I still have the book, and I remember it well because of the heart-touching story about a young man, down on himself and homeless, spending most nights under the Gulf State Park Pier. Maybe the opening stuck with me because I visited that pier about ten years ago during a visit to Alabama to trace my maternal family origins, and I could easily visualize the setting. An older man enters the scene and the young man's life is changed forever. The young man is the author Andy Andrews. And the story is true.
It is more than the fact I had visited the opening setting of the book that caused it to stick with me all these many months. The real reason being the message of encouragement the old man had for the younger man and for the readers of this book.
It was quite popular a few years back, but something this good should still be promoted today, so I'm going ahead and offering this encouragement to check it out.
The book description provided by the publisher describes it well:
A moving story of common wisdom from the bestselling author of The Traveler’s Gift.
Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people.
But they all have their share of problems – marriages teetering on the
brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the
verge of bankruptcy, and many of the other obstacles that life seems to
dish out to the masses.
Fortunately, when things look the darkest – a mysterious old man
named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. Communicating what he
calls “a little perspective,” Jones explains that he has been given a
gift of noticing things that others miss. In his simple interactions,
Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why
things happen and what they can do about it.
Based on a remarkable true story, The Noticer beautifully blends fiction, allegory, and inspiration.
You can also visit this video for more information.
The message this story evokes is relevant now, just as it was back when the book first came out, so check it out for yourself!
1 comment:
That's a sweet memory, Pamela. I remember reading a lot of different accounts of that horrific fire that took so much of Sandburg's city.
People sat in boats for days in Lake Michigan to keep safe. We've been to the little fire station which is still on the tour one can take of the Chicago. I know how special a good library is. I used to love to go to the one in East Lansing, MI where I grew up. They'd have a story hour for kids and it was a favorite activity. I look forward to reading your book, I know the research will be great! :)
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