all forms of nationalism, and feel queasy at the sight of blood." Hopefully the ER personnel attending to him following an accident will be able to function while seeing blood, but I guess "God Bless America" is out, and the Post reviewer will avoid service in the American Army with whatever excuse. This is the contemporary attitude of the liberal elite and media, formed over the last sixty years of leftist propaganda in our schools, universities, and on television. Juenger would be appalled.
   
   This translation by Hofmann is better than the ones I have read previously, but German speakers are advised to read his works in their original German. Hofmann effectively translates the German idioms that have stumped other translators and the Introduction should be read carefully to understand why a faithful translation is important. This volume is based on Juenger's revised edition (Juenger revised his book at least eight times), most probably the latest one from 1961.
   
   This book was written from Juenger's diary originally in 1920, is not fiction, and is the only extensive work from World War I from a long-serving combat soldier in the war. That alone makes it important, but that it is well-written and describes four major battles from the viewpoint of the soldier in the trenches makes it uniquely invaluable. That it remains almost unknown in the US is a tragedy and due exclusively to the powers that abhor the military and nationalism at any level -- even that for the United States.
   
   The details I leave to the many other reviewers who have more than adequately covered the tragedy and frightfulness of war. Juenger retains a sense of humor throughout, and even suggests that war is the most pronounced experience that a man can undergo. For the doubters, please read Glenn Gray's "The Warriors." In many respects, World War I was probably the most terrifying war in history for the individual infantryman. He lived a terrible existence in mud and squalor, subject to death at any moment from the ever-present artillery fire, and his survival depended more on chance than on his own skills. To some degree that changed in World War II and in subsequent wars where individual skills played an increasingly larger part in determining a soldier's survival.
   
   In short, BUY & READ this book. Don't accept passively what you are told to believe by the media, your teachers and professors. Juenger is well worth the read and you may actually learn something about lives of soldiers in World War I. Juenger is certainly an Alpha-male type, but his true story is as important as those written by anti-war fiction writers and those with political agendas.



2. STORM OF STEEL offers WWI from a German soldier's point of view, but Erich Maria Remarque it ain't. All told, author Ernst Junger was shot multiple times, yet would live not only to write this book (and many others) but to celebrate his 103rd birthday (attended by an unusually patient Grim Reaper-in-Waiting).
   
   On the penultimate page of this book, he writes: "Leaving out trifles such as ricochets and grazes, I was hit at least fourteen times, these being five bullets, two shell splinters, one shrapnel ball, four hand-grenade splinters and two bullet splinters, which, with entry and exit wounds, left me an even twenty scars." Like George Washington (who also was shot at, over, under, and through), someone seemed to be watching over Junger.
   
   Fans of war literature will relish this book. Junger takes the reader through the trenches of Flanders, the Somme, Cambrai, Langemarck, and many other WWI locales. His narrative is straightforward and blunt, including many details on soldiers' deaths (German AND British) with a full compliment of gory details. He seldom editorializes or pontificates, and even acts as if gas attacks are normal (well, they were -- then). The narrative has that "rubbernecker" effect going for it. The appalling body counts almost carry you forward, despite your disbelief at the complete waste of humanity. Meanwhile, Junger riffs on tests of manhood and the rush (along with the fear) that is war.
   
   Junger writes: "In war you learn your lessons, and they stay learned, but the tuition fees are high." Understatement. With examples of both mercy and bloody resolve, Junger's behavior will continue to astonish readers as they read his detailed account. Unencumbered by any attempts at high art or literary flair, STORM OF STEEL will put you there, giving you a real taste of how fleeting life was for these young men. The War had no winner and only one loser -- humanity itself -- only Junger chooses not to state as much. Instead, he trusts in his readers. Recommended for fans of history, WWI, and war literature. If you've read other works in the WWI canon, this is a worthy addition.



