sally1's reviews
356 reviews

I chose to read this book because of my uncertain family lineage: my original surname is Booth with known ancestors from Maryland, and I share an identical proclivity of respect for all living creatures as exhibited by Junius, the father. Those things caused me to pick up the book, and it was Gene Smith's gift for writing that kept me glued to it. It was a book that kept my mind busy sorting out the generations and relationships and as the story went on, even though I'm well aware of "the big event," I found myself hoping things would happen otherwise. I couldn't put the book down and didn't want it to end. I loved getting to know the other Booth family members and get a much more in-depth look at the person John was leading up to that awful day, and the way those events affected the other family members for decades after.

I'm a new Gene Smith fan, looking forward to reading more of his biographies. He has a wonderful gift for the use of our English language, something I'm enjoying immensely. (Ironically, I just happened to read the part about the assassination on the anniversary of its occurrence and finished the book on Good Friday, the original day of the assassination. Unplanned, and a bit eerie.)

I listened to the audio version of this book, and I know that added to the experience of his story. It was as though Mr. Rusesabagina was telling his story personally. Truly an inspirational and enlightening story that everyone should hear.

It was fun to go back to the '60s and experience a bit of the lives of these families. They were the first, and they were thrust into the spotlight, changing their lives forever.

While the stories were interesting, at certain points it felt like I was reading a tabloid or a cheap novel. This book is a very easy read.

This book is inspirational, enlightening, and motivating for all parents!