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5 comments about Into That Good Night.

1. A memoir called Into That Good Night by Ron Rozelle,
   is the story told from Ron's point of view when he was
   growing up in Oakwood and even in his present day
   life. It talks about segregation in schools and in
   some stores throughout the town where he grew up. This
   book shows the change Ron goes through with his family
   when his mother becomes sick with lung cancer. Ron
   learns to appreciate his family much more as he got
   older and started to realize he won't have parents
   forever. He ultimately realizes this when his father
   looses his battle with Alzheimer's disease. You also
   see segregation come to an end in Oakwood as time
   progresses. You see the town where everyone knew
   everyone suddenly become very lonely and empty after
   most of the population got old and passed away. There
   weren't many people moving in to Oakwood because it
   didn't have many job opportunities.
   Ron wrote this book in a then and now format. Every
   other chapter switches, describing his child hood and
   what happened in the future. It is a little confusing
   but you catch on right away. It's very interesting
   this way because it keeps you wondering, "What
   happened to Ron".
   Ron's ability to describe things just painted a clear
   picture of what everything was like for him back then
   in my mind. He gets right to the point when he rights,
   it's not hard to comprehend or anything. That is what
   is likeable about his style of writing. He writes in a
   very appealing manner. Into That Good Night's main
   focus is about Ron's relationship with his dad.
   Ron and his father were very close because Ron's
   father is a very calm kind of guy. He doesn't show
   much emotion where as his mother is described as moody
   and not afraid to yell when something makes his mad.
   This is why he had more of a connection with his
   father because in many ways he was like his father.
   Ron is not quick to show emotion either. Ron and his
   father form a special bond.
   Ron graduates high school and is drafted in to the
   military. He gets shipped off to Germany for a year.
   In the mean time, his mother's health is decreasing.
   She is getting worse and the doctors say she doesn't
   have much time left. She started chain smoking when
   Ron was a kid and that led her to her deathbed.
   Fortunately Ron got to say goodbye to his mom right
   before he headed off to the airport to be shipped off.
   He felt that finally, he and his mother were at peace
   with each other.
   Ron and his dad form a strong bond after Ron gets
   back from the Army and gets his own apartment. His dad
   comes to visit him and they spend quality time
   together. A few years later Ron's father eventually
   re-marries and lives with his new wife. When Ron's
   father gets in his older years he starts forgetting
   things. His loss of memory starts increasing and he's
   even forgetting simple things like where he is. He is
   diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
   What is Ron going to do when one of the most
   important people in his life is starting to forget who
   his own son is. What is it like to die not remembering
   what your life was like and what your legacy will be.
   This story was very easy to relate to. It is a very
   easy understanding and likeable memoir of Ron Rozelle.



2. THIS BOOK COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED ME. I LIVED IT ONCE, AND NOW I'VE LIVED IN AGAIN THROUGH RON'S EYES. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE OUR FATHER. HE TAUGHT US INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, HONESTY, AND LOVE WITH HIS QUIET WAYS AND GENTLY DEMEANOR. HE WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE TO ME. IT WAS SO HARD TO SEE WHAT HE HAD BECOME WHEN ALZHEIMERS TOOK OVER. HE HAD THE SAME SWEET DEMEANOR, BUT SOMETIMES DIDN'T RECOGNIZE US. IT WAS HARD, AND RON TOLD THE STORY BEAUTIFULLY. I CAN JUST SEE OUR DAD'S BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES TWINKLE IN PLEASURE. THANK YOU RON FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT. I LOVE YOU...DIANE



3. Into That Good Night may well be the best book I've ever read. Having been raised in a small Texas town in the same era, it really hit home. Ron's story of life's experiences, of loves and losses, is a heart felt story that is enjoyable and easy to read. It is a wonderfully written story of growing up when racism was really becoming an issue in the south, of his beloved father's Alzheimers, and much, much more. I highly recommend this book.



4. The simple title belies a great author and an even greater reading experiance.
   
   The author writes so that you actually *feel* you are there and know the streets and towns and things he speaks of and what you couldn't possibly see with your minds eye--he makes you feel with your heart.
   
   A"MUST-READ" for anyone who has ever had a death made worse, by things left unspoken.



5. This is one of the best books I have ever read! I devoured it in a day. Beautifully written.

3 comments about 100 MPH With My Hair on Fire!.

1. Engaging narrative and thoughts of a 36 year old corporate executive and family man who survived a heart attack caused by his lifestyle. It hits home as he describes how, during treatment, his faith and family life evolve to the proper perspective.

   Bob was in good health with no family history of heart problems. He dismissed conventional wisdoms about stress and healthy eating - as we all do. The book is a great reminder to take work a bit less seriously and pay better attention to God and his blessings.

   Uplifting and motivational.




