3 out of 4 stars
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Alligator John D. is a fascinating memoir by John Hudson. Born in 1922, John grew up in a time very different from today’s generation. His parents had eleven children of which he was the eighth. In this book, he fondly recalls some of his childhood experiences, but the meat of the story is his life as an adult.
John led a life of mischief. At one point, he was even a pool shark. All that changed one Sunday when he was radically transformed after attending church. It was not long before he became a pastor for many different churches. Later on, he pursued his own business which eventually led him to raise alligators. Always having been interested in these creatures since he was a boy, John thrived in his alligator business. Things were not always easy, though, and John shares with us the positive and negative situations that arose during the time he raised alligators.
I loved every minute of this story. The author has certainly led an incredible life. I can not get over the fact that he started raising alligators at 63 years old and did not stop until he was 80 years old. I do not know many people who could do that. I certainly hope I have that kind of energy when I am older!
The pacing of the book is excellent. It is not slow or bogged down with too much information. There is a nice and smooth flow to the story. I was never confused about what was happening because the author is very clear and concise in his writing. Though the book covers many years, much of the author’s life is summarized rather than overly detailed. It is not a very long book and I was able to finish it quickly.
For someone who used to be a pastor, the author does a good job keeping the book from being “preachy”. While he does not shy away from sharing how God saved and transformed him, he writes it in a way that is not pushy. He simply tells his story and lets the reader make up their own mind what they think about it. This is something I think people who are not Christians will appreciate.
Unfortunately, there are occasional grammatical errors. Several times there are spaces between compound words like overnight and maybe. A few times a word is the incorrect tense. For instance, using were instead of was.
I give Alligator John D. a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. If it had not been for the grammatical errors, I would not hesitate to give it a full rating. It is a fascinating tale, perfect for anyone who loves hearing about “the good ol’ days” or is fond of memoirs. You don't have to be an alligator lover to fall in love with this book, though I am sure it helps!
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Alligator John D:
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