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Disclaimer: I know the author, however most of the information in the book took place prior to my making his acquaintance.
I found "From Eagle To Chicken And Back" to be an enjoyable read. While the book was written in a way that the reader could drop in at any place, I
chose to read it in a linear fashion, beginning to end. It was an easy read with a large enough font and the double spacing made the text feel uncrowded.
I particularly enjoyed the caricature renderings at the beginning of each chapter. The style of writing is casual and flows well, one gets the sense that
the author is speaking to the reader rather than writing to be read.
The subject material was moving and inspirational as the story was told of impending blindness, blindness itself, and the journey to move beyond blindness.
All throughout the story the over-arching strength of the author's faith is quite evident as he relates the steps of self discernment, re-discovery and
learning to his faith and how that faith provided strength and affirmation both in times of weakness and in times of accomplishment.
My emotions were touched by his story, I smiled with the author as he related his first trip to the bathroom in chapter two and I cried over the loss
of his first two seeing eye dogs in chapter six. I marveled at his courage as he tried things that most people would have relegated to the category of
things they did before they lost their sight. The revelations of doubt and personal emotions could not have been easy, yet because of these revelations
the story becomes much more poignant. At the end of the book I found myself wanting to hear more of the author's story, I longed for more details of each
struggle and success.
One question nagged at me throughout the whole book, "Would I have picked up and read this book if I didn't know the author?" The truthful answer is "Probably
not." That being said, if I were experiencing some sort of loss or radical change or trauma in my life, and the book were recommended as a helpful read,
I would have picked it up and would have found it tremendously inspirational and helpful. I would recommend it as a book that will help not only one who is
affected, but as a help for those who work to support the one who is affected. In particular I liked the definition of Handicapped versus Disability, as
it opened my eyes (no pun intended) to the very real difference between the two. The way the author related this definition to things that "normal" people
choose to do or not do and ways they choose to be or not be, I found very insightful. All in all anyone who reads this book will find something to gain
and nothing to lose.
Dean R. Moberg, Friend and Colleague of the author. |