‘Wisdom cannot come without boundless compassion and brutal honesty’
A young man, headed for trouble from the very start, makes his way through a tough and heartless world, protecting himself by becoming just as tough and heartless, and building layer upon layer of emotional armor. Aggression and deceit are his only defenses against a society that always seems to be trying to take him down. His faith fails him over and over, and he feels alone in the crowd, while oblivious people go about their mundane lives. Only his tough determination pulls him through as he hits rock bottom again and again, sometimes on purpose, and isn't even sure which way is up. The tale is told with vivid emotional imagery that at first seems a little over-the-top, but as you get to know young Larry you begin to understand that this is just his life.
A compelling read, this story was particularly shocking to me - I happen to know the author personally through our work in the Forest Service, myself a firefighter, retired now, and he on the finance administration side. When our paths crossed, he was always friendly and laid back, but willing to go the extra yard to help make things run smoothly. I had no idea this quiet, easy-going guy had such a turbulent back story - the old saying, "Still waters run deep" was never more true.
California author Larry A. Lee has retraced his life from misery to gratitude and happiness in this memoir. While other writers have shared their lives in memoir format, Larry’s book is far more uplifting than most, as the provided synopsis shares – ‘Larry A. Lee’s journey to claim his soul began at seven years old when he chose to defend his mother against his alcoholic father’s physical abuse in Unionville, Connecticut. ¬ Three years later, his mother passed away from infectious hepatitis. Before her passing, Larry promised his mother he would grow up to be a “Good Man.” Since the age of ten, life undoubtedly threw itself against Larry time and time again. All forms of unspeakable torments and challenges made up his adolescence in Burlington, Connecticut. At eighteen years old, while he was living in a field in Oklahoma City, a single act of kindness saved him, and it forever changed his life. And so it was, his journey of ten million miles to keep the promise he made his mother led him to a seven-year-old boy, who adopted him. Larry held love in his hand, and then he conquered his world.’
The descriptions of the many devastating events in Larry’s life are related with candor, and while few could imagine the depths to which he sank and survived, the underlying hopefulness surfaces and the book ends with an apotheosis of a life changed by spiritual commitment and enlightenment.
Wisdom pours out of the final pages of this book, and there are many memorable moments that are inspiring. One such entry shares this – ‘‘There’s no love without listening, without seeing, and without understanding the tangled passion of the billion lives. The sum of my choices created my destiny. The idea of life interdependent on one another allowed me to find the end of the rainbow. As a poet, my failures became my successes, for each one of them, led me to discover something about myself and humanity. Suffering freed me to evolve beyond the limits the world imposed upon me. I read every road sign my guardian angel left for me.’
Realistic and compassionate, this memoir shares a challenging life that finds happiness. The book is a fine tool for exploring the way one man survived and conquered and as such it is an inspiration for all.
I was told to read this book by one of my good friends and I’m so glad I did. This is one of the most heartbreaking and heartwarming true stories I’ve ever read. It’s so inspiring to see God work and help people keep their head up in a time of need. Once I started the book I could not put it down. Thank you for your service Larry, I pray for your safety along with all the other first responders out their risking their lives in the line of duty.
Larry Lee builds on the success of his memoir, with The Federal Plantation, A Tale of Subjugation and Injustice. It's an entertaining imaginative allegory about the absurdity, and corruption in our bedrock institutions. Following along with Liam as he and his guardian angels battle, all the forces of darkness to reclaim his eternal soul from… The Federal Bureaucracy. Pick up your copy today. You’ll never look at the government the same way.
Larry Lee has a very tragic and violent childhood. This is his true story and as you follow the journey this young boy took, you will feel every emotion you can imagine. As he grows and develops he transitions through many stages in his life from survival to drugs and alcohol to god. This story is amazing and the things that Larry went through and still emerged on the other side is awesome. His story shows that belief and discipline will allow you to accomplish anything in life. Larry has shown that no matter how hard life is, there is always a path to a better way. This is a great book for anyone looking for faith when theirs is low. Check this one out folks, it’s an amazing story and Larry is a very tough person to make it through the things he has been through.
I loved the book, I meet Larry on a fire detail in California. When he realize I was from Oklahoma, he thought I might find his book interesting. I am not a reader, but I wanted to read his book. When I started reading I could not put it down, each chapter I would tell myself, I'll stop and go to bed after this one, but it had me so captive, I would start another chapter. It is an amazing book that shows if a person is determined and puts his trust in God, nothing is unreachable! This is a very good book!
