The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage by Joe Kissack

Apr 25, 2013 Sandra Lassiter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Five fishermen set out in a small boat for a few days' fishing trip. They run out of fuel and are carried out across the ocean. Two of the fishermen don't make it, but three survive the nine months and are heralded as a miracle when they are rescued thousands of miles from home.

Joe Kissak has it all--or so he thinks. In the race to get ahead, he actually starts a downward spiral to nearly losing everything through drugs and alcohol before "finding God".

I have to admit, I was very disappointed in...more Five fishermen set out in a small boat for a few days' fishing trip. They run out of fuel and are carried out across the ocean. Two of the fishermen don't make it, but three survive the nine months and are heralded as a miracle when they are rescued thousands of miles from home.

Joe Kissak has it all--or so he thinks. In the race to get ahead, he actually starts a downward spiral to nearly losing everything through drugs and alcohol before "finding God".

I have to admit, I was very disappointed in this book. I was expecting a book on the fishermen's story--with God as the "fourth fisherman", and maybe a couple of chapters or so relating how the story affected the author. It was so very not what I was expecting! Out of forty chapters (not counting the epilogue), only SIX were about the fishermen's story. They were mentioned some later in the book, but very little. The book was mainly focused on the author and his story and the two really didn't seem to relate. Everything was about Joe Kissack and, frankly, he struck me as a very self-centered man. Nearly half the book is about his struggle to connect with the men and get them to sign the papers giving him the rights to their story so he could make a movie out of it--which still has yet to me done.

This story was supposedly about faith, but the "faith" talked about was very vague. Joe's "salvation" experience had nothing to do with the salvation of the Bible: no repentance, no trusting in Christ and his death, burial and resurrection--just a feeling of peace. "Christianity" is reduced to anyone who talks about God, and nothing of his family's view of God or religion is even mentioned that I noticed.

I really, really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it left me frustrated and annoyed wanting the fullness of the fishermen's story and not so much of Joe.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Apr 22, 2013 J Isaacs rated it 3 of 5 stars

An Unfinished Story

Three men who were stranded on a fishing boat in Mexico resurface across the ocean nine months later. Meanwhile, Joe Kissack, a young man in the United States who spent his younger years earning a fortune comes face to face with his spiritual bankruptcy and begins to collect the pieces of his life. This book tells the story of how these four men eventually meet and how the events leading up to their meeting became a catalyst for transformation in Joe’s relationships. While the...more An Unfinished Story

Three men who were stranded on a fishing boat in Mexico resurface across the ocean nine months later. Meanwhile, Joe Kissack, a young man in the United States who spent his younger years earning a fortune comes face to face with his spiritual bankruptcy and begins to collect the pieces of his life. This book tells the story of how these four men eventually meet and how the events leading up to their meeting became a catalyst for transformation in Joe’s relationships. While the book invites the reader to trace the journey of each man with an expectant curiosity, it seems that the best of the story remains yet unwritten.

While three men return home to finish a life they nearly lost, another man sets out to find them. Determined to be the one to tell their story, Joe found his story etched on their faces- he saw in them a shared brokenness. It was after he stepped out of the culture that insulated his self centeredness that he finally saw another man’s need for God as vividly as his own.

As a man, Joe Kissack’s greatest strength is also most likely his greatest weakness: he does not quit. We read the account of a man who today rightfully boasts about his love for his family, and about his enduring desire to begin the journey home to childhood and claim the love of his father. Driven by an insatiable desire for success at a young age, Joe reaped the rewards that are available by hard work. Unfortunately, his ambition also narrowed his vision to the point that he lost sight of everyone, including himself.

Now, Joe is learning to take the focused lens off “self” and I hope he continues to follow that path. I want this story to be finished one day- but that will happen not when the movie of this story is made, as Joe hopes it will; the story will be complete when God has finished His work in these men’s hearts.

