Life Is So Good

Life is So Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman "One man's extraordinary journey though the twentieth century and how he learned to read at age 98." Worth buying for school, friends, or relatives. Winner of the Christopher Award -- books that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit." Discovered this in Barnes & Noble while looking for a book that would meet a dual credit history teacher's requirements for content (and mine for length, dialog, action, readability). This went WAY beyond my criteria because of the inspirational story and moral examples. LOVED it for so many reasons. A few...100 years of history told through the common man's pov, who happens to be black, sees first hand how people judge (and kill) based on skin color alone, relays life in a small Texas town growing up, travels the country as a young man, returns to Texas to raise a family, demonstrates perseverance, gratitude, wisdom of elders, importance of reading and lifelong learning. Bought extra copies for school, the original story and the sequel for self. My only complaint...reader's guide question #12 in the back. "As they rode home in their wagon after seeing a lynching, George Dawson's father told his angry and outraged 10 year old son, "You have no right to judge another human being. Don't you ever forget." Ninety years later, George Dawson recounted, "I didn't know it then, but his words set the direction my life would take even till this day." Do you agree with George Dawson's father that it is never okay to judge someone? Do you think there are times when anger is a better response than acceptance?" Imo, there should have been a question similar to..."What's the difference between judging the actions of a person as harmful and unwise, and judging the person as a whole?" (Hate the sin, not the sinner. Judge not, least ye be judged. We are walk in different shoes on the earth school journey...that kinda thing. ;-) How about this one, "Do you think there are people who know how to accept all human beings where they are, yet stand firm against their unwise choices...without the need of fear based anger?" Or for more mature readers "Anger is the protective emotion we feel when we believe our needs are not being met. Is it possible to react out of faith and love instead of fear in any situation?" (I.e., How does one become a saint? Not that I'm planning on getting there in this lifetime ;-)...but removing fear and reacting out of faith is my eventual state of being.)

This is the story of George Dawson: a figure seemingly destined to be poor, angry and uneducated but who leads a life rich in experiences, personal connections and wisdom. People who are somewhat familiar with the book will think its merely about an illiterate 98 year old who decides to go back to school. Once you get to know the main character, you realize that anecdote is merely an obvious extrapolation for a man who spent his whole life working hard, incrementally bettering himself. As the author recounts, "I had come to record a life of hardship and was not prepared to hear of gratitude." Some of George's wisdom is expressed in simple yet powerful witticisms: -For me its like fishing. Some folks, they go fishing and they keep reeling in, changing bait, and trying again an again. Me, I cast out and then I stick with it. -Do you see that cup as half full or half empty? I see it as being enough. So its just fine. -People forget that a picture aint made from just one color. Life aint all good or all bad. Its full of everything. -Even when it’s a three-two count, don’t back down. Go with the fastball And some of George's timeless advice: -I want for people not to worry so much. Life aint going to be perfect, but things will work out. -A man is supposed to work and take pride in what he does no matter what the work is. -Those people have been marching for you and now you cant let them down. -That boy looked at me but didn’t, couldn’t believe a word I said, and I shut up because he didn’t even see me. He saw an old black man, a gardener… I stopped talking and he didn’t learn nothing about his grandma's loom. He wasn’t read to learn.

This wonderful man lived to over 100+ years old, and very thankfully he garnered the attention of a younger man (the co-author) who had heard that he had just learned to read at the age of 98. He sat him down and got him to ponder important times in American & World history over the past century, hoping to hear a first-hand account of what it was like to be alive at the time. While the title might suggest that this is a book about literacy, it's really not. When Mr. Dawson begins the book it is nothing like I had expected, and probably not what the author thought he would hear, either. Instead of listening to a man describe well-known historical events, he lets us in on the relatively unknown lives that were happening behind the scenes. He had little or no idea what was going on in the world because he couldn't read, certainly did not own a radio or TV and frankly was just doing what he had to do to survive. The life lessons that were very hard-won by Mr. Dawson are the kind of basic values that have been lost to many. His account is a fabulous reminder of what is truly important in life and how very blessed (and frequently spoiled) we are when compared to those who came before us. The book traces his life from childhood to adulthood to his senior years with many fascinating tales. Some are heartbreaking, some uplifting, some frightening...but all of them result in vivid life lessons that we should all be sure to hear. His life as a black man faced with a lifetime of prejudice, as well as his revelation that not everyone carries those beliefs, is stunningly real and honest. I would highly recommend that all young people (actually, anyone of any age) read this so as to more completely understand the advances in lifestyle, race relations and progress in general over the 20th century. It's an inspirational and informative tale that Mr. Dawson shares and I would hope that his story lives on through many more generations.

