Review of Cycle of Lives By David Richman
I personally know the author, David Richman, and I consider him a great friend, human being and excellent writer. While this acknowledgment may naturally serve as a disclaimer of sorts for the very positive review that follows, I hope it might also serve as validation. You see, I have a daughter with a progressive neurological disease that has no known cure. And while I was hesitant to read his book for the pain it might cause as I substituted my own sorrow for those in his pages who have been touched by Cancer, I realized that his book is less painful than it is hopeful; less sad than it is happy; less pessimistic than optimistic.
What I have learned through David, and his book by extension, is about how to "push on through" (Credit Bob Marley - No Woman, No Cry). And while life can sometimes be cruel, his book is really about transforming that cruelty into hope, strength, acceptance, and perseverance. And because he is, at heart, a storyteller, each of his 15 stories are alternately humorous, entertaining, amazing, and interesting. His writing is clear, clean and crisp, and his chapters are short enough to be read in one sitting, while long enough to leave you pondering the remarkable strength of the human spirit.
One of his chapters is about a man named Dominic, an individual I had the pleasure of meeting towards the end of his life (before Cancer returned for the last time). I met Dominic when he was running his taxi service and spiriting individuals in a completely insane manner through the streets, parking lots, desert and sidewalks of Sin City. From his smile, gentle nature and pleasant approach, I would never have guessed how strong he was, or how much he survived. Knowing that each of the individuals in David's chapters exist, that each of them are real, has filled me with the strength to prepare for the road ahead as my daughter faces off with her own terminal illness. And for that, I am eternally grateful.
While I loved his first novel, "Winning in the Middle of the Pack," he has hit his stride as an author in "Cycle of Lives." If you have been touched by cancer, or any other unexpected loss or disease, this should be mandatory reading. If you haven't, a novel such as this is a great way to explore your natural empathy while learning about the indomitable human spirit.