3. a straight-forward soldier's book written by a man who went through the whole war in the front lines - and survived! pleasingly free of the political whining and hand-wringing the saturates so many of the accounts written by 'our side' about this bloody and pointless conflict. the narrative touches on all aspects of the military experience of a member of the p.b.i. (poor bloody infantry) and can serve for those on any side or army in this meat grinder of a war. i've been reading a couple of books a week on military history for about 50 years and rate this book in the top three personal accounts - a truly excellent work.



4. This is an amazing book to read. Junger was a stormtrooper--the German soldiers who lead the first wave into the trenches--for something like four years. It seems extraordinary that anyone could have survived such a holocaust, let alone four years of it. There is very little in the way of emotional expression in this book, or personal or political observation. Junger devoted his writing to the material details of the battle. This book takes you right into it with unforgettable detail--the acrid smoke, the seemingly ceaseless rain of artillery. More of Jungers men seem to be felled by German artillery than the opposition. Junger describes a scene in which a battery is destroyed and a single horse survives, fleeing across the desolate landscape, "a white ghostly figure." From the very first minutes on the line, artillery remained a constant danger for these men. The book describes harrowing scenes of shootouts with snipers and machine gunners, shooting men at pointblank range with pistols. One scene describes a group of British cornered in a trench. Junger's men throw grenades into the trench. After each blast, helmets, rags of body parts, and blood flies up in the air. His unit moves forward to the edge of the smoking trench to finish the British off, only to be mowed down by British rifle fire as they prepare to fire. This is combat at its most intense! An ungorgettable read that takes you into the eye of the storm of steel. Definitely, good reading. You won't be able to put it down.



5. At first I thought this book was going to turn out to be one of those books that were written at a different time that just couldnt have a style to keep readers this day and age interested. I was wrong. Junger has a style all his own and you will feel has if you are the one standing in his boots through all the epic battles and hardships. You can almost see the mortor shells landing around him with all the carnage that goes with them. You will feel happy when he triumphs, and sad when men are there one minute and gone forever the next. This book will only get better the further you get into and the ending I will admit put a tear to my eye, this man deserved everything he earned and more. His final battle is one you will not be able to put down. I found my self reading paragraphs two and even three times over again convincing my self that my eyes were not playing tricks on me. This book is a must have for anyone who is even mildly interested in combat novels.

5 comments about Washed by Blood: Lessons from My Time with Korn and My Journey to Christ.

1. Like many others, I purchased both books thinking that they were different ("Washed" being the sequal), but as you know from reading the other reviews, they're basically the same book.
   
   My initial reaction was frustration. I felt like I had been duped by the publisher....especially since the front cover of "Washed" says that it's by the author of "Save Me From Myself" and the back cover says "You think you've heard this story before but you haven't". Yes, I have! It was called "Save Me From Myself"! I think that instead of giving different titles and cover pictures to the books, they should have simply released them as the same book; one being the "Adult" version and the other being the "Teen" or "Young Adult" version with a simple explaination of the differences.
   
   Upon closer comparison, I felt a bit better about "Washed" leaving the vulgar language and graphic details out, but in essence still delivering the same message. I also like how at the end of each chapter there discussion questions. I lead a small group for the Jr. High boys at our church, and each semester we study books together and meet once a week to do discussion questions on what we've read. Most of the teens in the group are really into music, and I think a book like "Washed By Blood" would hold their attention a lot more than some other books. Also, I would never encourage them to read "Save Me From Myself", but "Washed By Blood" on the other hand is clean, slightly abridged, and the discussion questions make this a book that i'd definately like to study with them. So there's a good possibility i'll be ordering several more copies of "Washed By Blood" to use for our group study, but even if we don't end up doing it together i'd still highly recommend it to them.
   
   So if you know a teen who loves music, or even an adult who might not want to read all of the graphic details about sex and drugs, this is the better choice of the two books to recommend to them.



2. I have not read this specific book, but I listened to an interview with Brian Welch on the radio recently and he said this book is the same autobiography as "Save Me From Myself" but it leaves out some of the more in depth details making it more appropriate for a younger audience than the other version. So do not purchase both books! But if you are looking for a book for your teenager, this version may be a better fit.
   
   I hope this helps clear some of the confusion on these books.



