Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter

Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter by Shelly Brady (List Price: $12.95; 2002 New World Library)

I stumbled across a recommendation for this book somewhere along the way and made a mental note to read it someday. I am glad I did; it is really an inspirational story.

Shelly Brady reviews her years as a personal assistant to Bill Porter, a door-to-door salesman who overcame the challenges of Cerebral Palsy. She condenses her experience into a series of illustrations about timeless principles of perseverance, dignity, and will power.

In all fairness to readers who may buy the book, it isn't particularly well-written. Brady does a nice job of capturing Bill Porter, but her narration wanders off topic frequently. That is, she doesn't seem to be able to resist making the story about her 30% of the time. It is a quick read in an easy conversational tone; I read it in one sitting.

For me, the power of the story (and the value of the book) was the challenge that it placed on my life to do more. Bill Porter consistently outworked every challenge he faced. To have that much stamina is just incredible; according to his website (www.billporter.com), he continues to work at the age of 76.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever faced a challenge that seemed too big to overcome.

Click here to get a copy.

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