Review: Personal story told by a good storyteller
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 18, 2011
Michael B. is a man who was afflicted with polio at a young age but went on to have a meaningful life. Rather than feeling sad or sorry for himself, he drove himself to excel and to take on very much the life he would have had without polio. He is far more adventurous than me! I relate very much to the times in which this man grew up; he is a few years older than me, and he is from the U.K. where I am from the U.S., but I nodded constantly as he described music, movies, and other aspects of life in the 1970s and 1980s. This is the sort of man whom others will find inspirational. He really has done it all, overcoming pain and obstacles to have a full life. Because of my respect for the author's achievement, I am giving the book four stars.The book is told in the style of a good storyteller. It reads like listening to an entertaining man talking at a bar or a party. Aside from comma splices (joining two complete sentences with a comma), which don't annoy most people as much as they do an English teacher like me, it is written in articulate, clean English. This is not the work of a professional writer, but of a very intelligent and charming man telling his story in plain language. There is a lot of detail; Michael B. has strong recall of people and personalities. That said, I would like more scene and less summary. I would like detailed portraits of people and descriptions of important moments between Michael and the important people in his life. I would also like an improved cover. A photograph of the author as a young man would be a tremendous alternative.This book was given to me by a friend as a review copy. My friend has good taste in books! Thanks for the chance to read.