3. 
   Okay, everyone has been rating this a 1 JUST because they think it's the same book with a differnt name. It is the same, but a kid friendly version with less description with the drugs and stuff. Rating this a 1 because they didn't do the research is pathetic. They are lowering the score making other people think it's not a good book...yet they were buying it because they liked the one they had so much..does not make sense! People help out and give it a 5 (just 3 people) to average it out from the bad reviews over "it being the same book". Remember, you are reviewing it so that other people who haven't read it can determine if they want it.



4. It is so encouraging to read about the miraculous change that Jesus Christ made in Head Welch's life. I recommend this for any non-believer you know... especially teens and young adults who struggle with belief and/or with drugs and alcohol. Its an amazing story and I know God used this book to change my life and will use Brian greatly for the Kingdom! This book is REAL....



5. To the people saying it's the same as his first book... this was well documented and announced well in advance:
   
   "Also on June 24, 2008, Harper Collins Publishers will simultaneously release the young adult version of Save Me From Myself, entitled "Washed By Blood". "
   
   It's basically the same book but re-written for younger adults. Still worth reading.

5 comments about Lost In Place: Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia.

1. My mother sent me this book for my birthday and I enjoyed every page. Very entertaining, both funny and serious, as well as making some great observations about growing up in Ridgefield, CT. I also grew up in Ridgefield in the 70s and the book is a very accurate description of life in Ridgefield back then. I amazed at how much he was able to remember, I'm not able to remember anywhere near that many details about my own childhood.



2. I have read almost every martial arts autobiography that has been published in the English language. I have put together quite a collection of them from all over the world. As proof, check out my book Martial Arts Biographies-An Annotated Bibliography (ISBN:0595348610). So I think I know a little about the subject of martial arts autobiographies. I liked Salzman's first book Iron & Silk. It is a classic to be sure. But I absolutly loved Lost In Place. It is the funniest of any martial arts biography that I have read. It is also very serious in other parts of the book. The story is great, and I recommend it very highly! Beyond being my favorite martial arts autobiography,I would put it in my top five favorite books of all. BUY IT, READ IT, AND LAUGH YOUR BUTT OFF!!!!



3. Memoir of Mark Salzman's adolescent years in Connecticut. Outrageously funny in spots, touching in others, and interesting throughout. The author's description of Sensei O'Keefe and the stories surrounding the Kung Fu Dojo are riotous. Ed, his eternally pessimistic father, adds another element of humor to the story. The novel describes an eccentric teenager's failed attempts to "change myself into something I'm not. The story of my life." He obsessively pursues first Kung Fu to become a fearless warior, then years of cello training to achieve a dream of becoming a concert celloist, and majors in Chinese at Yale because "it was the one subject I had a head start in and could therefore look smarter than I really was." The book is a good reflection back on the eccentricities of adolescence with a profound message offered in the end.



4. This book is an absolute gem. How often do you come across a martial arts book that is not just well written but genuinely, heartbreakingly funny? Mr. Salzman has already shown us he can write in his first book, Iron and Silk, the story of his two years spent in China teaching English and practicing wushu with Pan Qing Fu. The book was later made into a critically acclaimed film of the same name. In Lost in Place, the author lets us in on the secrets of his adolescence. Anyone who has ever been seized by the desire to shave his head, dye his pyjamas purple, and abandon the fast food of suburbia for the wandering life of a Zen monk will love this book.
   We follow Salzman through the perils of teenage life, goofing off at school and then frantically trying to make up, agonizing about dates, buying his first car, choosing what to study at university, and in general giving his long suffering family a hard time, and all of this while struggling between Eastern and Western worldviews. We meet some strange people he encountered in his attempts to become a Bruce Lee clone, such as the ominous Sensei O'Keefe, the rowdy and foul-mouthed master of the Chinese Boxing Institute, with his dreaded brainwave, "cemetery sparring". Apart from the stories of Salzman's various martial art experiences, some hilarious and some appalling, there are some well drawn scenes of his interaction with his father, who is described as a good natured pessimist, probably not a bad thing to be for someone forced to compete with the glamorous Bruce Lee for his son's affections. There is a lovely scene of his father listening to an outpouring of his son's existential angst. We get a picture of a gentle, mature man with a nice sense of irony. He must be proud now of how his son has turned out. Salzman has written four critically acclaimed novels, one of which was a finalist for the LA Times Book Review Award. He is a great storyteller and this book will not let you down.