I am not sure how much the finished account will look like this book. Perhaps it will be very similar; however, once the chaff of “self” is removed, will the story that remains be a survivors’ tale of three fishermen who are home despite all odds? Will the story be about the redemption of a man who was at the edge of self indulgence, and has begun to wrestle with God and trace his steps back out of his selfishness? Or are there threads running through these accounts which, when pulled, simply show the glory of a sovereign God who redeems all things through Jesus Christ?

This man is certainly wrestling with God. And when God is ultimately victorious, I eager await whichever story surfaces- on that day Joe will be telling the story as a man who has wrestled with God and with men, and has prevailed.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Jennifer Clausen-greene rated it 5 of 5 stars

"It was the subject of headlines around the world: Three Mexican fishermen in a small open boat without any supplies, drifting for more than nine months and 5,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean. Through blistering sun and threatening storms, they battle starvation, dehydration, hopelessness, and death. Their lifelines? An unwavering faith and a tattered Bible.

Thousands of miles away, Joe Kissack, a successful Hollywood executive, personified the American dream. He enjoyed the trappings of the go...more "It was the subject of headlines around the world: Three Mexican fishermen in a small open boat without any supplies, drifting for more than nine months and 5,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean. Through blistering sun and threatening storms, they battle starvation, dehydration, hopelessness, and death. Their lifelines? An unwavering faith and a tattered Bible.

Thousands of miles away, Joe Kissack, a successful Hollywood executive, personified the American dream. He enjoyed the trappings of the good life: a mini mansion, sports cars, and more. He had it made. Yet the intense pressure of his driven and high-powered career sends him into a downward spiral, driving him deep into suicidal depression, insidious addictions, and alienation from his family. His lifelines? A friend and a Bible on the table between them."

This was such an inspiring book to read. At first I was not too sure about it basically because the title did not really catch my attention, but after I started reading it I was hooked! I adored how Joe wove the 2 stories together. One of the fisherman: Salvador Ordonez, Jesus Vidana and Lucio Rendon,lost at sea, but with a strong faith on God and one of a man lost in his own mind and learning to rely on God through all of life's twists and turns. I personally had never heard of the 3 fisherman before I read this book. Then I had to google and see exactly who and what was being referenced. Honestly though I didn't even end up needing to do that much leg work. Joe did such a fabulous job of telling the journey of the fisherman that you felt as though you were part of the experience. You fall in love with these brave souls who knew nothing of each other until that fateful night when their lives would be woven together forever. I enjoyed reading about the author’s conversion experience, how he was mentored and discipled and brought to Christ. The book was humbling, funny and so true of most Christian walks. We want to lean on God, we think we are leaning on God, only to find out we had no clue just how much God was working in our lives from so many different angles. While this is very much a faith-based book, you do not need to be a person of faith to enjoy Kissack’s book.The book moves quickly and is an interesting read, filled with candor, hope, survival and extreme faith. More importantly it is a story of Gods sovereignty and love for us and acknowledging He is in control at all times, so all glory should go to Him. There are some pretty descriptive stories mainly surrounding the fisherman's survival on turtle blood, urine and raw meat that would be inappropriate for younger readers. To some extent, it’s an unfinished work, Kissack never did get the fisherman’s story turned into a movie, although he’s still trying. But the journey has resulted in changed lives, which may have just been the point all along.

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Aug 22, 2012 Jackie Paulson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge-for-jackie, done-reading-in-2012

The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack
A True Story
Written by Jackie Paulson © 2012

On Oct 8, 2005, five fishermen prepared to launch a 27 foot boat along the shore of San Blas, a small sea town on the Western Coast of Mexico.
1. The Captain of the boat called “panga,” Juan David Lorenzo, known as Senor Juan, in his forties and his hobby is to fish.
2. Salvador Ordonez fishing was his life and he has thirty years of fishing experience,
3. Lucio Rendon
4. Jesus Vidana: married with pregnant wife: Joce...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Shellys♥ Journal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, christian, non-fiction, self-help, blog-reveiw

Summary: Joe Kissack tells two stories. The first is his rise to the top in the television industry. He moves from smalltown guy to Hollywood Big Cheese. But success has it's price and Joe finds that alcohol soothes his own self doubts. As he pushes himself harder he eventually graduates to prescription drug abuse. Though he has every material want, his life is slowly slipping away. It's only an encounter with God that offers him any hope...

