Ellen O. (ellenoakie) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on
Helpful Score: 3
Great true story! Very quick read. If you were fortunate enough to grow up in a fairly normal family, makes you appreciate that when you see all the obstacles Maurice faced as a young boy. Also shows it doesn't take much to make a huge difference in someone's life.
Irma S. reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very gratifying to read Laura's story of how she met and befriended Maurice in such a way that they both grew to be better people because of it. I appreciated learning about what life can be like on the "other side of the fence" . This book definately enriched my life and hopefully it will yours as well!
Candace K. reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 57 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
How many times do you walk by someone that is asking for help with some extra change to buy food and you tell them that you do not have any and walk on by? Well this one day a caring soul decided to turn around and take an 11 year old boy for a lunch, and that is where the story begins...a true and wonderful story. I was enchanted by how caring the author was towards this young boy off the streets, and how wonderful the boy was who had little or nothing...with a drug addict mother and basically no place to live except what most would call a hole. This book is well worth the read and will make you think the next time someone asks you for some change to buy food.
Jill S. (brainybibliophile) -
Helpful Score: 1
There are many, many nonfiction "rags to riches" tales that inspire, and true stories of abused and/or neglected individuals who find success (think The Glass Castle and Educated and Hillbilly Elegy), but Schroff's memoir is a bit different, a bit more; it's an account of both. Her book is as much her own story as that of a young boy, Maurice Mazyck. Schroff details growing up with a kind father who turned angry, irrational, and physically abusive when drunk, which he was often as a bar owner. She weaves her family's story with that of her unusual and ongoing friendship with Maurice, whom she met on a New York City street corner when he was a panhandling child and she was a successful ad executive. He wanted change for food, she passed him by but reconsidered, she took him to McDonald's, and a friendship that continues until today was born.
The loosely chronological memoir is easy to read, with painful and heartfelt episodes throughout. Schroff reveals Maurice's troubled family life (a drug-addicted mother, absent father, ten or more people squeezed into a room or two, incarcerated uncles) as she describes their weekly gatherings and her many gifts to Maurice (outings at her sister's home, a new bicycle, cookie-baking). Along the way, she tells how their changing relationship, and others' skepticism about it, change her emotions, relationships with others, and ways of thinking.
At the end of the book, Maurice is still relatively young, so a reader will want to Google for updated information about him (which is available at the time of this review-writing).
A heart-warming, motivational, eye-opening read!
The loosely chronological memoir is easy to read, with painful and heartfelt episodes throughout. Schroff reveals Maurice's troubled family life (a drug-addicted mother, absent father, ten or more people squeezed into a room or two, incarcerated uncles) as she describes their weekly gatherings and her many gifts to Maurice (outings at her sister's home, a new bicycle, cookie-baking). Along the way, she tells how their changing relationship, and others' skepticism about it, change her emotions, relationships with others, and ways of thinking.
At the end of the book, Maurice is still relatively young, so a reader will want to Google for updated information about him (which is available at the time of this review-writing).
A heart-warming, motivational, eye-opening read!
Steven P. (ol-blue) -
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent read. A real surprise. Not usually my kind of book. A great story of compassion and empathy. What America needs to hear and claim, especially now. But I am holding onto my copy, for now. Too good to let go. Also great material for writing.
Lynda R. (mynanny) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 2 more book reviews
Excellent book. Could not lay it down until I finished it.
Theresa V. (Trese) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 34 more book reviews
Absolutely loved this book!
Sharon D. (booklit) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 473 more book reviews
Truly wonderful book
Nancy F. (macnan) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 2 more book reviews
Loved this book! It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Rebecca S. (berylsie) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 16 more book reviews
Absolutely touching human interest story. It's well written, easy to read and is one of those I don't want to put this down books!
Joan S. (happyface) - , reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 46 more book reviews
I read this book in two days; finished it last night. And could not go to sleep thinking about it. What an amazing story -- the unlikely connection of a street kid and a successful single woman. Although the book races along, it is not an easy read. The sorrow and pain and futility that so many children hide just breaks your heart. And inspires you want to do something to make a difference. So I figured out what I could do, and today I took steps to make it happen. I hope others who read this book will be touched and changed to really see those around us, to reach out to them, to take time to understand and be kind. Government programs aren't the answer, "what the world needs now is love."
Sandi M. reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 14 more book reviews
This 11 year old grew up in an apartment building full of drug dealers and addicts just a few blocks from Times Square. His mother was the head dealer in the building. He was hungry 24/7 and had to beg for change for food. The author, a successful sales exec, almost ignored him, but walked back, took him to McDonald's and developed a lifelong friendship with him. This book is the result of that change of mind on a busy New York street. It opens your eyes to a world that is hard to fathom, a world without hope. What a difference one person can make to someone living in that world.
Tee B. reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on
This was a book whose story stuck with me and now many years later I can remember that I enjoyed this book. It is about a successful business women who befriends a homeless boy.
Nada A. reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 1389 more book reviews
An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski is a documentary account of how one person can change a life, and how that can ripple out to a family and perhaps eventually a community. It is a story of hope. The book was a great choice for a book club, leading to a lively discussion.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/08/an-invisible-thread.html
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/08/an-invisible-thread.html
Deborah S. (deborella) reviewed An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny on + 68 more book reviews
This is a true story about a successful woman & a homeless boy meeting and becoming friends. It changed both their lives for the better. It is the best book I have read in a long time. I cried a lot while reading it, so have some tissues ready. If more people would stop & recognize someone's worth and reach out to help them, it would be a much better world.
