I decided to buy it, because I heard good reviews and the price was very reasonable. Great book for financial hope and the american dream. This book is great.
The American Dream is believed to be dead by a lot of us but when I read this book my perspective changed. To read about a man that started out with so little and struggled for only 70 day before the determination and drive began to pay off gives hope to anyone that is having any type of financial and even personal hardships in these hard times. I highly recommend this book and know that you will enjoy it. Skip to main content.
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Seller does not accept returns See details. As a beacon of hope for many, Atticus stands up to the masses of people that prejudice has blinded. However, he attempts to reason with them throughout the novel to rectify their dissolute ways.
Wisely, he helps Scout and Jem learn what is right or wrong as they grow up and outgrow their innocence. J was ignoring southern reaction when the electoral votes were going on. He knew that the southern were just voting because that was his home town and for the person he is. He wanted votes for his reasons why he came to be elected and to help american citizens. At the end, he lost the election by 48 votes but was still trying to do the right thing to save the civil rights.
A third and most important reason of L. Antonio struggles with questions about his destiny and the destiny of others, Ultima teaches him how to cope with the challenges in his life. He is concerned about what he is meant to be in the future. Antonio becomes distracted with questions about his destiny, life and death,and loss of innocence. Ultima guides him through his questions and he becomes filled with even more respect for the lessons she has taught him.
Throughout the piece, the speaker explores the hurdles he has encountered and realizes that those obstacles have translated into tools he can use in the future. Overall, the speaker is optimistic and inspiring, as he reflects on the past to grow as an individual, while anticipating any challenges that will arise.
This illustrates the one must embrace their history before they can love themselves in the present and the future.
In the two speeches, the speakers try to encourage their audience and the rest of the people in the country to overcome their hatred, anger, sadness, and grief to continue on with making America a better and safer place to live. They both try to convince people not to act rashly due to the actions that took place the days of the incidents.
It is very important that writers are able to send a message to their reader with their book. Authors best do this by bringing about empathy. In order to send this message, authors often develop strong characters that go through various problems and struggles.
Sometimes you or at least I need to hear these things. And, as a memoir, there was a lot here, although you have to dig a bit. Life in the shelter is dramatic enough to move despite the less than sparkling writing, but stories about being a professional mover need a bit more help.
I'm not saying that there wasn't something there, but the reader has to infuse life into it. I've had this book on my wish list on a book swap site for a long, long time. I think it was worth reading once, but I suspect that I'm going to send it off to the next person on the wish list rather than making a home for it on my shelves.
Mar 14, Felicia rated it liked it. I read "Nickel and Dimed" while in college and, like the author of "Scratch Beginnings," found it to be very disheartening. This author does one better by starting out in a homeless shelter and trying to work his way to independence. The home point is that the American dream is still possible, but it depends on the determination and initiative of the person seeking it.
An interesting read. Feb 25, C rated it it was ok. This book is okay. There are some interesting ideas but it gets boring after a while when the author is just talking about the people he met rather than sharing exactly how he was saving and spending money.
Also I didn't like the misguided rant at the end about people showing initiative. Feb 16, Shayla Hoff rated it liked it. I had a mixed reaction to this book. Unfortunately, i was pretty irritated while reading this book because the author is infuriating. Adam also brushes over the importance social programs play in overcoming homelessness. Sure, he tells us that we need better social infrastructure, but then still assumes everyone can do what he did without that infrastructure.
He saw his parents working and saving, so he knew to do those things. How many of the people living in the shelter had those things? Jan 15, Bo Witcher rated it liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This novel is based off of the true story of Adam Shepard finding a way to survive the concrete jungle of Charleston, South Carolina.
This all begins with Adam abandoning his drug addicted mother and alcoholic father after realizing that he needs a new way of living and to live alone. With This novel is based off of the true story of Adam Shepard finding a way to survive the concrete jungle of Charleston, South Carolina. With Shepard motivated to continue getting his life ahead of him, he tries to find him a steady job throughout the city while he is getting minimal pay at Easy Labor to barely get him by.
Shepard searched for what it seems like forever, yet found a job as a mover for Fast Company as he showed the manager, Curtis, that he was the best for the job and that he was motivated to do anything. Near the end of the novel, his parents come down with cancer and Adam has to come back and live with his brother in a apartment nearby to provide for his family with his job at a different location and receive education at the local college.
This novel made me keep turning the pages as the motivation of Adam Shepard to find a way out financial struggles gave a sense of hope as I read.
Something that I loved about the book was the positive and optimistic tone of the novel as the times were not the best, but he knew that things could be worse and he can make things better.
This novel shows a great message to never give up on your dreams and to keep fighting no matter what the circumstances are.