Story two is a well known miracle of 3 Mexican fisherma...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Jenn LeBow rated it 4 of 5 stars

I vaguely remember a news story from several years ago about some Mexican fishermen being rescued at sea. Seems like they'd been found far away from home and after a lengthy absence. This rings a bell, but I couldn't have told you any specifics until I read Joe Kissack's book The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back From the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage.

Joe's story opens in 1997, almost ten years before the fishermen would be rescued, as he walks the red carp...more I vaguely remember a news story from several years ago about some Mexican fishermen being rescued at sea. Seems like they'd been found far away from home and after a lengthy absence. This rings a bell, but I couldn't have told you any specifics until I read Joe Kissack's book The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back From the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage.

Joe's story opens in 1997, almost ten years before the fishermen would be rescued, as he walks the red carpet in Hollywood at the Emmys. A television executive, Kissack had syndicated shows like "Mad About You," "Walker, Texas Ranger," and a little show about nothing called "Seinfeld." Looking at Joe Kissack, everyone saw success.

Everyone except Joe.

A small-town boy who'd been beaten by his father, Kissack tells his story of hard work, true love, and endless attempts to win his father's approval, interspersing it with the story of five fishermen from San Blas, Mexico, who set out on a routine fishing trip, but get caught in a storm that washes them out to sea.

Both stories, though completely unrelated, caught me up in their differing struggles. As Kissack finds himself battling depression with alcohol, then an ever-increasing supply of prescription drugs, he sees his career success starting to spin away from his control. The fishermen, on the other hand, could not spare the luxury of giving in to depression; as days, then weeks, passed, they had to remain vigilant in their search for food and water, and they had to guard their hope.

Intertwining the stories helped drive both narratives forward. Each time I thought I'd have to put the book down, unable to continue reading about the fishermen's ten-month ordeal, a chapter would end, and Joe's story would provide a less-brutal picture, in comparison, of his life. As Joe's chapter would draw to a close, my response would start to approach a slow boil as I read of the substance abuse, the ambition, the unawareness of how his family perceived him. Moving back to the fishermen's plight, and their growing faith, helped keep the focus off of Joe killing everything good with pills. As I started to wonder how Red Carpet Guy would ever meet up with Stranded Fishermen, their stories began to dovetail in such well-fitted ways that I want to leave them for you to discover.

Reading of the fishermen's rescue and Joe's ultimate personal involvement in their story swallowed up a good chunk of two fine summer days. I closed The Fourth Fisherman moved, thankful for God's hand at work in lives that seem hopelessly lost, in more ways than one.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review, but the opinions here are mine.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Dan Cooley rated it 3 of 5 stars

THE FOURTH FISHERMAN The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

The Good: I chose this book in order to read about the Mexican fishermen who lived after spending a zillion days in their little boat out in the open sea. To the extent that the book covered these men and their families I enjoyed the book. But – this book isn’t primarily about the three fishermen who live through their amazing ordeal of being stranded in the ocean.

It’s primarily about the author, Joe Kissack, who calls himself “The Fourth Fishe...more THE FOURTH FISHERMAN The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

The Good: I chose this book in order to read about the Mexican fishermen who lived after spending a zillion days in their little boat out in the open sea. To the extent that the book covered these men and their families I enjoyed the book. But – this book isn’t primarily about the three fishermen who live through their amazing ordeal of being stranded in the ocean.

It’s primarily about the author, Joe Kissack, who calls himself “The Fourth Fisherman.” And that brings us to…

The Bad: I didn’t care about Joe. He tries to weave his story of being rich, feeling lost, finding God, coming to faith and finding his real home with the fishermen getting lost, finding God, coming to faith, and coming home. It didn’t work for me.

