Paul's Books #5612

This was a terribly inspiring and thought provoking story! I found myself seeking to be a better person. I think this quote from the cover says it all: "No matter who we are, what color our skin, what side of the tracks we call home or what our country of origin, there are far more similarities than differences between us."
I know the perfect person to share this with! I hope she likes this book as much as I did!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This book is going to Clare. I hope you enjoy reading it! You make a difference in the lives of so many children and by doing so, you make a difference in our world! Thank you for all you do and for being a wonderfully inspiring teacher!

Tostle,
Thank you so much for the kind thoughts in your journal entry. Your love and support mean the world to me! I'm making a copy of your compliment and will add it to the journal I read when I need an extra boost.

This setting of NO ONE MAKES IS ALONE is downtown Salt Lake City in 1960. For me, that gives the book a wonderful additional dimension. I recognize places, people, and events. My father worked in an office building in the area where ten-year-old Andrew Valdez peddled The Deseret News. My mother occasionally took me with her to pick up my father after work, and I remember seeing paperboys on the street corners. My path probably crossed with Andrew Valdez more than once.

The story of Andy's life is interesting and inspiring. But it is also a bittersweet story. Jack Keller, his guardian angel, was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. Reading about Keller's final years of life was very difficult for me-- in fact, I'm crying as I type this! What a blessing that
Valdez and Keller were together during that ordeal.

I did an internet search about Judge Andrew A. Valdez, and am impressed with his many accomplishments. He is a marvelous advocate and supporter of youth.
He continues to live his motto, "No One Makes it Alone."

Like tostle, I find power and comfort in the summary on the back cover. "No One Makes it Alone comes full circle and offers hope to each of us."

This book was returned to PaulsBooks today.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

This book is going into the "In Memory of Kalman Bookbox." Happy travels.

This arrived in Seattle in Kalman's memory bookbox. It looks like a great book, thank you!

This book is written by Andrew Valdez, a man who is now a judge but was once "a poor fatherless, westside Latino paperboy". A man named Jack, a printer in town, takes an interest in Andy and gives him jobs around the printing shop and teaches him tennis. He gets Andy involved in tennis tournaments and gives him lots of motivation and education. He really gets Andy onto the path that will lead him to his success as an adult. Everything comes full circle when Andy, 40 years later, finds Jack begging in front of a store, filthy and suffering from dementia. Andy gets Jack off the streets and gives Jack care and dignity for the remainder of his life.
The book is not the most professional piece of literature I've ever seen, nor is the editing very careful; but the story itself is worth reading. It makes you feel that there are good human beings in this world that can be trusted. Jack was such a one.

This one is slated to go out in Ctychic's Potluck Bookbox to be released tomorrow. Yay!

I released this book in Ctychic's potluck bookbox and it is on its way to Ollie1976

This came home in my potluck bookbox.