If this was added to the novel, I would feel like I would feel more interested or appealed to the novel. Overall, I rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. I feel like this is a good novel to read, but there are parts that can be better. The books had a lot of positives, but the small negatives brought down the rating personally.
I would personally recommend this to older adults or maybe older teens, if mature enough. Jan 18, Ursula Pierce rated it really liked it. Straight out of college, he has his family drop him off at the train station where he rides into the neighboring state. When he arrives, he takes up residence in the homeless shelter. Adam must jump numerous hurdles to get a job that will take him to the next level.
Adam essentially figures it out as he goes, and ends up taking inspiration from the impoverished people all around. My favorite character in the novel was Derrick, the man that Adam relied upon for support and friendship during his escalation up the ladder of his career.
Derrick had real strength, and goals, and above all, a family to provide for. There is no question whether the characters felt real or not, due to the fact they are real people, it makes me wonder where they all are now. The way the book is so true to life keeps you full of questions. The memoir gives you a sense of possibility and perseverance. There are few downsides to this book. Also, The pace of the novel is the same throughout, and some parts are dull and could be left out.
The only action and conflict in the book is limited and not enticing. I feel as though sometimes the author spends too long rambling about his difficulty starting from the bottom. However, overall, it is very good. I enjoyed the concept of the book more so than the delivery.
Jan 16, Fei rated it liked it Shelves: memoir. Hypothesis: good. Conclusion: bad. It also sends the nice, upbeat message that if you do become homeless, you can still save money and change your circumstan Hypothesis: good.
It also sends the nice, upbeat message that if you do become homeless, you can still save money and change your circumstances as long as you make smart decisions and work hard.
I wish the author would have maybe done some interviews of other peoples' experiences in the system. Shepard has no substance abuse problems, no history of mental health issues, seems to have had a pretty normal childhood with supportive parents, and although he pretends to have not gone to college, he still benefited from his years of school in the form of building a work ethic, practicing delayed gratification, and understanding how financial math works. In this case, his cheery conclusion that, if you work hard enough, you can achieve the 'American dream' doesn't take into a lot of factors that keep some people struggling with homelessness long-term.
All in all, I think this book was interesting and well-written, but lacks the other side of the story. Apr 20, Madison J rated it really liked it.
Scratch Beginnings Adam Shepard Scratch Beginnings was a very easy read and a very eye-opening novel. Adam Shepard started with basically the cloth Scratch Beginnings Adam Shepard Scratch Beginnings was a very easy read and a very eye-opening novel.
In doing this, he strived to show people that it was possible to make your way up the social ladder, however, it did require thick skin and hard work. Through this novel, I do believe Adam achieved his goal. He tells the brutal truths of climbing the social ladder, but also emphasizes the rewards and the good feeling you get when you work hard and achieve your goal. The author just told of his day to day routine for much of the book and it got kind of monotonous after awhile.
All together, this book was very inspiring but did take some encouragement to pick up and read. Oct 30, Heather rated it it was ok Shelves: general-non-fiction. I was interested by this book because of the concept, but not necessarily because I thought it an accurate representation of "starting from nothing".
There is no way to undo all the experiences of your life, including education even if you don't state it on your resume. It still, I guess, makes for an interesting "thought exercise". Except that it wasn't merely a thought exercise. I couldn't help wondering the whole time how the case workers and what not felt after they knew it was all just an I was interested by this book because of the concept, but not necessarily because I thought it an accurate representation of "starting from nothing".
I couldn't help wondering the whole time how the case workers and what not felt after they knew it was all just an experiment for the author? He mentioned a little toward the end about telling some of his friends the real story later - but that part just seemed so odd for me.
If I were his case worker and one of the shelter workers, I might really not appreciate his essentially lying. Mostly I couldn't deal with the author's attitude and perspective. It seems like he had never met a poor person in his life - he was "amazed" by just about anything. It was a book of "poor people as other", and his conclusion was a little along the lines of "but I found out poor people are just like anyone else.
My son who is thirteen listened to a bit of it in the car with me, and remarked something to the effect of, "he's really annoying - his confidence seems irritating and somehow out of place in the whole thing.
I don't feel like the conclusions were all that worthwhile after all, and generally I felt it was a pointless exercise. Perhaps it's a generational thing - perhaps he's trying to speak to and represent his generation as something other than spoiled, live-with-your-parents types. I don't know. Just not a great read overall. And also, I despised the reader. Feb 09, Steph Patt rated it it was ok Shelves: reviewed.
I read this book as an assignment for a diversity and tolerance class I am taking. It was not my first choice in the line of allowable readings, but my second pick. It is a true story of a man, Adam, who decides to prove to the world that with a little hard work you can achieve the American dream.
