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momreaderh's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book! Very engaging story of the power of the human spirit, and the difference one person can make. Also made me think. Took less than 24 hours to read--pretty close to couldn't put it down.
meezcarrie's review against another edition
4.0
Carry On by Lisa Fenn is a nonfiction book, yes, but it reads like a story. And what a powerful and engaging story it is!
Full of humor and heart and life, Carry On is an inspiring story of two determined young men who forge a friendship against all odds… and a woman who gives them permission and strength to carry on. It’s not a safe story; rather, it’s one that will motivate you out of your comfort zone and across “perceived barriers of race and class” and disability. At times heartwrenching, it’s also an uplifting reminder that God sees and He cares and He never lets go…. and that more times than not He wants us to be His hand that extends to help someone up.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
See my full review on Reading Is My SuperPower
Full of humor and heart and life, Carry On is an inspiring story of two determined young men who forge a friendship against all odds… and a woman who gives them permission and strength to carry on. It’s not a safe story; rather, it’s one that will motivate you out of your comfort zone and across “perceived barriers of race and class” and disability. At times heartwrenching, it’s also an uplifting reminder that God sees and He cares and He never lets go…. and that more times than not He wants us to be His hand that extends to help someone up.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
See my full review on Reading Is My SuperPower
katie_cooper's review against another edition
5.0
This was definitely one of my favorite reads. Loved the story line and the author's honesty about having to work through prejudice in her own heart, as well as the difficulties she and the boys encountered. Highly recommend!
crystalmazzuca80's review against another edition
5.0
An incredible story that is heartbreaking and sobering while also being inspiring. It really causes you to ponder the cycle of poverty and how incredibly difficult it is to escape. Yet the friendship these boys develop with each other and the author gives hope to even the darkest of situations.
charwill's review against another edition
5.0
What a fantastic and inspiring story. And what a helpful reminder of the long-term effects of poverty and trauma and how one person can be a catalyst for healing.
gwalt118's review against another edition
5.0
What a joy. The story and the storyteller are superb. Lisa Fenn wonderfully sheds a light on many of the issues within systemic poverty. Dartanyon and Leroy are kind young men that have just about every obstacle in their path. But, with the help of Fenn and the kindness of others, they manage to succeed above and beyond their wildest dreams. Fenn is a masterful storyteller, and she is vulnerable about her own journey with reconciling her white privilege as she tells the young men's stories. If you still believe that America is a country of individual will where we can all pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps or whatever, then you need to read this book. It will cause you to question that assumption. The truth is, we really need the help and kindness of others to pull ourselves up. And, if we're lucky enough to be privileged in any way, then we should be figuring out how to help those who aren't.
bibliochemist's review against another edition
inspiring
5.0
~a book that will surely make you cry~
Lisa Fenn, a reporter for ESPN, recounts a story that turned her life on its head, all starting from hearing about two teenage boys on a high school wrestling team in inner city Cleveland - one of whom was legally blind, and one of whom had no legs from a terrible childhood train accident.
I think what I loved most about this story was the depth of sacrifice and the even greater depth of love on full display. There were so many moments that couldn’t be tied up with a pretty bow, or fixed simply by throwing money at the situation. The dedication here is unreal, and I think I welled up with tears half a dozen times.
A favorite quote from the end:
“There was once a time I believed that blessings were things we possessed —stable jobs, good health, promising opportunities. I believed these were Heaven’s rewards for living well. But now I understand that a blessing has less to do with what we have and everything to do with what we are able to give. I understand that blessings come from being part of a redemptive journey here on earth and allowing God to work out the injustices through us. Blessings come when we walk alongside another to pick up the broken pieces and together restore the beauty.”
Lisa Fenn, a reporter for ESPN, recounts a story that turned her life on its head, all starting from hearing about two teenage boys on a high school wrestling team in inner city Cleveland - one of whom was legally blind, and one of whom had no legs from a terrible childhood train accident.
I think what I loved most about this story was the depth of sacrifice and the even greater depth of love on full display. There were so many moments that couldn’t be tied up with a pretty bow, or fixed simply by throwing money at the situation. The dedication here is unreal, and I think I welled up with tears half a dozen times.
A favorite quote from the end:
“There was once a time I believed that blessings were things we possessed —stable jobs, good health, promising opportunities. I believed these were Heaven’s rewards for living well. But now I understand that a blessing has less to do with what we have and everything to do with what we are able to give. I understand that blessings come from being part of a redemptive journey here on earth and allowing God to work out the injustices through us. Blessings come when we walk alongside another to pick up the broken pieces and together restore the beauty.”
sarahhughes03's review against another edition
5.0
This book was incredible. The story of these young men and their lives is heartbreaking and uplifting over and over again. Lisa does a beautiful job of telling “a story of resilience, redemption, and an unlikely family.” I read this for a summer book club for The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey and am so glad she chose this book!
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