Customer Reviews

The Brooke Ellison Story: One Mother, One Daughter, One Journey

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I HAVE NEVER, IN MY LIFE READ A MORE POIGNANT BOOK IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! ALL THE THINGS THAT THIS FAMILY HAS BEEN THROUGH ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! THE BOOK IS SO ELOQUENTLY WRITTEN IT BOUGHT ME TO TEARS ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS! THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE.

For anyone who believes the idea of completing an education requires an enormous amount of hard work and perseverance, wait until you read about Brooke Ellison and her mother, Jean. Following a car accident at age eleven which left Brooke paralized from the neck down, Jean was determined that her daughter would not simply exist on the sidelines but that she would, indeed, have a productive and fulfilling life. Jean's encouragement, love and determination held Brooke steadfast each and every step of the way, until ten years later Brooke graduated from Harvard University, making her the first quadriplegic to do so. The book alternates in chapters between Brooke's recollections and those of her mother.

What intrigued me the most about the book was the overwhelming and, at times, almost insurmountable odds that Brooke and her mother had to overcome. By the time the last page was reached, I was ready to give a standing ovation for Brooke's accomplishments as she gives her graduation speech. The book is so beautifully written, it will leave the reader with a tear in their eye, and make whatever obstacles they feel they most overcome to achieve their goals, very insignificant compared to Brooke's trials and tribulations. This is an amazingly inspiring story which is due to be released as a television movie.

Brooke Ellison's magnificent achievements, both because and in spite of her disability, can't help but inspire the reader. Her biography is both a tribute to her and to her loving family, especially her mother. I didn't find the story lacking because it didn't discuss her daily life and limitations in depth; I think perhaps she wanted to maintain SOME privacy in a life that of necessity has sacrificed so much of it, and the whole point of her story is that Brooke is not defined by her disability. I think the true tragedy of her accident was not that she was so severely changed, but that we were all so nearly robbed of a remarkable and gifted human being. I wish Brooke and her family well, and hope to see her on the speaking tour. Five stars for an inspiring story.

Since writing a less than glowing review [below], I have had time to think and reflect on this book, and am upgrading my review to 5 stars. I initially thought the book too sappy, but I kept thinking about it, and coming back to read passages of it, and that's the sign of a great book.

I also saw Brooke on Larry King, and she was amazingly articulate, compassionate, smart and beautiful. It was not just that she was "inspirational" for all she had gone through: she was also incredibly intelligent [not surprising, given her Harvard education], and is using her enegies to do great things.

She spoke about her experiences in such a thoughtful way. I have since done some research and found articles Brooke has written on a web site dealing with disabilities.

I have read, and promptly forgotten, a lot of mediocre books, but this is one I'll remember, so change my review to a wholehearted recommedation.

A wonderful book about an AMAZING FAMILY. The book does not preach or teach about disabilities. It is not about what she can not do. It is a book about what you CAN do. In my opinion, this is the story of one family and their quest to take care of one another and do right by their family and each other. I love the format of the book. Brooke & Jean take turns writing about similiar events that they encountered during this ten year time frame. (Very hard to get too in-depth and too detailed when writing about such a large time frame.) I have read this book to my 6th grade students (a great example of point of view and perspective since two authors are writing about the same experiences.) A great book for mothers to buy for their daughters or vice versa. (And as always, the book is much better than the movie.) I highly recommend this book.

This book was truly inspirational. What happened to Brooke is a horrible thing, but her focus,determination and true devotion to others truly makes me want to be a better person. Jean's selfless dedication to her daughter makes me appreciate my parents even more then I already do. The book has an interesting approach in that the same, overlapping story is told from two different perspectives. It is refreshing to have an honest first hand look at love, devotion and the importance of family and friends during this unsettling time in American History. Bravo Brooke and Jean...Can't wait for the next one!

Brook Ellison really could be an inspiration to us all.Her positive outlook and her "go get em" attitude really is inspiring. That said, her mother Jean is a phenomenal women. I cannot imagine getting up everyday,7 days a week,24 hours a day at 4;00 am to bath,dress,feed,and groom another human being. Would I do it for my daughters? Of course,but it is easy to say that when you are not in the same situation. Let's face it,we have all griped about having to drop them at friends homes,going to pick them up at school when they are sick etc....This woman is one to definitely be admired. The other day I was on a message board reading all these nitwits gush on about a certain mobsters daughter and how much they admire her...WHY??? I posted about this book and this extraordinary woman, truly God blessed Brook with having Jean as a mom. I also think she was blessed by all the sacrifices her brother,sister and father made as well to make her dream come true. Brook's sister stated in an interview that the movie does not have their Grandmother in it and they should have, as she was the one who cared for the rest of the family when Brook and her mom were away. Jean is truly a modern day hero. God Bless the whole Ellison family.

This biography/autobiography was amazing. It pulls you in right from the beginning and keeps you there. It is a sad book, but it has happy times and it can make you laugh and cry. The Brooke Ellison Story was very well written. Each chapter switches back and forth from the daughters' perspective, to the mothers' perspective. It was absolutely wonderful.

On Brooke Ellison's first day of seventh grade she was hit by a car on her way home from school and left paralyzed from her neck down, and relying on a respirator for her every breath. This story tells how she made it through, and 10 years later graduated from college.

Reading this book has opened my eyes to reality, and what happens almost every day to people around the world. Reading this book, on how she lived was astonishing. All the things Brooke accomplished even though she was paralyzed, was amazing.

"Try to imagine being in a chair with your feet bound and your hands tied behind your back. Then imagine being on a machine that gives you thirteen breaths per minute and doesn't allow you to sigh, or take a deep breath when you feel you need one. Then imagine never being able to use the bathroom or shower when you want to, to brush you teeth, feed yourself, scratch an itch, or wipe your eyes if you need to cry. Imagine never having any privacy, not being able to be physically intimate, or never being able to hug someone when you really want to. Compound that with sleepless nights when you are unable to breathe, equipment failures that threaten your life, and wheelchair malfunctions that leave you stranded in bed. Then put yourself in one of the most rigorous academic settings in the world and ask yourself to read thousands of pages of text without being able to turn the pages; attend lectures, seminars, and labs in all kinds of god-awful weather, study, prepare papers, take tests, and then do an original independent research thesis, submit it on time, and ultimately defend it. That will just start to scratch the surface of what it's like for Brooke." - Jean Ellison

I recommend this book to people who enjoy books that reach out to you and drag you in, only letting you go when you finally decide to close the book. Books that you say you're going to stop, but then you find you are ten pages later already. This books brings tears and laugher, and is wonderful.

This is a terrific book, and beautifully written by the Ellisons. Their story is completely true in a way that most such stories aren't. The Ellisons are one of the loveliest and bravest families you will ever encounter, and Brooke's story is both a grim reminder of the dangers we all face, and the wonders of the spirit. I think that many people who are struggling will find hope in this volume.

I find it disgusting that people are choosing to use this forum as a chat room. This space is designed to share opinions on products... to help someone choose how to spend a buck or two. People really need to just stop. You should know that I am a disabled American and thank God that stories like this exist. Sure, for the vast majority of severly disabled people the realities of life do not afford them the opportunities that Brooke Ellison had... But who cares? If in sharing her story it empowers just one disabled person to try harder or to push harder to be more then the book is a success. The book can also succeed if perhaps it motivates able-bodied people respect their opportunites more! God Bless the Ellison's for what they were able to acheive! May they capitalize on any level of the attention they can... they earned it!