I love true stories, this book was very interesting as to what and how the fella grew up and the challenges he faced during his lifetime.

Life lessons for all

It's not money that makes life so good ... it's your attitude ...... ....... ....... ....... ....... ...... ........ .........

I liked that the true story was intertwined with history as this gentleman worked so hard and finally did learn to read.

La vita di George Dawson e' un'autentica storia di esperienze che attraversano tutto il novecento fino ad arrivare all'inizio degli anni duemila. Un uomo di colore vissuto e cresciuto con forti valori morali e con convinzioni che si sono poi evolute con il passare di un secolo, sofferenze e soddisfazioni, partenze e ritorni, scoperte affascinanti e situazioni diverse e diversificate. Questa storia e', a mio avviso, uno di quei racconti veritieri che hanno, riga dopo riga, una notevole energia positiva volta ad ispirare il lettore. Per chi pensa che il tempo non sia un ostacolo per la propria evoluzione e miglioramento potra' trovare, nella storia di George, una conferma circa questo modo di pensare. Si e' sempre in tempo a fare quello che si desidera veramente. Chi invece pensa che arrivati ad una certa eta' sia quasi un'obbligo rinunciare ai propri sogni puo' capire quanto lo scorrere degli anni non sia in realta' un sintomo di invecchiamento, se lo stato d'animo rimane quello di un ragazzo di vent'anni, ma solo un'opportunita' di accrescere la propria conoscenza e saggezza. Il racconto delle esperienze di un uomo, che gia' a quattro anni si trovava nei campi di cotone per aiutare i suoi genitori a sbarcare il lunario, ci fanno rivivere alcuni importanti avvenimenti accaduti negli Stati Uniti sotto un altro punto di vista. Non voglio svelare troppi dettagli per non rovinare la sorpresa al lettore ma posso solo dirvi che un uomo di colore agli inizi del novecento, e primo genito, non aveva la possibilita' di andare a scuola ed imparare a leggere e scrivere, ma George Dawson ha imparato tutto cio' ad un'eta' che scoprirete durante la lettura. Rimmarrete sbalorditi per ogni esperienza vissuta, per ogni frase e parola riportata nel racconto e, cosa piu' importante, scoprirete che la semplicita' e' la chiave di una vita felice. Come dice George “la vita e' cosi' bella ed ogni giorno che passa diventa migliore”. Lettura consigliatissima per le emozioni che travolgono il lettore pagina dopo pagina, per la scorrevolezza del testo, per la scoperta di avvenimenti successi durante i primi anni del novecento e per la forza ed energia positiva che rimane dopo la lettura di ogni capitolo fino all'apoteosi del finale meraviglioso. Spero ci possa essere presto anche la versione in italiano perche' essa e' una storia che tutti dovrebbero leggere. Buona lettura.

Expédition assez rapide, mais état du livre laisse à désirer pour un livre en "bon état" avec présence de nombreux post it à l'intérieur et livre un peu abimé.

I found when I was reading this book I could not put it down. I saw this man on the Oprah Winfrey show and that was why I felt I had to buy it and I am so glad I did. His stories were really interesting and written in such a way as you felt you were there with him. Highly recommend. I tried to get this book from other sources and could not get it anywhere else and the price was fantastic.