An incredibly moving experience!
593357
I have rediscovered Tchaikovsky!  I can't imagine that anyone conducts Tchaikovsky's music as well as Valery Gergiev. Heavenly to watch and to hear.  Spiritually uplifting.  Beautiful.
1890784
I'll admit it: I was coerced into participating in a local production of Titanic The Musical recently and while I never had, nor do I have any desires to perform on stage, I almost reluctantly fell in love with this incredibly moving story that involves an absolutely amazing musical score.  I played Benjamin Guggenheim, who along with some of the most famous millionaires in the world (John Jacob Astor, George Widener and the Thayers, literally the Bill Gates and Donald Trumps of their day) died as the Largest Moving Object on the earth slipped beneath the waves, April 15th 1912.

First, one major difference between this re-telling of one of the greatest maritime disasters of all-time and others, there really isn't any two or three characters that stood out as lead roles.  The story was carried almost collectively with a large group of people--ALL based on real passengers and crew of the ill-fated luxury liner.  Oh, and Molly Brown is entirely absent from the tale having already been done to death many times before.

Second, the music--oh the music! If you are a fan of wonderful music, you simply owe it to yourself to experience this soundtrack. Everything from the opening number to 'Doing the Latest Rag' and so many in between to the closing 'Sail On, Sail On Great Ship Titanic' evokes a tremendous amount of emotion (which was exactly as planned) and is at once music you don't have to LEARN to love.

Kudos to those who helped to bring this magnificent story to the Broadway Stage. The Titanic will forever be one of my favorite stories, and now I add the musical to my long list of reasons to be utterly fascinated by what happened all those years ago in the North Atlantic.
326944
The Story of Rose is not just an e-book, it's an emotional experience beyond the power of words.  In 1999 we bought a country farm and started an Alpaca Ranch, just outside the city of Carlton, Oregon.  Of course we needed a Border Collie to save much time chasing alpacas that were needed for shots or a pregnancy test.  We were nowhere near as gifted with the training, as Jon has described in his many delightful books.  However, we found another way to get just as much joy.

Even before reading Jon's first book, we knew that the planet needed more Border collies, so we sought a mate for our precious Patches.  The tough part was the fact that this mate, we call Teddy (think teddy-bear) had a fantastic tri-colored sister.  So then, we had three Border collies.  And soon there was a pup, called Panda, that we couldn't give up to anyone.  Sadly, the Thursday before The Story of Rose was released, we, and her buddies,  had to say good-bye to our precious Patches -- -- it was no longer possible to keep her going.  She was only ten and a half.  Today, she rests on a slope about 75 feet from a seasonal pond where she loved to fetch sticks with her husband, daughter and sister in law.

Whenever her spirit returns, she can again join the play with her buddies, and us, in the water she so loved.  Yes, owning a Border is knowing the joys and connections to others in the world that goes with the mystical magic of sharing our deepest emotions along with activities.  With this book, you will learn much more than just the Story of Rose.  You will learn the power and the pain that a beautiful person must confront in order to express the powerful words that move readers to heights they would not believe possible.  Perhaps it's also due to the part that the e-book experience brings to our eyes, and the added value delivered with the elegant emotional scenes that Jon has captured, both here and on his awesome blog.  This author has contributed much to the expanded world of many readers,  that will go on,  -- --  long after he joins his furry friends.  I could only wish him to do a new book like this, every month.  The one thing that might be a greater experience for me would be to set foot on the ground where Rose got to run.  Hopefully you will discover the joy of reading something this powerful, at least once in your lifetime.<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Story-of-Rose-A-Man-and-His-Dog/dp/B008GP9KKM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Story of Rose: A Man and His Dog</a>
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-Dog-Year/dp/B003Y5HWOA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A Dog Year</a>
44783
I rarely give 5 stars to the books I read unless they are so thought provoking or extraordinary that they remain with me long after I've finished.
This book touched me on such a personal level that I felt I had to share.  This book delves deep into an issue that is running rampant right now and I have never seen it more beautifully done. W.M. Bunche brings us a deeply moving story about a young Haitian American soldier who has returned from the front with terrible memories.  We follow young Mercy as he tries to adjust to civilian life and enrolls in a Writing course at college and through his assignments we learn much of his back story.  The story is presented in an interesting way by switching perspectives between characters, and Mercy's writing assignments.  I found it very hard to put this one down. This is a book I would recommend to anyone with a heart.
2303403
Stories of adaption are not something I'm naturally interested in but this book is truly beautiful and a real page turner! It's about love, family, courage and the journeys we take to become the best we can be. A wonderfully moving story.
3985403
Such a beautiful, moving story, and well-written to boot. Having lost many family members myself to illness and violence, and wanting to feel their presence when they were gone, I was touched by this story. It brought me to tears with the struggles those who have already passed on have in letting their family pass into the light. SPOILER: At first I couldn't understand why a main character was written out of the story halfway through, but the author resolved the matter.