I wanted more information about the fishermen – Did they really find God? What did that look like? What were their homes like before they left on that fateful fishing trip? How did they change as a result of being lost at sea and finding God? What about the families of those who died at sea? Instead of that information, the author gives us something else. I got concerned when the surviving three fishermen’s story was over, but the book was only about half way through.

The rest of the book was about The Fourth Fisherman. I didn’t care about Joe. He wasn’t poor, he was rich. He wasn’t lost at sea, he was lost in self-absorption. Guess I should have read the title.

The Ugly. The author talks about the three fishermen and himself finding God, but what does that mean? There is talk about how much the Bible helped the guys on the boat, so I assume they weren’t finding Buddah, but it wasn’t much more specific than that. You may like that, but for me it was too vague. And then it gets ugly.

Joe believes he is led by God to do some things that make little sense. The things he “feels led” to do are hard on his finances, his wife, his kids, his employer, etc. And it all ends… empty.

I hope Joe lives to see his movie produced (about the fishermen). I think it could be a good one if he does just one thing. I hope he leaves the fourth fisherman out of it.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. They asked for honesty.

DanielCooley.com

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May 14, 2012 Jeff Randleman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographies, marriage, inspirational

Book Review - The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack

It's been a while since I read something so inspirational that it brought tears to my eyes. But that's exactly what happened as I was finishing The Fourth Fisherman, by Joe Kissack.

In 2006, something happened that went largely unnoticed by the American media. Three Mexican fishermen were rescued near the coast of Australia, after being adrift at sea for over nine months. Embarking on a three day fishing trip off the western coast of Mexico, five m...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Roberto Mattos rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a very inspirational book, where the author describes in parallel his own story and the incredible story of three Mexican fishermen who were lost at sea for almost 10 months before being rescued. The parallel he describes is strong and can be applied to many lives, probably including mine. While the fishermen were lost at sea, they had their faith supporting them every moment of their ordeal. While the author was safe in his home and with his job, his lack of faith make him feel complete...more

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Oct 03, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-memoir, christian-life-and-spirituality

Joe Kissack was at the top of his profession, living in the nice house with the nice car and beautiful family. From the outside, it looked like he had achieved the dream life. But on the inside he was dying, suffering from depression and substance abuse and on the verge of self destruction.

Five fishermen set out from a small town on the Pacific Ocean in Mexico. After a storm they end up with no fuel, drifting aimlessly in the vast ocean. Two of them die and the other three are nearing the end as...more Joe Kissack was at the top of his profession, living in the nice house with the nice car and beautiful family. From the outside, it looked like he had achieved the dream life. But on the inside he was dying, suffering from depression and substance abuse and on the verge of self destruction.

Five fishermen set out from a small town on the Pacific Ocean in Mexico. After a storm they end up with no fuel, drifting aimlessly in the vast ocean. Two of them die and the other three are nearing the end as well.

This book tells the stories of both Joe and the three surviving fisherman. It does so, at least for the first half, by switching between the two stories chapter-by-chapter. Eventually the two stories come together and we learn how, as the title says, the fisherman saved Joe's life and marriage.

It is an easy to read, entertaining and inspiring story. The problem is, it is two stories and neither really gets enough space. I found myself desiring to learn more about these fisherman. Joe's own story takes up more of the book and it would be easy to not be sympathetic to him due to his wealth. But his story succeeds in showing the different sorts of deaths humans may die prior to our literal end. Yet even though he tells more of his own story, I found myself wanting more.

Another problem with the book is that, probably due to its brevity, it offers shallow theological answers. Yes, it is inspiring that God saved both Joe and these fisherman. But that begs the question, what about all the others who desperately prayed for God's help and did not receive it? Joe's conversion story is practically a Damascus Road experience. How come God doesn't do that for more people? It is not that such questions do not have answers, and I realize answering them is not the purpose of this book, but I feel the astute, or cynical, reader will ask them.

