3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Written by Linda Eatmon-Jones, Touchstone celebrates the life and accomplishments of Earle Francis Jones. The author thinks that it is important to praise and honor people while they are still alive. With this book, she has taken the opportunity to honor her husband's admirable life. More than that, she hopes that "Earle's life story and his legacy provide the inspiration for anyone in any stage of their life to realize that your thoughts create beliefs, beliefs create attitudes, attitudes create behaviors, and behaviors create results."
This non-fiction book is a collection of essays that could be considered a biography. It has nine major sections, which discuss different spheres of Earle's life. These sections are: "Family," "Church," "Education," "The World of Work," "Friends," "Boards, Associations & Foundations," "Congressional Lobbying," "Personal Business Relationships," and "Books, Books, Books." Family members, worshippers, educators, coworkers, friends, executives, and members of Congress contributed essays to celebrate Earle. They all share how Earle is a family-oriented, honorable, loyal, and dependable man who puts his family and God above all else.
What I liked the most about this book is that it is a labor of love. Linda Eatmon-Jones wrote a book to sing the praises of her husband's character and achievements. She got a lot of people to participate in the book. The fact that a significant number of people who know Earle wrote essays to honor him elucidates on the quality of Earle's persona. Earle's values, family life, work ethic, and acts of service impressed me. He followed the steps of his hard-working grandparents and his cultured parents. He raised his stepson as his son. He stood by his wife when she had cancer. He treats everyone with respect and gentleness. He has had a long, successful career. He serves his church in the parking ministry. He is an advocate for African-American causes.
Pastor Marshal L. Ausberry Sr. says that his "observation of Earle is that he is a man who desires deeply to live a life that is pleasing to God." David L. Cohen argues that "Earle's leadership, his presence, his credibility, and his stature all have played a central role in building Comcast's reputation on Capitol Hill." Congressman G.K. Butterfield maintains that "there is no doubt that Earle's service on the council furthered CBCF's mission to advance the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy, and educating the public. His professional drive is matched by his love for family."
I rate Touchstone by Linda Eatmon-Jones 3 out of 4 stars because it is a labor of love. It is incredible how a lot of people shared their sentiments about Earle and their experiences with him. Earle is indeed a role model for everyone to admire and follow. I deducted a star because I found more than ten grammatical errors in the book, which means that it needs another editorial revision. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy biographies and collections of essays about remarkable individuals.
******
Touchstone
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Yolimari's review? Post a comment saying so!