A book that will be most appreciated by loved ones affected by this tragedy and those open to a similar response to grief.
In this brief memoir, Pittsford recounts the trials of dealing with her son’s premature death and addressing her own trust in God.
On Sept. 1, 2010, in San Francisco, Pittsford’s 28-year-old son, Tim, witnessed a hit-and-run accident in which a pedestrian was killed. He followed the driver in an attempt to get some information for police. A few days later, Tim mysteriously passed away in his sleep, leaving only a couple drops of blood on his pillow as a clue. The first half of the book details the Pittsfords’ receiving news of their son’s passing, the planning and preparation of memorial services, and the challenge of a mother having to let go of her son, all with a strongly Christian tone. Through a series of seemingly miraculous occurrences, the daughter of the hit-and-run victim comes to learn of Tim’s identity as the witness and his subsequent death, and she reaches out to Pittsford so the two can console each other in their grief. The second half of the book deals with the aftermath: the family’s trying to find a new normal, Pittsford’s daughter’s questioning her faith and recommending that the entire family go for counseling, and the final coroner’s report on Tim’s death. Pittsford’s writing is conversational and easily digested, but various spelling and grammatical errors distract from her narrative; for example, misspelling the Italian word “paesanos” as “pizanos” and using the word “perspective” instead of “respective.” Pittsford comes across as the ideal Christian woman, never questioning God’s will but choosing to follow His plan, regardless of her grief and uncertainty. Some readers may be inspired by her religious strength, while others may find it difficult to relate to this particular grieving method.
A book that will be most appreciated by loved ones affected by this tragedy and those open to a similar response to grief.Pub Date: Aug. 19, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-5127-0572-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
From the national correspondent for PBS's MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour: a moving memoir of her youth in the Deep South and her role in desegregating the Univ. of Georgia. The eldest daughter of an army chaplain, Hunter-Gault was born in what she calls the ``first of many places that I would call `my place' ''—the small village of Due West, tucked away in a remote little corner of South Carolina. While her father served in Korea, Hunter-Gault and her mother moved first to Covington, Georgia, and then to Atlanta. In ``L.A.'' (lovely Atlanta), surrounded by her loving family and a close-knit black community, the author enjoyed a happy childhood participating in activities at church and at school, where her intellectual and leadership abilities soon were noticed by both faculty and peers. In high school, Hunter-Gault found herself studying the ``comic-strip character Brenda Starr as I might have studied a journalism textbook, had there been one.'' Determined to be a journalist, she applied to several colleges—all outside of Georgia, for ``to discourage the possibility that a black student would even think of applying to one of those white schools, the state provided money for black students'' to study out of state. Accepted at Michigan's Wayne State, the author was encouraged by local civil-rights leaders to apply, along with another classmate, to the Univ. of Georgia as well. Her application became a test of changing racial attitudes, as well as of the growing strength of the civil-rights movement in the South, and Gault became a national figure as she braved an onslaught of hostilities and harassment to become the first black woman to attend the university. A remarkably generous, fair-minded account of overcoming some of the biggest, and most intractable, obstacles ever deployed by southern racists. (Photographs—not seen.)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-374-17563-2
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1992
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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