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niniane's review against another edition
4.0
Two Idaho best friends (one in wheelchair) do the Camino.
It had lessons about:
- giving up "fear disguised as safety"
- welcoming help from others
- the "miracle" is not removing the hardship, the miracle is developing the peace and grace to face it with tranquility
It had lessons about:
- giving up "fear disguised as safety"
- welcoming help from others
- the "miracle" is not removing the hardship, the miracle is developing the peace and grace to face it with tranquility
tylercritchfield's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Wonderful. I'd happily recommend this to anyone. Go read this book!
eahaynes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
huntermatthew's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
liralen's review against another edition
4.0
I saw the trailer for the movie I’ll Push You a year or two ago, and I’ve wanted to see it ever since. That hasn’t happened yet, but I did manage to get a copy of the book. The story is pretty straightforward: two guys, best friends their whole lives. Skeesuck has a progressive neuromuscular disease that has left him confined to a wheelchair and reliant on others for his care. He heard about the Camino and told Gray. I’ll push you, said Gray.
If you haven’t done the Camino Frances yourself, the first thing you need to know is that it’s not designed for wheel(chair)s. For mountain bikes ridden by ropy-muscled enthusiasts, sure. Parts of it. But not for wheelchairs. There are places that are flat, even road; there are just as many places that are steep and rocky and muddy and deeply rutted. The first day, if you start from St. Jean Pied-de-Port, comprises one of the most challenging sections—a climb through the Pyrenees. I’m fit and used to walking long distances, and I struggled through the mountains, gasping for breath at the top of each rise. And guys, I was sure as hell not pushing someone else in a wheelchair.
I am hard-hearted and miserly with my emotions (this is what being half Scottish and half Canadian does to you), but I’ll Push You managed to pull just about every one of my few heartstrings. There are many things here that do not resonate with me—starting with the health context, sure, but also just that they both seem rather more traditional and white-picket-fence-y than I am (I dismantled my fence to build a raft and go have an adventure instead), and the fact that they take religion as something of a matter of course. But…that’s not the point. The point is that this is a very well put-together story of friendship and perseverance and the kindness of strangers. It would have been very easy to sensationalise the whole thing, but they were smarter than that—it’s a plenty powerful story on its own. And—because people-helping-people YouTube clips are some of the very few things that can make me cry on command—the movie is probably going to make me cry.
As I stand alongside my best friend at the top of the Pyrenees Mountains, I realize that my why has evolved since Justin first told me about the Camino.
At first, it was simply because he asked me to go.
Then it was because people told us we'd never make it.
Though my why has changed, the how never has. It has always been together. (81)
If you haven’t done the Camino Frances yourself, the first thing you need to know is that it’s not designed for wheel(chair)s. For mountain bikes ridden by ropy-muscled enthusiasts, sure. Parts of it. But not for wheelchairs. There are places that are flat, even road; there are just as many places that are steep and rocky and muddy and deeply rutted. The first day, if you start from St. Jean Pied-de-Port, comprises one of the most challenging sections—a climb through the Pyrenees. I’m fit and used to walking long distances, and I struggled through the mountains, gasping for breath at the top of each rise. And guys, I was sure as hell not pushing someone else in a wheelchair.
I am hard-hearted and miserly with my emotions (this is what being half Scottish and half Canadian does to you), but I’ll Push You managed to pull just about every one of my few heartstrings. There are many things here that do not resonate with me—starting with the health context, sure, but also just that they both seem rather more traditional and white-picket-fence-y than I am (I dismantled my fence to build a raft and go have an adventure instead), and the fact that they take religion as something of a matter of course. But…that’s not the point. The point is that this is a very well put-together story of friendship and perseverance and the kindness of strangers. It would have been very easy to sensationalise the whole thing, but they were smarter than that—it’s a plenty powerful story on its own. And—because people-helping-people YouTube clips are some of the very few things that can make me cry on command—the movie is probably going to make me cry.
As I stand alongside my best friend at the top of the Pyrenees Mountains, I realize that my why has evolved since Justin first told me about the Camino.
At first, it was simply because he asked me to go.
Then it was because people told us we'd never make it.
Though my why has changed, the how never has. It has always been together. (81)
michellef's review against another edition
5.0
"I`ll Push You" is an inspirational memoir by authors Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck. I wanted to read this book for the challenge set by the authors as they took a 500-mile pilgrimage, one walking the other in a wheelchair. There is a map that charts their journey, and a few pictures posted throughout the book.
Justin has multifocal acquired motor axonopathy (MAMA). He acquired MAMA during his high school years and it progressively became worse. Beginning with his left foot and over time to where he needed a wheelchair. He is handling this better than most people would.
Their trek is from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I think the authors were motivated to share their story to show that no matter the circumstances we can always rise above them. You never know how long you have to live so make the most of each day.
The funniest part of this book was when their cab driver was fitting Justin and his wheelchair into his hunchbacked version of a Mini Cooper and he let out an explosion of bodily gas. The driver said, "Oh, I made an unfortunate sound." (see page 64) What I liked most about the book was the teamwork it took to get in shape for and succeed at the pilgrimage.
With every unbelievable challenge set before them, they would have enough reason to quit, even after just the first day. On that first day, they had to travel through black muck which Patrick thought was pavement, from a distance. Parts of the journey was more grueling than they had imagined. I like the quote found in the book, "The impossible is possible."
I learned that the way to make close friends and keep them is to choose to share life's adventures together.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."
Justin has multifocal acquired motor axonopathy (MAMA). He acquired MAMA during his high school years and it progressively became worse. Beginning with his left foot and over time to where he needed a wheelchair. He is handling this better than most people would.
Their trek is from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I think the authors were motivated to share their story to show that no matter the circumstances we can always rise above them. You never know how long you have to live so make the most of each day.
The funniest part of this book was when their cab driver was fitting Justin and his wheelchair into his hunchbacked version of a Mini Cooper and he let out an explosion of bodily gas. The driver said, "Oh, I made an unfortunate sound." (see page 64) What I liked most about the book was the teamwork it took to get in shape for and succeed at the pilgrimage.
With every unbelievable challenge set before them, they would have enough reason to quit, even after just the first day. On that first day, they had to travel through black muck which Patrick thought was pavement, from a distance. Parts of the journey was more grueling than they had imagined. I like the quote found in the book, "The impossible is possible."
I learned that the way to make close friends and keep them is to choose to share life's adventures together.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own."
libraryrobin's review against another edition
3.0
A lovely inclusive story about selfless friendship and love. A bit of a tearjerker.