Same Kind of Different As Me

"Reading is good." -Billy Madison

I'm not much of a reader... I prefer solving a quadratic equation or a sudoku puzzle. But like Billy Madison, I understand the value of reading. I usually get my "reading-learning" through books on CD. I travel so much, so it's a great way to spend the HOURS on the lonely roads. I usually listen to James Patterson books, entertaining fiction that stretches my deductive reasoning muscles. Right now I am listening to the Women's Murder Mystery series, which is like Sherlock Holmes meets Sex and the City... fabulous, right? Well, one can only listen to murder stories for so many hours without getting a little tense, so I decided to switch it up.

On my last trip around the state, which I expected to require about 12 hours in the car, I purchased some political book CDs. In an effort to be non-partisan, I purchased both Barack Obama and John McCain's latest books, as well as Al Gore's (which I cannot help but note, was on sale for $3). I'll let you all know how it goes...

Occasionally, I do pick up a book to read for mild-pleasure. One of my interviewers in my most recent mock interview asked me, "what's the last fiction and non-fiction book you read?" (a favorite question by those in academia, btw) Lucky me, I read an outstanding piece of non-fiction this past fall: Same Kind of Different As Me, by Denver Moore and Ron Hall.

Like any good piece of non-fiction that's written like a story, I cried. This book is about the friendship that forms between two unlikely friends: Denver, a homeless ex-con who once lived as a slave in Louisiana, and Ron, a wealthy, Christian (although once adulterous) international art dealer. And of course, it's also about the amazing (and by amazing I imply gutsy and stubborn as well) woman who brings them together.

"Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality,
it also shines with
an unexpected, life-changing love."
-www.samekindofdifferentasme.com

I enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, I found it refreshing that it was a spiritual book. It taught me some valuable lessons that I can apply to my own faith without trying to overtly witness to me. Great job guys! In addition, I love a good Louisiana character. Denver reminds me of a man I once met, Warden Cain of Angola Prison. And I suppose it's ironic that a man once in prison reminds me of a man who runs a famous prison. Nevertheless, these two men are characters who epitomize the term "old soul." No matter how proper or improper their diction or grammar, nearly every other sentence they speak has the power to change how you look at the world. No amount of schooling can give someone that type of wisdom, and being around such people is such a breath of fresh air for me, as I am constantly communicating with those in academia. The book also gave the reader a close look into the world of homelessness. If you're interested in supporting efforts to eradicate this in our society, you should check out the book website or current website for Miss Florida 2009, Rachel Todd.

Just wanted to share something a little educational, a little enjoyable, and a little Louisiana with you all. Happy reading!