5. In addition to a memoir, this book is an effective mediation on what it really means to master something. We see Salzman try to become a martial artist, and, later, a cello soloist, the first with considerable dedication, the latter with a certain amount of natural ability; in both cases, though, he eventually realizes that he just doesn't have what it takes to really master the discipline. In the case of Kung Fu, after three years of study, he encounters a drugged-out man who threatens him with a lead pipe. In spite of the fact that he could probably easily disarm him, Salzman's nerve fails him and he hands over his wallet. Later, with the cello, he gives up after seeing one performance by legendary cellist Yo Yo Ma. He ends up finding his greatest success as a mailboy for an attorney.

   One thing that struck me as interesting is that (I read somewhere) 'Kung Fu' refers to any human skill in Chinese (making a 'Kung Fu skills' redundant, like ATM machine); it's sort of a metaphor, then, for everything Salzman pursues.

   Another thing to note is that in spite of the subtitle 'growing up absurd in suburbia,' Salzman's martial arts training is astonishingly difficult. His teacher is a borderline psychopath who curses and hits his students (at one point he throws Mark against a trophy display case), and the school regularly practices full-range sparring with no protective equipment except for a cup, which is about as hardcore, comparatively, as playing the cello with the skin stripped off your fingers.

5 comments about In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing.

1. Having been tossed into an experience of a spouse of 30 years having a critically serious brain surgery, this book rung so true to the joys, deep depression, and aganizing experience of TBI. While my experience had nothing to do with a public figure as large as Bob Woodruff nor a war injury, the end result of a TBI aptly descriped the hell that the injured, as well as the spouse/caretaker walks not just immediately, but for the long haul. The caretaker, in this case, Lee Woodruff was brutally honest about the emotions and the sheer exhaustion that the caretaker undergoes. I read this book in less than two days. It also shone light on the truth of miracles of the human brain to "rewire" itself. I applauded both Bob Woodruff and Lee Woodruff for their unending honesty in dealing with the topic of TBI.



2. This is a love story. One might question this when a journalist has to fight for his life after being wounded while covering the Iraqi war, but not once you read Lee and Bob Woodruff's amazingly poignant story. This is their love story-the story of Bob and Lee, and how their love came to be and sustained them through a year of pain, hope, fear, recovery, and dedication.
   Told in alternating time frames from the dreadful moment when Lee is called and told that Bob has been critically injured to how they met and fell in love. Lee tells her account of their love story with passion and feeling, while Bob is as always the accomplished journalist with his fact based style of recollection. Both Lee and Bob are heroes in this story. Bob's valiant effort to handle his severe injuries mostly to the brain, and Lee's courageous, steadfast support and love throughout the entire process make up this amazingly miraculous story.
   Bob, only recently having been named co-anchor of ABC News, was in Iraq imbedded with troops covering the Iraqi war while Lee and their four children were at Disney World. While that may sound almost callous to many, this is the life a journalist and his family. When a bomb explodes and Bob is literally blown to pieces, not much hope seems to exist that he will survive as Lee is rushed to her husband's side. Telling about how she got the call and what immediately transpired, Lee aptly recounts their story first hand and truly earns the title of In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing because that is what happened to this family in just one minute.
   In the above-mentioned alternating writing style, the story goes back to Bob's leaving a profitable law profession to pursue his dream of being a journalist. Bob's hard work and passion for covering the news takes him through the rank and file in many amazing places and stories as he works his way up in his journalism career. The part of the story of Lee and Bob's personal life is interspersed with the realities of Bob's day-to-day survival and recovery following the bomb in Iraq.
   Bob's 5 week coma, swelling of the brain, and many near death complications are told with detail and clarity so that the reader really experiences, as much as possible, first hand what this family went through. The never ending waiting to see if Bob will survive is a story of such devotion that in reality, you wonder just how someone can go through something like that. Lee tells this story in a way that makes you realize that you can never know, as did she, until you are tested, how you would respond in a situation such as this. At one point, after about five weeks, Lee crawls up into bed with Bob to try and hold him, with all his medical contraptions and tubes, and she tells him that he must fight for his life because she and their four children need him. Barely leaving his side, Lee is shocked when a few days later she walks into his room and he is sitting up and asking her where she has been?! It is at that point that the real fight begins for Bob to work hard to return to his life as he knew it. Meanwhile, Lee must juggle duel roles of parent and caregiver.
   This compelling story of love and devotion is told with honesty, humor, and hope. The friendships both Lee and Bob have, the love and family they share, guides one through an often graphic but also witty and very human novel. Get the book In An Instant and you will find it won't take much longer than that to be hooked and not want to put it down!
   Submitted by Karen Haney: Originally published Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)



