3 out of 4 stars
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You Can’t Pigeon Hole Me : Life Under the Knife is an inspiring and encouraging memoir by David M. Hood.
With a foreword by Termina Ashton, the book is about one man’s victorious struggle through life of constant need for medical attention by using the Law of Attraction which when understood and practised brings happiness and success.
David was born in 1956 with the worst case of Pigeon Chest. Instead of protecting his heart, the bones of his left rib cage were protruding outwards from his chest with only a membrane of skin covering his heart and left lung. His mother Jean, undaunted and filled with unconditional love for her offspring never gave up until she found Dr. Russell Howard, a pioneer in the treatment of Pigeon and Funnel Chest in the 50s and 60s. Young David underwent an operation when he was six years old, the first of a series of operations he would undergo in his lifetime.
David suffered not only from his physical deformity but also from abuse (in the form of bullying), insecurity and self-pity. His asthma didn’t make things any easier for David, and was only among several medical issues he had to contend with which included prostate and skin cancer later in life.
To say life has been difficult for David was an understatement. Only when he met Termina Ashton, his friend and mentor, did he learn about the Law of Attraction through the popular documentary film ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne. The Law of Attraction is probably best and most easily explained in the statement ‘if you strongly believe that something should happen, it will certainly happen’. Luckily for me, I have watched the film and am quite familiar with ‘The Law of Attraction’ which I, myself, believe and live by.
This is a poignant, inspiring and encouraging book about one man’s unshakable courage, unrelenting determination and unwavering perseverance. Though others may find him simply as a stubborn man who has a knack for getting himself in trouble, for me, he is a man who was never afraid to live and to live life to the fullest.
He unselfishly shared his most personal experiences even the most embarrassing ones. He bared his soul to the world and expressed his fears and insecurities leaving him exposed and vulnerable. Moreover, though the book is primarily a memoir, it is also a treasure trove of invaluable tips, practical advice and words of wisdom in the form of bulleted sentences at the end of each chapter. Some of his advice concern bullying, consideration to other people’s (especially those with deformity) feelings, sacrifice, living in the moment, finding the positive in negative situations and coping with change among others.
The book is an easy read and even quite humorous, probably evidence of the author’s lightheartedness and cheerful disposition. However, I noticed several typo errors within the entire book including missing apostrophes and missing words (like doctors grim prognosis and to be able hold).
I, therefore, rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is touching, inspiring and encouraging. I recommend it to readers who enjoy stories about rising above adversity.
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You Can't Pigeon Hole Me
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