Finding Fish: A Memoir by Antwone Q. Fisher, Mim E. Rivas
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.91 You Save: $7.08 (51%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Finding Fish: A Memoir
Book Review: From a rugged beginning........a memoir of human development
Summary: 4 Stars
One must admire Antwone Fisher. When reading this book, the narrative tone is one of a self-focused strong man, who overcame his demons. You learn of his rough upbringing in a foster home with parents who showed love (you must look hard for this, as did Mr. Fisher) in ways that most cannot imagine. These sections are the most interesting in the book--if only for the true real-life horror of them. The reader sees what young Antwone goes through and what happens to friends and co-foster siblings along the way....AND what happens to Antwone--how he survived. The personal demons and pain that Mr. Fisher overcame are not necessarily overt (nor is it our business). He hints at them but tells us how he gets through it with internal strength. He shows us more of what he'd been through....basically dysfunction (no Christmas gifts, no celebrations, no individuality in his foster home, no joy ) His methods of compensation include art, writing, music, the navy, therapy (not a main focus, but an important one) and working through relationships with the aliens in his world known as human beings. All of these elements are used in relation to the shy person who had to stay in a shell with a teflon interior in order to overcome his difficult background and experiences. Bravo to the author and the emotions that it unveiled.Book Review: Good Book!
Summary: 4 Stars
Finding Fish was a good book. I first learned of Antowne Fisher a few years ago when he appeared on the Montell Williams show. After hearing his story on the show I immediately wanted to go out and buy his book to find out more about this wonderful young man but could never find the book. A few years went by and then a movie of his life was made. After seeing the movie, which I thought was very good, I decided that the movie did a good job of telling his story and that I no longer wanted to purchase the book. Some years later I was in a book store looking for some books to purchase and came across Finding Fish on the book shelf. Since I was in a thrift book store I said what the heck and purchased this book along with some others. Well needless to say it was meant for me to read this book. The movie just touched on a small portion of his life and did nothing to give us a better understanding of Antwone's full story. The book went into more detail and was just phenomenal. I have such respect and admiration for Mr. Fisher and all that he endured. The saying is true: "All things happen for a reason" were it not for his horrific
childhood I don't think Antwone would be the man he is today. Kudows for Mr. Fisher!! If you have not read this book I recommend you do.
Book Review: Food for many thoughts
Summary: 4 Stars
"Finding Fish" is a deeply moving account of a childhood misspent, Antwone's struggle to find his true self, and finally the triumph of doing just that. It's an important book to read for foster and non-fostre families, for black and white people, for inner city and suburbian dwellers. I loved the story, and with personal experiences not much different from the ones described I could relate to the story line by line. It makes you laugh and cry, and is an inspiration from start to finish.
The one thing that marred my reading experience is the intrusive, permanent presence of the editor/co-author Mim E. Rivas. I truly wish they would have let Antwone tell his story in his own raw, unedited words. As it is, the co-narrator's voice, while technically skillful, is unauthentic, flat, predictable, and manufactured in the context of the story. I don't know if that's the case or not but to me it sounds as if co-author Mim E. Rivas is a woman, and the feminine narrator's voice/style is really distracting when the story of a young boy/youth/man is being told.
A big Thank You also to Denzel for picking up and giving life to this story.
Book Review: Heart felt story..
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this book after seeing the motion picture starring Denzel Washington. I do believe seeing the movie first biased my opinion of the book. Finding Fish is an excellent protrayal into the life of Antwone Fisher. It takes you from his conception to his adulthood. The story is about a little boy who lives in the system of foster care. Throughtout Antwoine's life, he faces my obstacles, trials, hardships, and triumphs. He is placed with every foster child's nightmare. His foster mother doesn't know how to love, therefore she instills hate, anger, and confusion into her foster children. This story takes you through the day-to-day hell of being an abused foster child. It is told from the perspective of the child which helps you see the intricate details Antwone faces. The story ends with Antwone find himself "Finding Fish". I enjoyed the novel; however, I enjoyed the movie more. It was good to read a true story that ended in triumph despite the trials.
Sister 2 Sister Book Club- Joy Fitzgerald
Book Review: Finding Fish-April 10, 2002
Summary: 4 Stars
Painful and hilarious. It only seems larger than life. The sad fact is, if you know anything about foster care, you also know Antwone Quenton Fisher has not exaggerated his story. The predatory, castrating meanness of his foster mother (you will read this book hoping you'll run in to Mizz Pickett on the street so you can teach her a lesson or two of your own); the frustratingly uninvolved "turn a blind eye," "just let me have my kool-aid" aloofness of Mr. Pickett, the foster father; the sexually abusive babysitter; the destructively negligent, hands-off handling by the social services system; and the utter defenselessness and adolescent hopelessness of Antwone -- you know it's all true because you've seen it all. And it makes you mad.
"Finding Fish" is wonderful and horrific in equal parts. You know Antwone survives because he wrote the book. How he ever did it is flat out proof of miracles.