3. This is a memoir written by Bob and Lee Woodruff. The passages are divided between Bob and Lee, each giving their recollection of the way certain events unfolded. I found Bob's accounts to be gripping and interesting, maybe because he is the one who received the traumatic injury. I found Lee's writing akin to reading a bad soap opera script. It was almost unreadable at times. I understand that she is facing hardships with her husband in a coma, but it nothing like what your typical family has to face under the same circumstances. At one point, this Colgate educated woman wonders how she is going to pay the bills with her husband in a coma? When I read this, I got the feeling that she didn't know how to pay the bills, i.e. write out a check and mail it. I don't think money is an issue for this Westchester County, NY family. It was passages like that which detract from the book. I found Bob's account of his therapy and what he had to go through to get back to himself very interesting but too brief. In the after forward, Bob mentions he is working on a documentary about his journey and the journey GIs have to make in recovering from traumatic brain injuries. I don't know if this has come out yet, but it would be an interesting show.



4. This story recounts the miraculous survival of news anchor Bob Woodruff. More importantly, it exposes the fear, frustration, and fatigue that Woodruff's family experienced as they guided him through months of trauma.



5. This book tells the serious story of the tragedy and triumph shared by Bob Woodruff and his wife, children, friends and co-workers when he was devastatingly injured while reporting in Iraq. The trauma of his head injury is explained in a very detailed manner, and his subsequent recovery is followed mainly from his wife's point of view, describing the horrors they all went through. The ability to deal with all of this makes this book a very moving and uplifting tale of how Bob and also our brave soldiers are coping with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and why it is important for all of us to become aware and understand this signature war injury of Iraq and Afghanistan.
   
   The poignant and matter of fact telling of the process to recovery is sprinkled with humor and makes a great read for those interested in learning how to move through this difficult situation.

5 comments about Peace Child (International Adventures) (International Adventures).

1. I read this story as a new Christian years ago, and then read it aloud to my children. It is amazing and the type of story you can read over and over and it is always relevant and you always get something new from it. Read it! The sequel is amazing as well, "Lords of the Earth."



2. A quick, easy, descriptive good read! I wanted to know more but realized the author gave enough info to totally describe his experiences.



3. Have read it once, and will definitely read it again. Shows how God can accomplish the impossible, if you are available for Him. I loved the details given about everything, the real-life likeness of the writing. It's a very intense real-life story, with an unbelievable outcome.



4. Gripping tale of real life testimony of making God known in a distant land. Richardson is a story teller. His writing is clear, direct and holds your attention. You will thank God for the fact someone brought you the same wonderful message of hope.



5. A true story of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can cross cultures and change the lives of violent people. A great message for the world today, especially for people who believe that the answer to violence is more violence. Also, an interesting cultural study of indigenous people.

5 comments about My Boring Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith.

1. I got this book back last Christmas, but somehow forgot to bring it back from my parents' house. I was very excited to see it when it arrived this summer in a box from the folks. This is a collection of Kevin's dairy that he's been keeping online, but since I hadn't been keeping up with that, it was all new to me.
   