Check it out for a quick, good and inspiring story.

I received this book for free from the publisher, Waterbrook Multnomah for the purpose of reviewing as a part of the Blogging for Books program.
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May 11, 2012 Brett Gorney rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had the privilege of playing a round of golf with Joe Kissack last week and he gave me a copy of this book. I can tell you, as someone who has played thousands of rounds of golf over the years with men from all walks of life, I found Joe to be one of the most humble, fun-loving & intentional men of faith I've ever met.

This book is inspiring to me because I travelled a broken path for a long time too and I was only saved through the power, grace and truth of Jesus Christ. My personal story...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don’t recall hearing about the lost and rescued fishermen in 2006. Articles on Christian Today and MSNBC tell the news at the time — three Mexican fishermen rescued after 10 months at sea. The Christian Today articles site the survivors’ faith in God as what sustained them and gave them hope during this hopeless time. But former television executive Joe Kissack heard and saw something more. He saw an amazing story of faith and survival and second chances, and he was drawn to tell it.

Kissack wr...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Festina Scriptor rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christianity

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. But I knew that it was about a man and his marriage, and, somehow, how a group of fishermen had saved his marriage. Two seemingly unrelated incidents, and two incidents that I am still not quite sure complement each other.

When I began reading this book, I think I expected something between a Nicholas Sparks book and Moby Dick... But it fell short on both ends and pleasantly surprised me in the middle.

Joe Kissack had it all, a fancy house, expensive ca...more I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. But I knew that it was about a man and his marriage, and, somehow, how a group of fishermen had saved his marriage. Two seemingly unrelated incidents, and two incidents that I am still not quite sure complement each other.

When I began reading this book, I think I expected something between a Nicholas Sparks book and Moby Dick... But it fell short on both ends and pleasantly surprised me in the middle.

Joe Kissack had it all, a fancy house, expensive car, enviable job. He had it all, but something grave was lacking. A part of him always understood this, and he sought to fill the hole inside him with more stuff and more accomplishments. Eventually, alcohol, and then drugs filled that hole. It’s not an uncommon scenario: raised under a tough father, the man wants to please his father and so becomes an overachiever, until he finally realizes that nothing fills this hole and he needs help.

But for Joe Kissack, help arrived in the story of five fisherman who disappeared from the Mexican coast. It was a news story that went largely unnoticed in America, overshadowed by the confession of John Mark Karr to having killed JonBenet Ramsey. Kissack, however, followed a different story, a story about survival in the midst of overwhelming odds, a story of five men drifting in the ocean who had only each other, a boat and a Bible.

The story of the three surviving fishermen, Jesús, Salvador, and Lucio, does not parallel Joe Kissack’s much. The telling of their stories, narrated in alternating bits and pieces, is at times frustrating and other times slow. Although both stories are interesting, I found the fishermen’s story more so, and was disappointed that the fishermen’s story was not featured more prevalently past the first twelve chapters.

For some Christian readers that suffer from depression and drug and alcohol abuse, Kissack’s dramatic salvation and easy abandonment of such demons could be challenging to read about. Although it is stated once that most Christians do not have a transformation like Kissack experienced, the story is more focused on the amazing aspects of his salvation. I do not mean to make light of God’s ability to change lives, and though this story is about that ability as much as about the fishermen, for some readers, this may not be an inspiring read, but one that leaves them unhappy with their ongoing battle with depression or drugs and alcohol.

The Fourth Fisherman was a book that I am glad I read. It was interesting and kept my attention throughout, but I would have liked to see more substance with the fishermen and how their ordeal changed their lives. That part of the story is glossed over and the brief epilogue is too brief, in my opinion. Despite my reservations, I enjoyed the read. Kissack has written an inspiring book, one that could encourage men and women to accept some harsh realities about themselves and get help, whether from God or from counseling.

