Back on Track

New reviews coming soon! I'll be importing my work from the past two years, but in the meantime,
I'm reclaiming my small place on the web.

Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Non-Fiction/autobiography Review

Dare to Believe
by Mark I. Sharp
ISBN-10: 0971661804
Review by Heather Froeschl

Here is a story of one man's battle with Parkinson's Disease, and his victory over that pain. In this goal, Mark Sharp has been an inspiration as an author. He relays the immense struggles and life changes that took place for him and his family, and in the end we feel joy at his prognosis.

Here too, is a story of a Christian sharing his view of the gospel. If you are looking for guidance in this area, this is the book for you. I am certain that it will inspire many. However, if you are not interested in Mark's view of the power of God and the Christian viewpoint, I suggest that this is not a book for you. It could be argued that the book is pure propaganda, but since it portrays the events of this man's life, it is also a miraculous story.

The book is short but concise and to the point. The story is well written and the points of argument are well documented and introduced. While I do not agree with most of the content, the purpose of the author is fulfilled and I applaud him.

The basic idea of the book is comparing life with a game. There are rules to follow if you want to win and Mark spells out many of them and leads the reader to discover the rest on their own journey, and find their own coach waiting for them on the field. While my own coaches told me that winning is not important - it is how you play the game that counts, Mark's coach told him that winning is the most important, and that is the fun of the game. Different philosophies and different outlooks on life, lead to different appreciations for this title. Take it as you will. Either way, the joyous result of victory over a disease is a reason worth reading this one.