2. Bob Benson's book 100 MPH With My Hair on Fire was a quick and enjoyable read,yet very thought provoking. The book is a narrative discussion about how his drive to succeed in the business world often came at the expense of his health and time with family. A health crisis forces him to reflect on his lifestyle,priorities and spirituality. The story he tells should strike a cord with many of us. He is the typical white collar executive striving for the "good life." Sound familiar? Mr. Benson's style is brutally honest and heartfelt. The book uses humor and a quick wit to temper the very serious topic of facing your mortality at a young age. He beat the odds and learned some valuable life lessons.
   As a Christian and a health professional, I found it refreshing to see him bravely discuss the role his religious beliefs played in facing and dealing with his health crisis. Mr.Benson took a tough,sensitive topic and made it real. This book will appeal to both men and women. It is a "must read" for the Type A persononality in your life!



3. Bob takes you on his journey from beginning to end, describing his fears and triumphs along the way. It is an honest, thought-provoking, and enjoyable read. There is much to be learned by reading Bob's story. It made me think, and continues to make me think, about my own life.

   It's refreshing to hear someone openly share about the role of their faith in their life, and in their recovery.

   Rock on, Bob!

5 comments about Bone Marrow Boogie: The Dance of a Lifetime.

1. Much more than a cancer memoir, this book will appeal to anyone who has had to overcome adversity of any kind. Janie Starr shows a determination to live life fully no matter what the circumstances. From the cult of the zapped ones - those undergoing radiology treatments - to the dolphin tube - the CAT scan machine - Janie's unique humor and perspective are wonderfully poignant. Janie is obviously a woman of great strength and character whose journey you will find compelling. Musings about the meaning of hair, wistful identification with a Madrona tree who she considers a longtime friend, and her extraordinary capacity to transform her connections with people into meaningful encounters all make for a great read. My book goup is reading it now and I look forward to savoring it with other women at our next meeting. Ultimately, Janie's message is one of hope and a tenacious joe de vivre which you will find infectious.



2. In her inspiring and beautifully written book, Janie Starr takes us along on the journey that began when she found out she had lymphoma. Not only does she do battle with this very grave form of cancer, she also learns how to boogie, or rather, to boogie even better. This memoir gives some attention to the multiple and excruciating therapies that currently constitute cancer treatment, but much more attention is given to her search for self-knowledge through a variety of alternative strategies that can be as essential as radiation and chemotherapy for restoring health. She exposes a medical profession where some practice compassion, but many more project omnipotence and omniscience for lack of the words or feelings to deal with potentially terminal illness. Relations with those from her various communities (her parents, her family, her neighbors, her exercise and activist groups) are essential to her story. Her finely turned vignettes reveal the different ways men and women deal with cancer, as well as the variety of responses one can expect from friends, acquaintances and children. When the medical treatments end, the self-exploration continues. Ms. Starr writes eloquently about the relief of having survived, living with the fear of recurrence, and the continual questioning that facing cancer inevitably brings. Finally, this book is perhaps above all about becoming a writer, a sort of portrait of the artist as a middle-aged woman confronting cancer. This should raise a question for everyone who reads this book: Why wait for illness before learning to live life fully? Janie Starr clearly emerged from her illness as a dancer and an artist.



3. BONE MARROW BOOGIE is a book for all who have had cancer touch their lives in one way or another. Ms. Starr's prose (at times, "poetry" is a better description) leaves one thinking deeply about the ramifications of hearing that cancer has entered your life. Families, friends, and caregivers for those hearing this diagnosis will benefit greatly from this book. Certainly, those who face treatment will relate far more and find this book to be a tremendous support for the experience.

   Ms. Starr's honesty, sense of humor, and excellent writing makes this a wonderful book to give as a gift.....particularly when it is difficult to know what else to do!




4. My wife gave me this book, and I approached the read with a lot of skepticism. Now I know why she gave it to me. It's a wonderful book, honest and direct, with a sense of humor; difficult to acheive with this subject.

   My family has a moderate history of cancer, but one of the people was my father. Fear has caused me to avoid consciously thinking about it my whole life. This book gave me another way to approach the subject: with honesty and humor. I have not personally experienced cancer in my body, and hope I never do. However, the author, by approaching her story with incredible honesty and fearlessness as a writer, makes it possible to believe that I could deal with the fears and challenges if I must.

   I would recommend this book to anyone who has reached their 40's (as I have). I think we all begin to consider mortality at this age; we might as well approach it with honesty, no fear, and a sense of humor.




5. I loved her book. I laughed with her, cried with her, and connected with her on so many levels. It is not a book only about cancer survivorship, it is a book about the human spirit and how we choose to move through our pain/suffering. I thank her for sharing her beautiful spirit with us. I gave the book to a friend who is recovering from uterine cancer and she found the book to be inspirational. This book gives hope to others.

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