*I was given this book to review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

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Aug 06, 2012 Rosemarie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am sorry to have to say that I was a bit disappointed in this book. I thought it was about the Mexican Fishermen that got lost at sea.
I must have read the title wrong, it is not about the three (or 5 lost fishermen) it is mostly about the fifth, how did I mix that up? I guess I read what I wanted to.

Sure the Three surviving fisherman were mentioned but they are not the center of the story: the fifth Fisherman was actually the author of the book. If I had known or realized this, I would not hav...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Taylor Hoffman rated it 2 of 5 stars

I recently finished a book called: The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage by Joe Kissack. The book tells the story of five Mexican fisherman who are lost at sea for almost a year. The book concurrently tells the story of Joe, the author, and his struggle with substance abuse, fame, and fortune. The author attempts to tie in the fisherman, his mental illness, his marriage, and his career into one book.

Before I delve into...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Fred S rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Five fisherman went for a three-day expedition off of Mexico's Pacific Coast. Nine months later, three of them were rescued near Australia. They had survived the ordeal with little more than a shark knife and a Bible. Joe Kissack tells their story in The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My life and Saved My Marriage, intertwining his own faith journey with their tale.

Both stories in this book are quite interesting. Unfortunately, I would have like...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Henk-Jan van der Klis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Their story became headline news in 2006: three Mexican fishermen survived a 9 months and 5,500 miles voyage on the Pacific Ocean in a small open boat without any supplies. A storyl that reminded me of The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, another modern era Robinson Crusoe. Five men boarded for a fishing trip, two of them died, The three men, Lucio Rendón, Salvador Ordóñez and Jesús Eduardo Vidaña, had been presumed dead when their families were notified of their miraculous rescue. Was it thanks to ca...more Their story became headline news in 2006: three Mexican fishermen survived a 9 months and 5,500 miles voyage on the Pacific Ocean in a small open boat without any supplies. A storyl that reminded me of The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, another modern era Robinson Crusoe. Five men boarded for a fishing trip, two of them died, The three men, Lucio Rendón, Salvador Ordóñez and Jesús Eduardo Vidaña, had been presumed dead when their families were notified of their miraculous rescue. Was it thanks to cannibalism, or an unwavering faith in God’s providence and a Bible?
Successful Hollywood tv producer and facilitator “arrivé”, Joe Kissack, enjoys the good life: a mansion, sports cars, money. After a bizarre date & marriage approach his wife Carmen stands by her man. The intense pressure of his driven and high-powered career sends him into a downward spiral, driving him deep into suicidal depression, drugs and drinking, and alienation from Carmen and his 2 daughters. His lifelines? A friend and a Bible on the table between them.
After becoming a Christian and leaving his Hollywood status and position behind, a spiritual journey starts. Reading the Bible, Rick Warren‘s Purpose Driven Life, church, etc. but with a strong personal focus. Kissack stumbles upon the incredible voyage of the Mexican fisherman and strives to meet the men and hear their true story. Gaining their trust and winning back his marriage by faith and trust in God alone makes the interwoven storylines of both the 3 fishermen and Kissack, the fourth fisherman, complete.
Joe Kissack is a strong self-promoter with an aggressive speaking schedule in churches and leadership conferences. As an incredibly successful Hollywood and TV producer, he is well respected and known in those circles. Kissack not only wanted to book The Fourth Fisherman on the voyage, but also get a movie shot. Marriage is more important now than a movie, but there’s a tie-in. Cannes Film Festival award-winning director Spiros Statholoupolous is one of a Hollywood team of people committed to making the film version of the book.(less)

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Sep 19, 2012 Sherrey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Although I enjoyed the book, I cannot say that it's one I'm excited by.

The author's own story is one of extraordinary life problems and an incredibly refreshing look at his conversion. However, the intersection between his story and the story of five Mexican fisherman lost at sea was clouded by indistinct details in that part of the book. Some clarity would have made the last half of the book much more readable and enjoyable.