You're not only in for tears, but laughter as you watch the Deadlines interact with each other. I highly recommend this story.
3468115
This movie is extremely moving .You can't believe all that
Jill Eikenberry goes through in this story of{ a woman of extreme indulgence and privelage }, she has to rise to the most horrendous of circumstances and find a way to survive in the wilderness of Alaska once she's left alone , when her son is missing and her new husband takes off to find him ! It's a story of courage, and perserverance beyond normal conditions in every way ! A great family story !
379996
This book was quite a moving, magical experience for me.  I was first drawn by just the cover (which is funny considering we're not supposed to judge books by covers yet I almost always am drawn to striking covers and then the contents).  When I read the jacket, I thought of the recent Brazilian film CITY OF GODS.  Well, I thought Chris Abani's book had far more humanity, and far more hope.  The ending is sublime, and very emotional.  The book is rather sprawling, detailing the life of young Elvis Okwe.  His struggles to do the right thing are incredibly intense and heartbreaking.  He really wants to be a good person, a good man, and its often things that are out of his hands that prevent him from doing that.  All of the characters are well-drawn and unconventional,  without ever being stereotypical, especially Elvis's father, who you think is just abusive and distant, but is really a tragic, complicated man, torn apart by the love of his country.  GRACELAND encompasses many themes, but most importantly, it is about "redemption," not just for Elvis but for the country that Mr. Abani clearly loves.  I loved this book and I hope it finds its audience.
4555069
a moving and passionate depiction of character and courage! Inspiring!
939035
Kudos for V. Thomas Hoban and The Letter!  Once I started reading this memoir, I could not put it down!  This book truly has something for everyone- romance, gambling, travel, tragedy, and finally healing.  As the book explores the author's emotional journey post 9/11, I could not help but think of how many others personally affected by 9/11 (myself included) will be able to relate to his words. As I read his memoir, I was impressed with how he was able to take his trauma and channel it into something positive.  He takes his overwhelming feeling of gratitude for all the blessings he has in his life and sits down and pens a deeply moving letter to his wife and young children.  This letter forms the basis of his book and you can read the actual original letter in its entirety at the end of the book!  (No cheating allowed!) After reading The Letter, I promise you can not help but be inspired to write a letter of your own to those in your life that matter the most!!
3230357
I'm still speechless from this film, so I won't begin to attempt to put into words the emotion and awe that it will inspire in all but the coldest of hearts.  A very moving experience and the totally unique and original depiction of a relationship that is elevetated high above the mundane into something spritual. But there is so much more here. To describe this movie as merely a great film is to call the Mona Lisa a pretty good painting.  This is not a mere film, this is a jewel, a treasure, and words can't begin to describe it so I will stop trying - One must just see it.  It will speak for itself.
3748948
There are fewer experiences more rewarding and fulfilling as the Honor Flight experience.  The transformation of these members of our Greatest Generation back to the eighteen and twenty-something year old men and women they were when they answered the call to save the world, is truly heartwarming.  The phrase "thank you" is but only a start, and a hearty "welcome home " is always appreciated, but for them to see in person the memorials we have erected for Them and to see, and hear, and feel the memories of experiences long ago put to rest, is more than words can simply express.
However, pictures do speak a thousand words, and in here the 300+ pictures in this amazing book speak volumes. From arrival and the flight to Washington D. C., the WWII Memorial, Vietnam, Korea, Iwo Jima, Air Force, and very importantly the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns.  They visit them all. And then, the return flight, and the Homecoming.  The homecoming, is unique and as Americana as we could ever hope to experience. The emotions and wonderment are palpable, and you swear you can hear the excitement.  Honor Flight: A Visual Journey takes you on an emotional trip that can only be made better by actually experiencing one for yourself.
I recommend this book, and implore you to find a Honor Flight hub near you.  It just may change your life.
Thank a vet every day.
1197460
Oh, how did I not find this book until now?
I'll give the very FEW downfalls, first.
It felt rushed towards the end, and I feel some of the most key events should undoubtedly been elaborated.
Next, WHY?? (is this not a movie YET??)
Incredibly moving, life changing.
The characters are so very well fleshed out, the smells, sounds, sights... were all so very REAL, I not only could see, smell, hear it all happening, most often it felt even deeper than that!
I felt like I knew the characters more than myself.
A perfect blend of tragedy, transendence, wonder, mystical beauty, a bit of wit, and life changing philosophical prose.
DO NOT~ pass this book up.
3087086
I watched this dvd tonight. It has been a while since I cried my eyes out during a film, like I did on this occasion.

