Customer Reviews

Into That Good Night

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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As a former student of Ron Rozelle's, I am both excited and proud to finally find a book listed under his name. He has managed to evoke East Texas with a clarity and simplicity that reminds me of one of his (and my) favorite authors, Ernest Hemingway. Yet Ron's voice is uniquely his own.

Throughout this brief, quietly courageous memoir which focuses on the beauty and fragility of memory, Ron reveals much about himself and his family -- both humorous and painful. By doing so, he has revealed much about our struggles with age and the ways our memories, the places where we once lived, and even the people we love can fade in and out of focus -- and, sometimes, be lost forever. Fortunately, we have writers like Ron to capture and hold those memories for all of us.

Ron alludes to my own home town, Palestine, Texas, frequently in his book. I have seen Palestine change over the years since I was a child, and I found my emotions about many of those changes echoed in Ron's memories of his own nearby home town of Oakwood.

Congratulations, Ron. Passages of your book continue to reverberate in my mind -- and, I'm sure, the minds of many others. For a book about the fragility of memory, that is no small accomplishment.

Rozelle's memoir of life in Texas drifts easily between his childhood, one in which he idolized his father and feared/misunderstood his mother, and his adulthood as he father descends into dementia. This poignant story paints a vivid picture of a time of innocence and security, of schools where teachers are in charge, and parents are not trying to be "buddies." Each of the characters, from Brown to Miss Mae and Uncle Gaston, is painted with a light, unique touch. This book brought me both wise words and tears.

It is a wonderful experience.

The simple title belies a great author and an even greater reading experiance.

The author writes so that you actually *feel* you are there and know the streets and towns and things he speaks of and what you couldn't possibly see with your minds eye--he makes you feel with your heart.

A"MUST-READ" for anyone who has ever had a death made worse, by things left unspoken.

Into That Good Night may well be the best book I've ever read. Having been raised in a small Texas town in the same era, it really hit home. Ron's story of life's experiences, of loves and losses, is a heart felt story that is enjoyable and easy to read. It is a wonderfully written story of growing up when racism was really becoming an issue in the south, of his beloved father's Alzheimers, and much, much more. I highly recommend this book.

THIS BOOK COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED ME. I LIVED IT ONCE, AND NOW I'VE LIVED IN AGAIN THROUGH RON'S EYES. THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE OUR FATHER. HE TAUGHT US INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, HONESTY, AND LOVE WITH HIS QUIET WAYS AND GENTLY DEMEANOR. HE WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE TO ME. IT WAS SO HARD TO SEE WHAT HE HAD BECOME WHEN ALZHEIMERS TOOK OVER. HE HAD THE SAME SWEET DEMEANOR, BUT SOMETIMES DIDN'T RECOGNIZE US. IT WAS HARD, AND RON TOLD THE STORY BEAUTIFULLY. I CAN JUST SEE OUR DAD'S BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES TWINKLE IN PLEASURE. THANK YOU RON FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT. I LOVE YOU...DIANE

A beautifully written memoir by Ron Rozelle whose father had Alzheimer's. Set in the author's hometown, a small town in east Texas, this account reflects not only on the time Alzheimer's affected his dad, but there are flashbacks to his years of growing up in that town and remembered incidents in his family. This book, deservingly so, was a PEN America West Creative Nonfiction Prize finalist and a Texas Institute of Letters Carr P. Collins Nonfiction Award finalist. It is good, relaxing reading as a coming-of-age in a small town story as well as an Alzheimer's memoir.

My parents grew up in Oakwood and knew Ron's father, and that's why I read this book. However, it's a beautifully written story, and you don't have to have an Oakwood or Texas connection to appreciate it. It's a very real slice of life and captures moments with poignancy and realism. I felt like I was there with him during all parts of the story. Oprah-this is your kind of book-a wonderful snapshot of simple but complex nuances of small town life. Bravo, Ron!

I am a student of Mr. Rozelle at St. Thomas High School in Houston, Tx. After reading Mr. Rozelle's book and attending his creative writing course; I now love to write. He awakened the writer inside of me. His enthusiastic styles of teaching and this incredible book have inspired me to write a memoir of my own. I firmly suggest that all persons read this book, despite certain taste. It is a masterpiece that everyone can relate to. Thank you Mr. Rozelle; for inspiring me to become a fellow lover of the art of writing.

This book stole my heart. It should be required reading from the high school years on through coll ege. It is one man's soul speaking for the souls of so many others even though the situationals might vary. An excellent insight into what is really important.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! I devoured it in a day. Beautifully written.