Review of Filling Up a Hole

[Peace Nkiruka Okeke]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Filling Up a Hole" by Jerry A. Greenberg.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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There is a hole, within us, a dark void, begging to be filled with something- anything. Filling up a hole: the business of life explores this hole; how it originates, why it forms, its various manifestations, and how it can be filled. This book is a fictional novel set in the north Texas town of Howel. In this wonderful piece, Jerry A. Greenberg writes a delightful tale of a man and his family, each member in this family experiences and responds to "The hole'' differently.

Boyce simply exists, unaware of the hole within. He lacks self-motivation and any desire to achieve anything. A man better suited to receiving orders, he does everything he is told, goes anywhere he is directed, all the while, subconsciously avoiding any form of responsibility. Boyce neglected to find himself all through his life. The reality of his empty life leads him to ponder the hole and the business of his life. While in college, Boyce married Dodie, A young lady from a conservative and old-fashioned family in Tennessee. Dodie wants other things, to see the world, and to be a part of something larger and more exciting. These desires lead her to wonder if she made a mistake in marrying Boyce, thus the hole within her deepens. Their first son Paul seems to live within his dark hole from birth. Paul's only interest is music and when music fails for him, he cannot bear his harsh reality. Finally, it is Tommy, their second son, who discovers the secret to filling up the hole within, the secret to achieving a fulfilled life by living to fulfill a purpose.

I was impressed by how this book provides an obvious, but frequently overlooked solution to the hole -" to become a person with purpose," using a simple and interesting family story. In the book, Dodie finds her purpose by becoming the leader of a women's rights movement, thus filling the hole within her. I also enjoyed the touch of humor in some pages of the book. Jerry A. Greenberg ensured that this book had an interesting flow with fun parts that made me eager to turn the next page while teaching a valuable lesson at the end of the story.

Filling up a hole: the business of life was professionally edited and there was little grammatical or spelling error within the book. More so, it was difficult for me to dislike any part of this book. Though the general structure was a bit confusing because it begins with the present, goes back into the past, and ends with the present, I enjoyed reading and learning from this inspiring and thought-provoking book.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it is innovative in its approach to teaching. Also, it is simple, interesting, and relatively error-free. From this book, I have learned to recognize the hole at different phases of life, to discern the symptoms of the hole in other people, and also discovered the best way to filling the void.

I recommend this book to adults. Young adults who struggle to decide their path in life and middle-aged people who look back on their lives with regret or confusion. I believe that they will find a connection with some of the characters in this book and may find a solution to the void within them or gain some clarity about the business of life.

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Filling Up a Hole
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