Kissack's writing is good but at times weak. Repetitions and redundancy...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book for free from winning a drawing through readitforward.com. I read it out loud to my husband on a road trip and we both really enjoyed it. It is a true story..actually two true stories woven together to create a message of hope, faith, and a testimony in God. It tells of the true incident that happened to 5 fishermen from Mexico who embarked on a fishing expo back in 2005 and were stranded at sea for 9 months. Three survived and one bible. During this story, the author is par...more

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Aug 09, 2012 M.E. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-and-reviewed

The Fourth Fisherman takes the story of three Mexican fisherman stranded at sea and infuses into the tale a fourth fisherman, Joe Kissack. When Joe is told about the survival of these three fishermen – Jesus, Salvador, and Lucio, he is drawn to their story. Drifting on the ocean for over nine months strikes a chord with him, and he begins to realize how much he has drifted in his own life. While tracking down the survivors, Joe discovers some hard truths about himself. Talking with these men, an...more The Fourth Fisherman takes the story of three Mexican fisherman stranded at sea and infuses into the tale a fourth fisherman, Joe Kissack. When Joe is told about the survival of these three fishermen – Jesus, Salvador, and Lucio, he is drawn to their story. Drifting on the ocean for over nine months strikes a chord with him, and he begins to realize how much he has drifted in his own life. While tracking down the survivors, Joe discovers some hard truths about himself. Talking with these men, and knowing their faith in God was integral to their survival, Joe decides their story is one the world needs to hear. As he begins to build on this idea, he encounters others who are interested in hearing not only the story of the fisherman, but of his own personal struggle and how he found contentment in Christ.

I have mixed feelings about this book…part of me loved the story, but another part felt the stories were very different, or at least that’s the way it read; I just couldn’t connect the two stories together. Plus I felt that there wasn’t enough information about the survivors after they were rescued. It seemed once these three men made it home, their tale was over when in reality I’m sure there was a BIG adjustment period before they were able to continue their life (or maybe not, but the reader is never given that information). From this point forward, the book’s main focus is on Joe and his drive to see this story developed into a movie.

The book’s format began with changing chapters; one chapter about the fishermen, the next about Joe, but once the fishermen were rescued that format changed and most chapters thereafter were about Joe with little mention of Jesue, Salvador, and Lucio. Because of this change in format, I think the story suffered a little as the reader never really finds out the ending to the fishermen’s story besides them being rescued and returned home. This brings me to another point; if the intent of the book was to talk about Joe’s personal struggles, then it should have been written differently – without the changing chapters. Instead all chapters should have been focused on Joe, with references to the fisherman and how their struggle affected him and his life. Or, if the main focus of the book was really about the fishermen and how their faith saw them through, then I think the parts about the author should have been limited. As is, I think the book is a book about Joe Kissack and his life more than the fishermen.

Personally I think those who pick up this book because of their interest in the stranded fishermen are going to be disappointed. This book is not a memoir of the fishermen’s journey; although you do get to know a little about them and the months they were at sea. This book is more about Mr. Kissack and how the story of the fishermen brought to light some areas in his life that needed attention – mainly his marriage.

Overall I enjoyed reading The Fourth Fisherman, although it wasn’t what I had originally expected. The author writes as one would speak, which made the book easy to read. I thought both stories were interesting, but again, the stories fit together awkwardly in the book. Even though the book didn’t blend well for me, I do think Joe Kissack has a heart to see this story shared. His desire for people to be touched by the faith of the fishermen seems to be a true one, and I hope he succeeds in getting this story told. His personal story is also an encouraging one that I believe will touch people.

This book is geared towards the adult reader. If you are married, this might be a book of interest since the majority of the book is focused on Joe’s marriage. Likewise, if you are interested in the fishermen then you will enjoy the parts focused around them.(less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Cafelilybookreviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are the least bit queasy in the stomach, I will warn you that some chapters which tell the story of the fisherman lost at sea, and their survival tactics are very gruesome and I had to skip over them. Aside from that, I enjoyed reading the story of Joe Kissack's life and how he came to know God.

