Jay Haldon Haldon থেকে Dren, Macedonia (FYROM)
Tim Olney is no ordinary man. In fact, one might describe him as extra-ordinary. He may not be a popular movie star, pop singer or even a politician. So one might wonder what makes this man interesting. The fact is, Olney is just like the rest of us and, if we really want to think about it (and by that I mean thoroughly examining our own lives), we are all truly extra-ordinary people with extra-ordinary, and often funny, stories to tell. Olney is a popular writer and speaker and all-round great person who loves life, his life, in particular. Each day is full of surprises and that’s what Olney writes about. His anecdotes of a life, packed into a book full of fun and laughter and so much more, makes anyone’s life seem like a treasure, just like the ones we always pack away into boxes and leave in the attic to collect dust. Only Olney has dusted off his treasures, unpacked his boxes and recaptured a wealth of charming, funny and sometimes frustrating stories to share them with the world, or, in other words, with us. I, for one, am glad he did. Olney’s recent book, An Ordinary Box of Life, is a collection of his personal treasures, anecdotes that clearly define a life. He describes his collection as “random stories that make life so fun, so frustrating, and so worth living.” I could not agree more. From his tales of childhood pranks to his more adult version that included a dummy foot hanging from his car’s trunk, each story presents the reader with a subtle message of how good life really is. Perhaps his most direct anecdote, “A Change in Perception”, sums up the message that he is trying to convey. This story chronicles Olney’s attempt at scuba diving as a youth and his initial disappointment with the experience. When he approached the same experience in later years, devoid of his youthful dream of finding lost treasure, Olney was able to fully appreciate the beauty of what lay beyond the murky depths of Lake Erie. “Success,” he writes, “is all about perception.” So true! Without peace of mind and the willingness to see what great things life has really bestowed upon us, success can be a very bland and muddy perception. This book is full of chuckles and tears and all that life dishes out – a great read! Perhaps Olney’s book will inspire others to share their life’s stories. An extra-ordinary collection of heartwarming, real-life stories, this book is highly recommended by award-winning author, Emily-Jane Hills Orford, Allbooks Reviews.