Customer Reviews

A Full House But Empty

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is the life story of Angus Munro, a Canadian-born grade school dropout who succeeds in both his career goals and life in general, despite seemingly overwhelming odds. Along the way, he manages not only to find self-fulfillment, but enriches the lives of many others he comes in contact with.

From the beginning the cards are stacked against young Angus. He is born during the Great Depression and at a very young age must endure an illness requiring a lengthy hospital stay. It is during this very fragile time he learns his mother is no longer there to care for him, having left his father and the family. His new life soon becomes one of "ordered chaos" and uncertainty, as well as responsibility thrust on him much too soon. Angus weathers the many challenges and adversity of those early years and learns character lessons that help him succeed in the remainder of his adult life.

This book is full of colorful stories told in vivid detail that remind and teach us of the importance of perseverance in overcoming obstacles and the resilience of the human spirit. Being a former healthcare executive and consultant myself for many years, I especially appreciated and could relate to the work experiences shared by Mr. Munro during his long and successful career. His message is that true success comes not only by having the courage to face the challenges that come your way, but by putting others first and treating people the way you want to be treated. These were principles instilled in him by his father at a young age and they helped shape him as a person and turn a "not so promising" start into a very successful and rewarding finish. I highly recommend this very inspirational book.

Bob Snyder

When I began reading A Full House-But Empty, I heard my grandpa's voice. The anecdotes, that are in this book reminded me of when my grandpa would tell stories of when he was growing up.

Angus Munro's memoir was very interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining. My favorite part of the book was when Mr. Munro wrote about when he was growing up in the depression. Even though his family was short money, they found ways to get their needs meet. Mr. Munro and his friend Cecil had many adventures together that were very nostalgic. What they did growing up, children do not do today.

When I was reading the second part of the book, which focuses mainly on his business life, I was thinking that people who are in business especially in customer service should read this book. Because Mr. Munro talks about how to treat people both co-workers and patients in a positive way and the rewards one will get because they treat people nicely. Mr. Munro does not ignore employees who do not do their job, he talks to them openly and honestly about what they had to do to become a more consciousness employee. Some people were thankful in that moment, others over time and then they would come back to tell Mr. Munro thanks. Again the rewards of being honest.

There were times when I was reading an anecdote, that I wanted more. For example, when Mr. Munro was writing about Bob and how Bob was asking all of the questions about how Mr. Munro does things at work. Mr. Munro ends the passage with his avocation was piloting private smaller planes. I want to know more and I wanted to know how did Mr. Munro know this.

This memoir is about hope and how one does not have to deal with the cards they are dealt. That with hard work and perseverance one can overcome many things. There are many lessons in this book and Mr. Munro dose a recap as to what one learns from certain passages.

This autobiography is not your traditional autobiography in that it is about a famous person. This book is about an ordinary man who has done ordinary things and what we can learn from his life experiences and maybe if we look at our life we might have stories and lessons to learn as well.

This book hit home very early on for me. At the age of 3, Angus suffers from appendicitis which causes him a lengthy hospital stay. Once released from the hospital, he returns to a home that his mother has left, without so much as a goodbye. Even though Angus's father is not perfect (by a long shot), I applaud the fact that he raised his children during the Great Depression and they never wanted for anything. I too was raised by a single parent who worked hard her entire life to provide for me, and like Angus's father, she isn't perfect but I admire her more than she knows. There is nothing harder, I imagine, than trying to raise a child by yourself when food and money are scarce.

In this autobiography, Angus takes you down the path of his life - a path strewn with obstacles many of us can only imagine. Yet, in the end his conviction and strength carries him through it all. To say he had a hard life would truly be an understatement. After he drops out of school at 14, he isn't sure what his life will become. He holds various jobs, and has some time to visit relatives on both sides of his family that he had never met. The descriptive tone used is so nice to read, it makes you feel like you are sitting there with Angus, experiencing the things he is describing. I also love the way he draws on the positives of each experience and tells us the lesson he learned, whether good or bad. It is something I think the world needs more of today - we all have bad things happen, try to learn from them and move on, there's always tomorrow.

One of the other amazing things is the detail this story is told in. Many of these events happened MANY years ago, yet you never feel as if you are lacking for information. The only thing I would have liked to heard more of was some of his personal life experiences as he got older. Otherwise, this is truly and excellent read, and something that has a lesson in it for all of us.

The Great Depression was a devastating event for many families, both economically and emotionally. "A Full House - But Empty: A Memoir with a Message" Is Angus Munro's recollection of his life growing up in the swing of the Great Depression. Raised by a single father when his mother left the household, he sings his father's praises for doing what few men ever face. The lessons learned from his father set him on the right track in life, making "A Full House - But Empty" an inspiring tale for many a reader.

In his autobiography, A Full House - But Empty, author Angus Munro shares his life journey that conveys optimistic and warm messages of strength, resolve, determination, and principle. At the age of three, Munro's mother leaves his father and family, and his father becomes a single parent. The traumatic experience changes Angus' life. Living in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada during the Depression, his childhood is a chronicle of traumatic change, sense of isolation, and added responsibilities to his family. At age fourteen, Angus drops out of school and begins his passage to adulthood. His journey takes him through various parts of Canada where he learns about his family and their values. His story is filled with anecdotes and tales of his work experience that includes working in retail, as a busboy, at a carnival, and on farms. Within his stories, readers experience how the places, people, family, jobs, and co-workers shaped Munro's work ethic and taught him such values as integrity, dignity, accepting responsibility, and kindness.

How his experiences during his youth influence adulthood are highlighted as he draws on his experiences as hindrances and advantages to how he confronts and resolves problems in the work place. Most of his stories come from a lifetime of work experience that included the Oil Industry and Hospital Administration in California and Alaska. From each detailed account, readers will identify with positive messages about obtaining a harmonious and fulfilling life.

What is so remarkable is how the stories are so vividly described and detailed. Munro addresses the importance of education to succeed, but there are skills that textbooks cannot demonstrate. Interacting and respecting all coworkers regardless of their position, listening and acknowledging, a willingness to undertake tasks beneath your position, and interacting with staff and clients, are key elements to a successful and productive work life. His stories are about a journey of human communication and how each person he came in contact with positively influenced his life. He embraced their positive attributes and incorporated them into his own life. Many of his anecdotes are comical, particularly the incident where he sent a Valentine card to a Nun and signed a co-workers name. As the book mostly focuses on his work experiences, I would have liked to have learned more about how he coped and drew strength from such tragic losses as the death of significant family members and his divorces.

Through his stories, Munro shares a lifetime of experience. A fundamental message readers will take away from his stories: It is true that it is better to give than receive, but more importantly, giving without expecting to receive makes life more enjoyable and rewarding. When you do receive, the experience will be more heartfelt and gratifying. The memory will last forever.

Tracy Roberts, Write Field Services