Beautiful story and wonderfully acted.  The scenery is breathtaking and the musical score is haunting. This film has a lot of messages apart from the survival aspect. This is a special story about human bonding between two people who would  normally not have crossed paths.

I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. This moving story has left its mark on me.
2873195
This is a very touching and moving story of a boy's growth and development into manhood while dealing with an estranged relationship with his father, sexual abuse as a child, depression and anxiety throughout his teens and early adult life and heartbreak on multiple occasions. It chronicles a journey in which the main character seeks love, acceptance, and internal peace as well as his struggle to find where he fits into the grand scheme of life. While reading this story I was taken on an emotional roller coaster and continually asking myself how this has not made its way into reading lists for high school students. Anyone of any age, gender, race, or economic background can find parts of themselves in the main character and feel the growth in him. This story breaks down walls and barriers and opens ones mind and eyes to different cultures and different perspectives of life and events that shape and influence one's life. Readers may even find themselves moved to tears as the main character, after battling some very traumatic events ends up gaining self-acceptace, love, and overall happiness. A great read definitely recommend this to everyone of all walks of life. I give it a ten out of ten!
224114
What an incredibly delightful book and experience!
Each chapter conveys such an intimate relation with a different manifestation of existence gifted with consciousness.
As the book unfolds and the conscious agent continues to inhabit different perspectives I got a renewed appreciation of life, of the gift of consciousness, the amazement and weariness that accompany traversing this world, and the emptiness and suchness of its source.

Truly a rare gift. Thank you Marc.
I have gifted this book to many people over the years and many of them were deeply moved also.
3809431
Reading the first few lines of a book jacket describing a community condemned to live in a tiny and increasingly overpopulated ghetto for generations would be enough to cause me to put it back on the shelf as quickly as possible. But, if friends had not recommended it, what a wonderful experience I would have missed! I felt as if Robert Mayer had taken me by the hand, and introduced me to people he had known all his life. I had a very clear picture of each character, but not because they were being described. It seemed to be because I was allowed to stay there observing them (but with so much more depth and compassion that I would ever be capable of).  It is a mystery, a story of the transformation of a young girl, and a depiction of the financial underpinnings of the Rothschild clan all taking place within an intercultural and religious conflict of astonishing cruelty and forbearance. Clear your calendar and immerse yourself in this book as soon as you can!