Solomon's Porch: The Story of Ben and Rose [Paperback]

Jane Riley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 20, 2001

Guillain-Barre' syndrome is more than a disease: it is a disaster. SOLOMON'S PORCH, THE STORY OF BEN AND ROSE, is the intimate fictional account of one family's struggle with an ailment that left Ben Windham paralyzed and his relationships with people changed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jane Riley describes in beautiful, moving prose the difficulties of maintaining a loving relationship in the midst of illnes. -- Beth Jacks, usadeepsouth.com, 2001

From the Author

What do you do when your husband–your lover–is becoming paralyzed, you don't know what is happening, and no one seems to be able to stop it?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: AmErica House (October 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158851207X
• ISBN-13: 978-1588512079
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,143,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Touching Love Story, January 12, 2002

By 

K. Bosworth (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Solomon's Porch: The Story of Ben and Rose (Paperback)

I recently finished reading Solomon's Porch and found it to be a beautifully written love story. Ben and Rose are a devoted couple through some very difficult times. Ben suffers from Guillain-Barre Syndrome and the love and care that he receives from his wife Rose is inspirational. The story is not told as a self-pity book, but rather told through the eyes of love while holding on to a sense of humor.

Caring for an ill loved one is a very traumatic experience. Trying to hold on to a sense of normalacy is difficult indeed. I would highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in reading a story of adversity, hope, and love.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Literary masterpiece!, October 27, 2001

By 

Lynn Barry (Lynn Barry, author of "Puddles" and "Bjoyfl") - See all my reviews

This review is from: Solomon's Porch: The Story of Ben and Rose (Paperback)

This review is by Lynn Barry, author of Puddles

Solomon's Porch by Jane Riley is a book that takes the reader through the experience of being a prisoner in your own body and loving and caring for someone who is. Riley's masterpiece allows the reader to feel as if they are actually inside the daily lives of Ben and his wife Rose. After finishing Solomon's Porch, the reader will be exhausted, almost as they had just been on a major roller coaster at a theme park. The pain and suffering and trials and tribulations this remarkable couple go through are lightened by their obvious love for each other and commitment to see things through, no matter how dark the journey may become.
Ben falls ill and test after test does not seem to bring the couple any closer to finding a reason for his pyhsical problems. He has very little control of his motor abilities from his shoulders down, almost as if he is paralyzed. And yet the couple keeps plugging along through procedure after procedure, hospital rooms, rehabilitation programs, and even surgeries.
The key the reader will soon discover is Ben's attitude about life. "I can make anything into a party," he says at one point in the story. And Rose's strength in caring for the love of her life is captured in the following, "...she visualized herself in the eye of a hurricane. Others were whirling around her but she was composed, aloof, and in control."
Riley writes with a style that literally brings the reader into the lives of these remarkable people and feels their minutes of joy here and there, and just plain entertains them with a story that could be riddled with self pity but instead triumphs in strenghths of mankind to persevere even when afflicted with Guillain-Barre' syndrome.
Riley effectively flashes back in time during the story to the early years in the lives of both Ben and Rose to further develop the uniqueness of their character and unbreakable spirits. This extremely serious story has many humorous moments, which further demonstrates that Riley is truly a gifted writer.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, especially for anyone touched by serious illness, November 12, 2001

By 

Jameson Gregg (St. Simons Island, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Solomon's Porch: The Story of Ben and Rose (Paperback)

Jane Riley masterfully connects the reader with the roller coaster-like experience of Ben and Rose. Ben is eventually diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disease, but the trials and tribulations can be analogous to any serious disease, illness or condition. Seeing how Ben and Rose cope can help anyone else cope, whether the patient, care-giver or other loved one. Their "can do" attitude is an inspiration. They deal not only with the disease and the in-exact medical world, but also the prejudices heaped on the handicapped.