   I have to give Kevin a lot of props for revealing so much of his life to his fans, especially the stuff about when his dad passed away. Sharing like that made me call my own father to let him know I love him.
   
   I know some folks might find some of the entries a little boring, but who lives a life that is always exciting? It shows that Kevin is just as human as the rest of us, though with a ton more bank and a great job.



2. Kevin Smith never fails to make me laugh. If you are a fan of his work, buy this book!



3. I'm not completely finished with this yet, but from what I've read so far, it's definitely interesting. The title isn't very accurate in my view, and I'm sure many would agree- his life isn't all that boring. He does a bunch of mundane stuff, and he writes about that mundane stuff in a fairly matter-of-fact way, but still- there's something interesting about it.
   
   I loved Clerks (didn't like Clerks 2 all that much), and I've seen a few of his other films. I'm not a mega-fan, but I like the guy in general, and I've enjoyed his work. He had a lot of interesting stories in An Evening with Kevin Smith, and this book is much like that. The stories are much shorter and not as interesting reading them on paper, but still- it works.
   
   There are laughs, some really moving parts when it gets serious, some neat inside info. about his business (to a small degree). Uber fans will surely love it, and those like me who have enjoyed a few of his films will probably find it a good read as well. I'd give it a 4, but most of the stuff written about is just so mundane that I'd have to give it a solid 3.5



4. At this point in his career, it would be hard to put Kevin Smith in the top tier of directors, in the same league as folks like Eastwood, Spielberg, Scorcese or the Coen Brothers; he does, however, have a real cult following, of which I am a part. Besides the fact that he makes really good movies, he also has a just-one-of-the-guys aura, developed through his "Evening With..." DVDs of his speaking engagements and his film commentaries. My Boring-A$$ Life also promotes that reality (or very well-constructed image).
   
   My Boring-A$$ Life is subtitled The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith, which is pretty honest. Starting on March 20, 2005, the book begins as a daily chronicle of Smith's activities. Not just the movie-related items, not even just the extraordinary events, but even the most mundane activities, including bathroom trips and sexual acts. Admittedly, some of this wears thin in the early going, but the book changes as it goes along.
   
   As the book evolves from pure diary to more interesting tales, it gets stronger. We follow Smith's first real acting role (in Catch and Release) and the lessons he takes from working for another director. We get the story of Smith's acting in the fourth Die Hard movie, and details of his work on Clerks II. There is a lot that's funny, but when necessary, he can be serious. This is most evident in his "Me and My Shadow" entries, which describe Jason (Jay of Jay and Silent Bob) Mewes's coping with drug addiction.
   
   Overall, Smith seems to have a pretty good life: he makes decent money, he spends a lot of time goofing off, watching movies, having sex or hanging out with friends. Fortunately, he doesn't really crow about his good life but presents it matter-of-factly. It also helps that he is quick to point out his own shortcomings, most notably about his weight.
   
   This is a great read, especially for Kevin Smith fans. It is, not, however, a really fast read (it is too densely packed with detail), but fortunately, it is structured in a way that allows easy breaks when necessary. If you have enjoyed films like Clerks, Chasing Amy or Dogma, here is your chance to learn more about the man behind these movies and have fun in the process.



5. I am a huge Kevin Smith fan so I loved this book. The diary style can get a little boring as Smith describes daily life but a true fan will enjoy the insight. The section chronicaling Jason Mewes struggle with drugs (Me and My Shadow) is a great read. Very touching.

5 comments about Lucky Man: A Memoir.

1. Michael J. Fox's memoir "Lucky Man" is a great and inspiring read. One thing I admire about Fox is that he's basically an average guy who was dealt some wild cards and has managed to thrive in life - including, not in spite of, his circumstances. One thing I found consistently striking and inspiring is Fox's courage throughout all of his life experiences to be true to himself. In some instances, this meant following his natural instincts in his career, and in others it meant hiding his disease from the public as a delicately-timed and balanced lifestyle. His honesty and lack of pretension is also refreshing; he talks not only of the Hollywood lifestyle he had when his career took off, but also of his self-doubts and fears.
   