Joe was a man who appeared to have it all. Fame, fortune, a beautiful wife. And yet he still was empty and dying on the inside. So much so, that he attempted to fill the void in his life with drug...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Bank rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a book of faith ; a story of catastrophe, redemption , and miracles. I heard the author speak the other week and have mutual friends; and it adds an extra dimension to the book .

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Mar 12, 2012 Holly Weiss rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vine-program, 2012-release

This remarkable story will show you how faith in God can uphold us through dire circumstances.

Joe Kissack, a man blessed with material goods galore had nothing—success and excess had emptied his soul.

Three Mexican fishermen adrift at sea in 2006 for nine months had everything—faith sustained them because they read the Bible everyday.

Both stories intertwine in this book. Kissack delves into the agony and ecstasy of walking the Hollywood red carpet, the shame imposed on him as a kid, and the stres...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Brenten Gilbert rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, faith, non-fiction, reviews-brb-waterbrook

I had no idea who Joe Kissack was, but I assumed he had some significance as a men’s ministry leader of some sort. And at the mention of the phrase “stand in the gap,” I was inclined to think it had something to do with Promise Keepers, but apparently not. Actually, none of this really matters, because, Joe is a motivational speaker who has a compelling story and that’s what this book is all about.

Joe’s story is a shared story and, as I’m sure he’d describe it, it’s God’s story. It’s a story of...more

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May 06, 2013 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-devour

Wow! A gripping story of how one man’s journey from brokenness to salvation intersected with a group of fishermen from Mexico, lost at sea. Both situations demonstrate God’s unfailing love and ability to reach through circumstances and touch his children. Joe’s life and brutal honesty remind us of the emptiness of pursuing worldly fame and wealth. Everything about his life screamed success but he remained dead inside. Far away, five fishermen got into a boat, but only three returned, their lives...more

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May 05, 2013 Karyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

i really enjoyed this book- I read it al in a day (granted I was stranded on an airplane). The story is of a man whose life is falling apart due to alcohol and prescription drug use and he is searching to save himself and his marriage. He hears the story on the news of three Mexican fishermen that survived 9 months in a boat in the Pacific Ocean and ended up in Asia. The only thing they had was a Bible and their faith to get them through it. HE is inspired by their story and wants to tell it. He...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: faith

The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissak
A real life story of heroism of redemption-my favorite! This is the tale of a group of Mexican fisherman who get lost in the Pacific and are found over 9 months later halfway across the world; and the story of Joe Kissak, a tv exec who did the rag to riches thing, then totally messed up his life with addictions and stress and then found true life in Jesus Christ. It is told in every other chapter between the two stories until the end (where it slows down some) w...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Richard Kuhn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I would recommend this book to just about anyone. I appreciated the author's complete and unabridged honesty about himself and it's a refreshing reminder to see where one stands in the overall picture. This book is very inspirational especially when it talks about the three Mexican fisherman. The book is the most inspirational when the author realizes what journey HE is and his wife are on and how it relates to the reader. For the last hundred pages, I literally couldn't put the book down.

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Jun 30, 2012 Nadeen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked up the book just thinking it sounded like an intriguing biography. It was on the new non-fiction shelf at my library. I was surprised by the honest spiritual message. I think many of the men in my life should read this book. It addresses the relationship between God, family, marriage, and ourselves in a rather blunt fashion.

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Apr 10, 2012 Knows rated it 5 of 5 stars

Once I started this book I could not put it down. Joe Kissack is an incredible storyteller and excellent writer. Both stories truly are God-moments from beginning to end, yet there really is no end because their testimonies will go on to touch countless lives in the years to come. I have no doubt Joe will go on to write additional inspirational books in the years to come! I loved, loved, loved this book!

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title link	preview: The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage
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The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Who Came Back from the Dead Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage

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