Customer Reviews

Beyond Survival

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I had an opportunity to hear Dr. Coffee speak in California this past summer. To say he left the room speechless was an understatement. Inspiration,patriotism and an acknowledgment of our God were messages he left with us.

The book goes into great detail about the spirit of man and the strength that lies within each of us. His years spent in North Vietnam as a POW and the indomitable spirit required to survive unheard of torture is an incredible tale. Dr. Coffee states that he is an ordinary man much like everyone else - he merely endured extraordinary circumstances. I think not!

This book should be required reading in our high schools. To hear Dr. Coffee speak or to read his book will make one proud to be an American. I strongly urge you all to read this uplifting and incredible saga of an incredible human being.

This book reads like a novel. Not only is it about Captain Coffe as a POW but as a son, husband, father and a friend. His courage, faith and humor leave one feeling that they too can have all of these principles, no matter who you are or where you've come from. That there's nothing that life throws at us that we can't overcome and prevail. You walk away feeling as if you know Capt. Coffee and would be honored if he was your friend. An experience not to miss - highly recommended for any age group.

Gerald Coffee really goes "Beyond Survival" with his seven years of POW experience in a North Vietnamese Prison, (the infamous "Hanoi Hilton") during the Viet-Nam War. Just when I thought things could not get any worse for Coffee, they did. Broken and beaten he continues to survive one day to the next by maintaining his faith in God and a belief that the US Government would someday come to his assistance. Father, Husband, Soldier, and Hero, his story struck deep in my heart. He is an inspiration to all of us to "make each day count".

What would you do if everything you hold dear was forcibly taken away? Jerry Coffee had that happen to him in North Viet Nam. After being shot down and wounded, he spends years in torturous conditions in Hanoi prisons. One thing that moved me most was the fact that even though he was confined alone in a tiny cell, he still gave himself so many chores and educational assignments to perform (such as studying French) that on some days he was unable to finish all of his tasks. Now that is optimism!

This book looks at a man with a comfortable, happy life who is forced to endure hell on earth as a Vietnam POW. The struggles he faced to the small personal victories that got him through are all applicable in our own lives. Through the book, the author also offers a keen perspective on the Vietnam Conflict.

I was given this book in 1998. Pulled it off the shelf in Hawaii while on vacation in the winter of 2008. Inspirational from start to finish, no wonder Jerry is one of the top 10 speakers in the country. I couldn't put it down. I have sent this book as a gift several times. Highly recomend it.