Thunder Dog - a book review

I am not even finished this book yet, and I'm on here telling you about it.
If you were forced to choose just one book in the world that you could read, this would have to be it!

 

Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson

I have had it on my wish list in Audible.com for months and months, having recently gone on a September 11 book drive, but somehow this just kept getting pushed down the list.

Until this weekend, after finishing about three murder thrillers one after the other and feeling like something hopeful and inspiring and real, so I downloaded this, and what a book!

Michael Hingson is blind. He has been blind from birth. And he escaped from the first of the Twin Towers to be hit by the airplanes. He was on the 74th floor with his guidedog Rosella when the plane hit. This story not only takes you through the harrowing hours following this, but his descent down the long stairway flight by flight, but also tells you about his life, and I actually found this to be the most inspirational.

I am sure people buy the book for the twin tower story, which is what I did, but it is his life as a blind man that astounded me. It will break down any misconceptions that you might have about being blind. He actually makes it sound fun!

I am in amazement and absolute admiration of his parents who insisted he attend school with his brother and his cousins and sighted children. He even learned how to ride a bike around his neighbourhood! And if that doesn't make you gasp, wait 'till you hear that he also flew an airplane!

I also loved the telling of his relationships with his dogs. The friendships, the trust, the learning to 'read' each other. If you love dogs, you will enjoy this aspecct of the book.

This book has to be high on my list of the best inspirational books I've ever read, just because you come away from it with this amazing sense that anything is possible. That life is full of purpose and to be enjoyed.