I picked this up at the library -- mainly just because I was curious about the picture:
First, I loved it!! Second, I'm not sure I can recommend it to normal people, because I know few people who are as fascinated as I am by why our brains do what they do. In short, a neuroanatomist (studier of brain anatomy) had a stroke at age 37. She talks about the stroke and her recovery from her scientific point of view. I found it so fascinating. It also contains VERY good advice/ help for caregivers of anyone with any type of brain trauma. She also talks about how many YEARS it took her to fully recover some functions, even though 5 months after the stroke she walked onto a stage and gave a speech about the brain that had been scheduled before the stroke. In short, I really liked it and found it tremendously valuable, but I'm not sure everyone would.
I'm currently reading this:
And I recommend it to EVERYONE. The subtitle says "a modern-day slave (co-author Denver Moore was raised on a plantation in Louisiana), an international art dealer (co-author Ron Hall -- from Fort Worth), and the unlikely woman (Ron Hall's wife, Deborah) who bound them together." Ron Hall and Denver Moore are scheduled to speak at ACU this fall and I am SO there! Can't wait. Denver was never educated in a classroom but he has some amazing gold in wisdom. Beverly has one excerpt that I just got to today that I love. (The book alternates between one chapter from Denver's point of view and one from Ron's).
"I slept in the doorway of that United Way over on Commerce Street for a whole lotta years. And every mornin for all that time, a lady who worked there brought me a sandwich. I never knowed her name and she never knowed mine. I wish I could thank her. Funny, though. That United Way buildin was right next door to a church and for all them years, nobody at the church never looked my way."
"When you is precious to God, you become important to Satan. Watch your back, Mr. Ron."
"You know, if you ain't poor, you might think it's the folks in them big ole fine brick churches that's doin all the givin and the carin and the prayin. I wish you coulda seen all them circles a' homeless folks with their heads bowed and their eyes closed, whisperin what was on their hearts. Seemed like they didn't have nothin to give, but they was givin what they had, takin the time to knock on God's front door and ask Him to heal this woman that had loved them."
I'm a little more than halfway through it. The little gal that checked me out when I bought it said that she was reading it -- up there at the cash register -- but she could tell the last 10 chapters were going to make her cry, so she had to put it away while she worked! I think I'm almost to that point! But it is a book about breaking through stereotypes and pre-conceived ideas about your fellow man.
Happy 4th to one and all!
