Books I Read in 2021, Vol. VII

 

SON OF A JUNKMAN: My Life from the West Bottoms of Kansas City to the Bright Lights of Hollywood
Ed Asner (with Samuel Warren Joseph and Matthew Seymour)

"This is a life worth examining and is done so magnificently in this terrific read. Ed, you've got spunk and we LOVE spunk." (Jason Alexander, Seinfeld) "For one of the few Jews in the Kansas City Bottoms the road to the heights of show business success and fame was a tough, rocky, perilous, sometimes unforgiving one, but for this Son of a Junkman the willingness to learn, the courage to be true to himself, the 'spunk' pulled him through." (Mike Farrell, M*A*S*H)

Didn't go looking for this book, but it called to me from the library shelf. I must have been tuned in to its vibe because Beloved and I are currently watching the final season of mary tyler moore. All in all, a standard kind of show business autobiography, but I will admit to being mightily impressed with Mr. Asner's candor in admitting why his marriage failed: "I have always been universally regarded as a flirt. I was during my youth. I was while preparing to be an actor. And, I was when I achieved celebrity status. Unfortunately, I was a flirt when I was married. Actually, I was more than that. I was a cheat. It isn't easy to admit and it certainly isn't easy to write, but it's the truth. When I was married to Nancy, I cheated on her. I cheated on a woman who adored me. I cheated on a woman I adored. I cheated on the mother of my children. I failed her."

First line: As the title of this book suggests, I am the son of a junkman.

Page 56/Sentence 5: I envied her.

Last line: More importantly, I will always be the son of a junkman.

Books I Read in 2021, Vol. VI

 

ROCK & ROLL PREACHER: From Doo-Wop to Jesus Rock
Chuck Girard

"A look at the history of the Jesus Movement, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, and CCM through the eyes of one who lived it. The only history of the iconic band, LoveSong, arguably the first Christian rock band to become well-known. An account of alcohol addiction and deliverance. Explore the seductive attraction of the Hippie culture of the 60s and one man's journey through it."

Being a fan of LoveSong since the beginning, I was more than happy to actually PURCHASE this book (gasp!) and read about the life of one of the founders of Jesus Music...now known as Contemporary Christian Music. It was certainly informative but would have benefitted from the efforts of an editor and proofreader. Several typos were a bit distracting, but worse was the lack of any sense of flow or commitment to a single thought per paragraph. Chuck is so intent on making sure his readers know that he now regards his hippie/drug-culture ways of the past as evil and stupid that he keeps interrupting the story for little mini-sermons. Putting that aside, though, the book gave me what it said it would...can't complain about that.

First line: It was early 1969 and the sun was just going down as we hit the outskirts of Las Vegas.

56/5: The Four Speeds were performing together because of the success of the record, but apparently this was just one of many irons Gary had in the fire.

Last line: Who'd ever thought I'd be a rock and roll preacher?

Happy (?) Mother's Day

 

This was my first Mother's Day without Mom.

It's been 28 days since she died and I thought I was mostly done crying. And then Pastor Brad went and lead us in a special prayer during worship. He didn't even need to start actually praying and I was already tight-throated, unable to breathe, and sitting there with shoulders bobbing up and down in a silent sob.

It's not like I talked to her every day...or even every week...but the thought of having no one to call this afternoon gripped me hard.

But I'm grateful.

• Grateful that we were able to visit with Mom a couple times just three weeks before she passed and that she was still lucid and funny, even though her short-term memory was shot.
• Grateful that her final days weren't filled with pain or regret.
• Grateful that our relationship was always one of love and trust and that neither of those things was ever strained to a breaking point. She never gave me any reason to doubt her love for me, and I believe she could say the same about me.
• Grateful that in over 63 years of having Georgina Della Smith Roth as my mother, not once did I ever wish it weren't so.

Nobody is perfect, but God blessed me with a childhood and a life-foundation that has served me well and left me unscarred.

Her children stand and bless her.
  Her husband praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
  but you surpass them all!”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
  but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.

Proverbs 31:28-30 (NLT)