Monday, April 27, 2009

Review and Giveaway: The Noticer


Title:  The Noticer
Author:  Andy Andrews
Review Copy Provided by: Phenix & Phenix

About the Book:  Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people. But like all humans on the planet, the good folks of Orange Beach have their share of problems - marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as the many other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.

Fortunately, when things look the darkest - a mysterious man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. An elderly man with white hair, of indiscriminate age and race, wearing blue jeans, a white T-shirt and leather flip flops carrying a battered old suitcase, Jones is a unique soul. Communicating what he calls "a little perspective," Jones explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. "Your time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely," he says. "Don't squander your words or your thoughts. Consider even the simplest action you take, for your lives matter beyond measure…and they matter forever."

Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why things happen and what we can do about it.
 
My Review:  This was such an inspirational little book!  I say little because it is only 156 pages, but in those pages, there are so many simple, yet profound truths.  Andy Andrews takes one man, Jones, and puts him in the middle of others' lives.  He pops in and out of those people's lives and reveals to them things that help them become a better person.  He teaches them to "notice" what's around them, to "notice" things in other people, and to "notice" things about themselves. 

What he tries to get each of them to do is to have a different perspective about things.  Take for example, Andy's story.  Jones and Andy are having lunch.  They are under the pier eating vienna sausages and sardines.  Jones asks Andy what he's eating and where.  "Okay.  I am eating sardines and Vienna sausages.  In the sand."  Jones says, "Incidentally, you ate sardines and Vienna sausages in the sand.  I dined on surf and turf with an ocean view.  It's all about perspective."

Some of the other messages that come from this book are the 4 ways that people communicate love, the difference between a mistake and a choice, focusing on things that can be controlled, and others.  Jones is like a modern day angel walking into people's lives, helping them to change something about themselves or their life, and then walking out mysteriously.  He is always there when least expected and then gone when he needs to move on.  Never aging, he is known by many.

I really enjoyed this book.  I read it in one evening and will reread it to take more time for the meaning to really sink in.  It is also a book I will be gifting to others, not because I think they need some perspective, but because it is a great story with wonderful meaning.  I am so glad that I chose to take on The Noticer and The Noticer Project this month.  Both have truly been a blessing in my life!

This would be a great book for a book club as there is a Reader's Guide at the end with discussion questions.  These are also good questions for doing some personal reflection.  
     
For a list of other bloggers participating in this tour, see Phenix Publicity's blog post.
 
They were gracious enough to send me 2 hardback copies of this wonderful book to giveaway to 2 of my readers.  For your chance to win one, please visit The Noticer Project and tell me one thing that you learned.  To earn extra entries, become a new follower or tell me that you already follow this blog (+1), follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (+2), blog about this giveaway (+3), or visit one of the other blogs on the tour and let me know which one you visited and something they said. (+5).
 
This giveaway is open to US and Canada addresses only.  It begins today and will run for 1 week, ending at midnight on Monday, May 4.  The winners will be drawn randomly, emailed, and posted on this blog on Tuesday, May 5.  The winners will have 48 to contact me with their mailing information.

18 comments:

BurtonReview said...

Hey there.. just wanted to say you have a little typo on the number of pages up there.. But thanks for the Review, I reviewed it today too and I enjoyed it very much!

Shelly B said...

Marie,
Thanks for the note about the typo. I was trying to remember the # of pages and then when I got the book, to get the quotes, etc., I forgot to go back and fix that!

Staci said...

I read about this on another blog and thought it sounded great!!Loved your review!

KR said...

"our time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely and one of the best ways to use that gift is by noticing those who have made an impact on our lives."

This sounds great!

mj.coward[at]gmail.com

mindy said...

sounds great thanks for the giveaway minsthins at optonline dot net

Beth F said...

Great review! I'm going to pass on the giveaway, but it does sound like a good one.

Ali said...

I've actually read a few reviews on this but didn't realize that "The Noticer Project is a worldwide movement to "notice" the five most influential people in your life!
I would love to read this, thank you for the giveaway!

techyone said...

The Noticer Project is a worldwide movement to "notice" the five most influential people in your life.

Kitten22 said...

This looks great! Please enter me!

I learned that the book really is based on a true story, and that there are a lot of nice people out there noticing their loved ones.

BookCrossingKitten22[at]gmail[dot]com

Minding Spot said...

Notice five important people in your life and the book is based on true story. What an inspiration!!

wendyhines (at) hotmail (dot) com

Ashley said...

I would love to win this book!
booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

After going to the website, I learned that it was based on a true story! Wow, I never knew that.

Ashley said...

+3 I posted this contest on my sidebar at http://booksobsession.blogspot.com

booksobsession(at)gmail(dot)com

Thanks!

Ashley said...

+1 I am a follower.

+5 I visited Cafe of Dreams, and commented on their blog about this book.

Bingo said...

OK...this book I am NOT doing so I hope I win. It is about time we read and started doing some positive things,especially with the world in all this turmoil today. I looked at a couple one name "theWARD???" because his name was Ward and he talked about much of what you said and it was interesting that he said how you can think of a couple of people right away but then what? I would like this book as with retirement in a few weeks looming, it would start me off on this new path in a more positive mode.

Bingo said...

OOPs...I think I was supposed to say I am a follower..sorry

kalea_kane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lady Roxi said...

I would love to read this.

thanks

darkfyre1(at)gmail(dot)com

bloggytreasures said...

I didn't realize it was worldwide, I thought it was just US. That's fantastic and I appreciate how they encourage you to notice in a way that's comfortable for you, public or private. :)

+1 follower

+2 following on twitter and tweeted:http://twitter.com/quelleheure4/status/1686217598

+5 I visited Mommy Matters and one of the people she noticed was a Broadway dancer who had visited and made an impact in her life.

 
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