   If you were also inspired by this honest perspective on enjoying life to
   the fullest, I highly recommend the books Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment, as well as Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Can Instantaneously Transform Your Life, by Ariel & Shya Kane. The Kanes talk specifically about living in the moment as a way of discovering magic in your life - how to do it, how to not do it, and how it is easy and effortless. In his book, Fox talks about how "his 'job' is whatever he happens to be doing at the moment - whether it's giving a speech, changing a diaper, writing a book," etc. If you'd like to discover a sense of truly being here for each moment and living your life as wholly as possible (without having to experience a major tragedy or disease), look no further than these wonderful books.



2. I was amazed at what an excellent writer Michael J. Fox is -- his story was candidly written with insightful accounts of his incredible journey. I was also impressed that the proceeds from the book all go to research for a cure for Parkinson's disease. Way to go, Michael!



3. I bought this book on the recommendation of my Medical Terminology teacher. We were discussing neurological diseases and when we got to Parkinson's Disease (PD) she mentioned that she had read his book and how much she enjoyed it. So I got it. I was not a huge "Family Ties" fan but I have paid attention to Michael J. Fox's career especially of late since his disclosure of having PD. In the last few years he has been on a show here and there as a guest. He was on Boston Legal and I thought he was superb! You could clearly see that the camera did not stay on him very long but his acting was top-notch nonetheless.
   
   That said, his book is written with extreme openness, heart and humor. He has such a wonderful outlook on life especially in the wake of learning he has PD. He writes from a place that we wish more stars would be able to go - the very sincerest depth of his being - so much so that I found myself in tears a few times as I read. He writes as if he were telling you, the reader, the story in person. He is himself more in this book than I've ever seen him in an interview on TV. This is a very true, revealing, heart-warming story that definitely gives the definition of what it takes to be considered a Lucky Man today. I highly recommend the book.



4. Michael J. Fox opens his 2002 memoir in late 1990, in the moment he first notices the pinky-finger tremor that leads, a year later at age 30, to a diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson's Disease (PD).
   
   Then he backs up for a hundred pages to describe his growing-up years in Canada and rising-star experiences in Hollywood -- including an interesting theory of "celebrity" (that it is a gone-haywire extension of the suspension of disbelief/emotional connection that are required of an audience during a performance). He devotes chapters to his PD diagnosis and treatment (including his concealment of it) and to his descent into career and personal crisis. Though it seems PD would top his list of problems then, he notices it doesn't even make the list which includes alcoholism. Fox finishes by describing his redemption, his "coming out" about PD, and his work toward PD research.
   
   The memoir's structure and writing exceeded my expectations and I wondered about a ghostwriter -- until I read Fox's acknowledgements, where he mentions the writing of it and thanks his writing-mentor brother-in-law ... Michael ("Omnivore's Dilemma") Pollan! Lucky Man is an informative, engaging, and insightful memoir.



5. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. Would it be just about Michael J Fox's life or would it center too much on his Parkinson's disease. I'm not usually big on reading celebrity autobiographies and memoirs.
   This one is definitely worth reading! Mr. Fox shares his story with humor and humility and a wonderful honesty. He speaks honestly about his struggles with Parkinson's and trying to hide it in order to continue working. He also speaks honestly about his personal struggles with alcohol and depression. But the struggles don't dominate the book. There are many fun anecdotes about his years growing up in Canada and about the world of acting.
   In the end, what made the biggest impression on me was his gratitude. Gratitude for the life he was able to have as an actor, for his family, and ultimately, even for the disease that changed his life.
   This is a book that I would recommend for anyone who is interested in celebrity biographies. And I would especially recommend it for anyone who has Parkinson's disease or has a family member or friend who has this disease. When you have a disease such as this, it can be difficult to articulate to others just what it is you go through without sounding sorry for yourself.
   Now when I need to explain this to someone, I can just hand them this book and say, "READ IT. NOW."
   Thanks, Mr. Fox!!