Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A gay 40-something Oregon man writes about his yearslong experience with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in this debut, which is especially poignant in a Trump America. Journalist and documentary filmmaker, Aaron Kirk Douglas illuminates the emotional turmoil inherent in mentoring an at-risk youth. In his relationship with Rico, a fatherless foster child he meets through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Douglas must face the memories and pain of growing up gay in rural Oregon without the love and acceptance he so desperately craved from his own father. His journey leads him to forge a new kind of family-the kind you create for yourself. ..".beautiful...engaging...hard to walk away from." -- Kirkus Reviews .."raw, honest and inspirational..." -- Clarion Reviews
Synopsis
Eloquent, simple, complex, concise; all these apply. Perhaps more significantly, a narrative that by its nature risks the sentimentality or maudlin hyperbole generated by many current bio-reflections never falls over that edge, nor even skates near it. That's a rough task, handled with a sure and compact force that allows the reader to discover the remarkable delicacy that runs through the journey taken by this boy and man. It begins when Douglas naively decides that he can have a positive influence on a child with a troubled background. The boy has other ideas. As Douglas balances his fears and concern for the boy whose life he's taken on, young Rico's anger, his destructive apathy, with his own shortcomings, past and present. The rough edges of these two males, young and not so, constantly rub in the wrong directions, and Douglas lines his missteps up with Rico's and exposes an impatience, uncertainty, and occasional outright resentment that could run at odds with the stereotypical altruistic expectations for a volunteer Big Brother. But it doesn't. In the end, the man is driven to look for purpose beyond himself, reaches for the possibility of bringing direction to the boy, and refuses to give up in the face of obstacles. This often is a painful narrative. Douglas finds beauty in unexpected places and relates it in forthright, sometimes blunt terms. His gift for unadorned, wry metaphors lead readers to insights that might be lost under the weight of more customary embellishment, as in the description of his childhood backyard: "filled with plywood cut-outs of Disney characters, painted and nailed like little sacrifices to the redwood-stained fence." Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the book is the way in which the boy and man reshape each other; from Rico, Douglas draws insight into his own life. In a very complicated fashion, they both end up gaining from each other.
Synopsis
This heartfelt memoir captures the life-changing power of unconditional love and perseverance. Even though this Big Brother/Little Brother match has little in common, they learn how to grapple with life's struggles together. A narrative that by its nature risks sentimentality or maudlin hyperbole never falls over that edge, nor even skates near it. That's a rough task, handled with a sure and compact force that allows the reader to discover the remarkable delicacy that runs through the journey taken by this boy and man. In this sometimes painful narrative, Douglas finds beauty in unexpected places and relates it in forthright, sometimes blunt terms. His gift for unadorned, wry metaphors lead readers to insights that might be lost under the weight of more customary embellishment, as in the description of his childhood backyard: "filled with plywood cut-outs of Disney characters, painted and nailed like little sacrifices to the redwood-stained fence." Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the book is the way in which the boy and man reshape each other; from Rico, Douglas draws insight into his own life. In a very complicated fashion, they both end up gaining from each other.
Synopsis
While mentoring a troubled Latino youth, a man confronts memories of his own painful teenage years in a small Oregon town. A Readers' Favorite 2018 Audiobook and 2017 Inspirational Book Award Winner -- this heartfelt memoir captures the life-changing power of unconditional love and perseverance.
Synopsis
Growing Up Twice is a powerful reminder that all of us can find our own recipe for life and family. In this unique retelling of two coming-of-age stories, we learn how giving of yourself leads to the most rewarding experiences one can hope for. A Readers' Favorite 2017 and 2018 inspirational book award winner for both the paperback and audiobook versions.