Life Is So Good
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4.6 • 136 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
One man’s extraordinary journey through the twentieth century and how he learned to read at age 98
“Things will be all right. People need to hear that. Life is good, just as it is. There isn’t anything I would change about my life.”—George Dawson
In this remarkable book, George Dawson, a slave’s grandson who learned to read at age 98 and lived to the age of 103, reflects on his life and shares valuable lessons in living, as well as a fresh, firsthand view of America during the entire sweep of the twentieth century. Richard Glaubman captures Dawson’s irresistible voice and view of the world, offering insights into humanity, history, hardships, and happiness. From segregation and civil rights, to the wars and the presidents, to defining moments in history, George Dawson’s description and assessment of the last century inspires readers with the message that has sustained him through it all: “Life is so good. I do believe it’s getting better.”
WINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER AWARD
“A remarkable autobiography . . . . the feel-good story of the year.”—The Christian Science Monitor
“A testament to the power of perseverance.”—USA Today
“Life Is So Good is about character, soul and spirit. . . . The pride in standing his ground is matched—maybe even exceeded—by the accomplishment of [George Dawson’s] hard-won education.”—The Washington Post
“Eloquent . . . engrossing . . . an astonishing and unforgettable memoir.”—Publishers Weekly
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APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
When a person who’s lived for over a century says that life is good, you find yourself believing them. Born in Texas in 1898, George Dawson was the grandson of formerly enslaved people. In this incredible account, he talks about the things he’s witnessed and experienced throughout his long life, from lynchings, Jim Crow laws, and Civil Rights legislation, to learning to read at the age of 98. Fascinatingly, even when co-author Richard Glaubman asks about greater historical events, Dawson’s perspective always remains grounded and personal. He spent his century appreciating the simple things—like having food to eat and a roof over his head, even while living in a society that was indifferent to his very survival. Dawson, who died in 2001, saw America at its worst, but his optimism will keep you believing that brighter days are ahead.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A 101-year-old retired laborer who enrolled in a literacy class near his Dallas, Tex., home at the age of 98, George Dawson now reads and writes on a third-grade level. From Dawson's eloquent words, co-writer Glaubman, a Seattle elementary school teacher, has fashioned two engrossing stories. First is the inspiring saga of how someone who was the grandson of a slave managed to navigate the brutally segregated small Texas town of Marshall, where Dawson was born, without losing his integrity or enjoyment of life. Although he worked from an early age and was never able to attend school, Dawson credits his strong family, especially his father, for giving him the skills to survive. His father told him to work hard, to do no wrong and always to avoid trouble with white people--advice that was brutally underscored the day he and his father witnessed a white mob lynching a black neighbor. The other theme running through these recollections is the institutionalized racism of the American South. Hardened to the entrenched discrimination that excluded him from good jobs and "white" restaurants and rest rooms, Dawson protested just once, when a woman for whom he was doing yard work expected him to eat with her dogs. Despite the harsh conditions of his life, he considers himself fortunate to have enjoyed food, housing, friends and family (he has outlived four wives and fathered seven children). This is an astonishing and unforgettable memoir.
Customer Reviews
Life Is so good
I love this book so much. It was so simple but so true & sweet. It worth the read.
Life is So Good
What a wonderful read. I wish I could have sat on the front porch and chewed the fat with Mr. Dawson! Amazing...
Inspiring
A very good read