Review by lexiskill -- The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
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lexiskill
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Review by lexiskill -- The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid" by Gary Robinson.]
4 out of 4 stars
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"What do you do with yourself in a world where you don't fit in?" Some people would answer this question by simply living quietly while the world passes by. Other people might rebel or cause trouble of some sort. A select few join the circus; even fewer do it all.
The Sword Swallower and A Chico Kid by Gary Robinson is a one of a kind book. It is not every day that a reader encounters a book that can draw them into a story so vastly different than the life they are living. Not many people can relate to a sword swallower who performed in a circus for the first half of his life, or an alcoholic troublemaker that ends up cooking a woolly mammoth. Robinson tells his story in such a way that leaves the reader wanting to know more; it's simply not possible that all of the craziness that has happened to these two men, could indeed have happen to the two of them.
Robinson opens his story by telling the life of the sword swallowing, methamphetamine addicted, circus freak, Duke Reynolds. At fifteen, young Duke left home and joined a circus helping with pony rides to avoid a life he didn't fit in with. Overtime, he slowly begins to learn new tricks and talents to work his way up the circus ladder. The reader travels through a very surprising and twisting life story of Duke that changes from circus to jail to altering the life of a young troubled twentysomething.
After the reader is immersed into the wild highs and lows of Duke's life, Robinson finally let's the reader into his alcoholic, party-filled life that leads him to meeting Duke. Alcohol, drugs, and friends took control of Gary's life from the moment he graduated high school, and he is quick to tell of the parties and memories made during high school graduation, college graduation, and the short time after in which he was employed. After the memories are made and he realizes his life is on a downhill slide, he encounters someone that will change his life forever, Duke Reynolds.
Robinson is quick to tell all of the negatives that he and Duke encountered along the way and I believe this is what makes the book so raw and real. People tend to be afraid to open up about the negatives that they have experienced to get them where they are, and Robinson does not shy away from telling the whole story.
Overall, I thought Robinson wrote an amazing book detailing his and Duke's lives up to their meeting. The editing was great and I found so few errors and I do not believe any interfered with the reading of their story. Although this took a couple of pages to really get into, I will gladly give Robinson a 4 out of 4 stars. He explains the unusual lifestyle that they both lived in such a way that readers can follow along easily, while also keeping them engaged throughout the entire story. There is nothing within their story that makes me believe Robinson deserves a lesser rating. He does an amazing job of telling a very unusual story that most readers cannot directly relate to, yet he knows how to pull them all in.
Although Robinson tells a wonderful story, it is not a story fit for all readers. There is strong language, drug use, and questionable encounters that will certainly push some readers away. Young readers are not advised to pick this book up.
******
The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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"What do you do with yourself in a world where you don't fit in?" Some people would answer this question by simply living quietly while the world passes by. Other people might rebel or cause trouble of some sort. A select few join the circus; even fewer do it all.
The Sword Swallower and A Chico Kid by Gary Robinson is a one of a kind book. It is not every day that a reader encounters a book that can draw them into a story so vastly different than the life they are living. Not many people can relate to a sword swallower who performed in a circus for the first half of his life, or an alcoholic troublemaker that ends up cooking a woolly mammoth. Robinson tells his story in such a way that leaves the reader wanting to know more; it's simply not possible that all of the craziness that has happened to these two men, could indeed have happen to the two of them.
Robinson opens his story by telling the life of the sword swallowing, methamphetamine addicted, circus freak, Duke Reynolds. At fifteen, young Duke left home and joined a circus helping with pony rides to avoid a life he didn't fit in with. Overtime, he slowly begins to learn new tricks and talents to work his way up the circus ladder. The reader travels through a very surprising and twisting life story of Duke that changes from circus to jail to altering the life of a young troubled twentysomething.
After the reader is immersed into the wild highs and lows of Duke's life, Robinson finally let's the reader into his alcoholic, party-filled life that leads him to meeting Duke. Alcohol, drugs, and friends took control of Gary's life from the moment he graduated high school, and he is quick to tell of the parties and memories made during high school graduation, college graduation, and the short time after in which he was employed. After the memories are made and he realizes his life is on a downhill slide, he encounters someone that will change his life forever, Duke Reynolds.
Robinson is quick to tell all of the negatives that he and Duke encountered along the way and I believe this is what makes the book so raw and real. People tend to be afraid to open up about the negatives that they have experienced to get them where they are, and Robinson does not shy away from telling the whole story.
Overall, I thought Robinson wrote an amazing book detailing his and Duke's lives up to their meeting. The editing was great and I found so few errors and I do not believe any interfered with the reading of their story. Although this took a couple of pages to really get into, I will gladly give Robinson a 4 out of 4 stars. He explains the unusual lifestyle that they both lived in such a way that readers can follow along easily, while also keeping them engaged throughout the entire story. There is nothing within their story that makes me believe Robinson deserves a lesser rating. He does an amazing job of telling a very unusual story that most readers cannot directly relate to, yet he knows how to pull them all in.
Although Robinson tells a wonderful story, it is not a story fit for all readers. There is strong language, drug use, and questionable encounters that will certainly push some readers away. Young readers are not advised to pick this book up.
******
The Sword Swallower and a Chico Kid
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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