"An international art dealer and a modern-day slave from Louisiana become friends after the art dealer is roped into volunteering at a homeless shelter by his saintly wife." - Marcia Z. Nelson, Publishers Weekly
I wish everyone would take a couple of days and read this book. It really draws the reader into the lives of these two men and sends you on a (sometimes emotional) journey through their friendship. I started reading this at the airport on my way to visit Alyssa and Michael in Arizona, and sitting on the runway coming back to Texas, I couldn't stop crying in order to finish the last chapter. I would read a little bit, put the book down, hold back tears, read again, and finally decided I couldn't continue without causing a scene. People around me probably thought I was scared of flying, and I half expected a stewardess to walk by and offer me some comforting words before takeoff.
The chapters alternate between Ron and Denver sharing about their childhood, adult life, and eventually their lives after crossing paths. I appreciate the honesty and openess of the authors in telling about their struggles, thoughts, and responses to situations and to each other. Our thoughts are not always pleasant, but they refuse to make themsleves look good and instead just tell the truth. Same Kind of Different as Me is highly entertaining yet challenging. It made me consider my priorities and left me in awe of how God orchestrates people's lives, always knowing what's best for us even when we don't see it.