Adam sets off on a bus to Charlotte, NC and begins his journey. Right away he finds room at a homeless shelter and begins working his way up through the chains of poverty. He makes up a false story to I read this book as an assignment for a diversity and tolerance class I am taking. He makes up a false story to tell people that ask about his background and up until the last chapter of the book keeps his false persona.
We get to see Adam struggle with his decision to achieve his goal, but more importantly we get a front row view of what it is like for a homeless person and some of the struggles and discrimination that the homeless face. Having said that, I thought this book was a little judgmental and ridiculous. The point Adam was trying to get across was that if he, a spoiled recent college graduate, could work his way out of poverty and homelessness that anyone could.
Overall, the writing of this book was good. The story was good. The characters were amazing. Jun 26, Elizabeth rated it liked it Recommends it for: anyone who read Nickel and Dimed, whether they liked it or not. Shelves: non-fiction. Kent let me borrow his copy of this book.
I have good and bad things to say about it. He wanted to have a car and a set amount of money in a set amount of time. He does it. And in way under the time limit. He definitely showed it is possible. I applaud him for that. What kept me from liking it more has little or nothin Kent let me borrow his copy of this book. What kept me from liking it more has little or nothing to do with his actually project.
I think I just didn't like the author. I couldn't get past his bias against the homeless and poor. He refers to women as chicks and assumes his reader is male. He views people without his goals as being without goals. Especially the way he words it.
He has a solid plan outlined - at least to the point of having a car and apartment and money in the bank. He recognizes the plan is not without flaw. Any fault I can identify is minor and justified. A follow up from the moving job to a salaried position with benefits and a house in his name would be interesting.
Thank you, Dad! Shepard says he did this experiment and wrote the book as a counterpoint to Barbara Ehrenreich's books about the failure of the American Dream. It was a brave experiment, and he contends that with the right attitude anyone can do it. Luckily, he acknowledges that many people live without achieving even the basics of the Dream Shepard says he did this experiment and wrote the book as a counterpoint to Barbara Ehrenreich's books about the failure of the American Dream.
Luckily, he acknowledges that many people live without achieving even the basics of the Dream because of life circumstances, and that family and other resources may be necessary in "making it. His main objection to her work is that she doesn't believe in hope. Well, when you're young, strong, basically savvy, and can go home to your middle class family after your one-year experiment, sure you have hope!
The book was engaging enough, and I may use the last chapter in my class where we explore the "myth" of the American Dream , but too much of the book centered around his job as a mover and the dynamics between him and the people he met along the way. I think he downplayed some of the difficulties, which might be enough to stall or discourage others trying to achieve the good life.
Feb 27, Mirra rated it did not like it Shelves: library-psa. At first I found this book to be intriguing, I thought it would be interesting to see what happened to him. He did not take his background or credentials with him. Nov 19, Dianne Oliver rated it liked it Shelves: finance. He is an author without loads of talent, but willing to give it a go, which is admirable, I suppose. His plan, going out with 25 bucks to a new town and trying to make a go of it for a year falls into that genre that sparks ones adventurous imaginations.
While I took exception with the ethics of using resources you don't need, as a college educated person, such as donated goods and a homeless shelter and I hope now that he's back to his life, he donates, I did appreciate that he used examples of He is an author without loads of talent, but willing to give it a go, which is admirable, I suppose.
While I took exception with the ethics of using resources you don't need, as a college educated person, such as donated goods and a homeless shelter and I hope now that he's back to his life, he donates, I did appreciate that he used examples of people he met that applied themselves and succeeded rather than just his own experience, because one has to recognize that what comes before in ones life matters. Health, education, solid family history, and knowing you can drop out at any point and return to your middle class life, gives one hope and inner resources to draw upon.
That said, trying to understand the plight is the best he could do, and kudos to him for the effort. He wasn't preachy, nor did he have a ridiculously obvious agenda, unlike some of the other of these types of books I have read. Still, not a book of any importance. Many reviewers have criticized the author for being a middle-class white boy who could seemingly never understand what others who grow up in poverty experience.
While this may be so, I give him great credit for trying to understand the plight of those in poverty going so far as to live in a homeless shelter for 3 months. I believe that he recognized the benefits that his background and environment provided him that others didn't enjoy yet he also discovered that attitude and perseverance were critical to success regardless of one's upbringing. The most striking reminder for me was the author's conclusion that we all make our own happiness by our perception of our present circumstances.
Adult Non-fiction. Male author describes his experience of Social Mobility, leaves his current job journalist? He moves cities and has very little money.
Read around Spoiler ahead. Readers also enjoyed. Social Issues.
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