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Kicking Ass and Saving Souls: A True Story of a Life Over the Line
The story of a boy from Baltimore who evolves from a safecracking, jewel-heisting, deep-sea diving, ultimate-fighting, international playboy into a globetrotting humanitarian.
Stefan Templeton was born a child of extremes. The son of Ebba, an aristocratic Norwegian love child, and Roye, a militant African American philosopher, Stefan spent his early years shuffling between the discipline of his father's house and dojo in decaying west Baltimore and the eccentricities of his mother's life as a healer and artist in the wealthiest enclaves of Europe. The confusion formed a singular man who had nothing but his own abilities. By age eighteen Stefan was a skilled fighter, philosopher, lover, horseman, and swimmer who exuded confidence and competence.
His highs came from adventure, always. He hunted in Macon, France; brawled in Oxford, England; lived as a kept man off the Champs-Élysées; served as a medicine man in Colombia; escaped death on the Amazon; and trained to serve on Cousteau's Calypso in Marseilles. Love of the mother of his first child temporarily settled Stefan in Norway, but poverty and adrenaline addiction soon kicked in.
Eventually, Stefan found himself in a labyrinthine criminal world-where he pulled off one of the biggest jewel heists in Scandinavia's history as a player in a smuggling consortium. He eluded capture, but the downward spiral continued until he hit bottom one night in Tokyo.
Alone and in need of redemption, Stefan lost himself in the south Asian jungle, but fate brought him an opportunity to help the wretched Karen people of Burma. By serving the forgotten, Stefan could begin his restitution. This Renaissance man at last utilized his uncommon skill set to embrace the call of humanitarian relief. Disasters like the Indonesian tsunami and the Sudanese civil war and drought required all of him.
The adventure of Stefan Templeton tests the bounds of human possibility, and even the most hardened of skeptics will be gripped by this account of David Matthews, Stefan's childhood friend and sometimes harshest critic.
Stefan Templeton was born a child of extremes. The son of Ebba, an aristocratic Norwegian love child, and Roye, a militant African American philosopher, Stefan spent his early years shuffling between the discipline of his father's house and dojo in decaying west Baltimore and the eccentricities of his mother's life as a healer and artist in the wealthiest enclaves of Europe. The confusion formed a singular man who had nothing but his own abilities. By age eighteen Stefan was a skilled fighter, philosopher, lover, horseman, and swimmer who exuded confidence and competence.
His highs came from adventure, always. He hunted in Macon, France; brawled in Oxford, England; lived as a kept man off the Champs-Élysées; served as a medicine man in Colombia; escaped death on the Amazon; and trained to serve on Cousteau's Calypso in Marseilles. Love of the mother of his first child temporarily settled Stefan in Norway, but poverty and adrenaline addiction soon kicked in.
Eventually, Stefan found himself in a labyrinthine criminal world-where he pulled off one of the biggest jewel heists in Scandinavia's history as a player in a smuggling consortium. He eluded capture, but the downward spiral continued until he hit bottom one night in Tokyo.
Alone and in need of redemption, Stefan lost himself in the south Asian jungle, but fate brought him an opportunity to help the wretched Karen people of Burma. By serving the forgotten, Stefan could begin his restitution. This Renaissance man at last utilized his uncommon skill set to embrace the call of humanitarian relief. Disasters like the Indonesian tsunami and the Sudanese civil war and drought required all of him.
The adventure of Stefan Templeton tests the bounds of human possibility, and even the most hardened of skeptics will be gripped by this account of David Matthews, Stefan's childhood friend and sometimes harshest critic.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 2, 2011
We all have choices in this life, many of them involving risk-taking and a determination in the moment of how much risk we're willing to take. Risk-taking tends to run on a bell curve with some falling on one end or another and most falling in the middle. I have always been a risk-taker. I have an aversion to the thought that I might get hit by a bus at any moment and my last thought would be, "Damn it, I wish I had ..." If there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that death can come quickly and when you least expect it.
There are consequences to choosing risk. Your life tends to be unconventional with unconventional career choices and a general lack of stability. Risk takers, in general, don't end up with the requisite number of square feet in their house and the recommended number of children, dogs, and spouses. Their lives tend to be more colorful, to seem at the surface purely self-destructive and self-indulgent - they make people impatient and those people then call them "adrenalin junkies (meant as a pejorative)."
People who take risks also have experiences that can't be compared - to see things and meet people who change their world views. Sometimes this leads to more risk taking because, what the hell, see how bad it gets? Why bother? And sometimes this leads almost inevitably to action - to political activism or charity work, to writing and reporting, to working hard to try to change the things that have been witnessed and must be remedied. This is the path that Stefan Templeton has followed.
There is no denying that he's lived unconventionally and made unconventional choices that have put him in various kinds of danger, but there's also no denying that these choices have made him who he is, have led him to the humanitarian work he does today. Written as only a best friend could write it, Kicking Ass and Saving Souls tells the remarkable and true life of a man who has lived and is doing something with his life based on his living. I find that altogether admirable and cheered for Stefan all the way. A great read for my fellow adrenaline junkies, for those who love us and despair of us, and for those who need a little push to step outside their comfort zone. Bravo.
There are consequences to choosing risk. Your life tends to be unconventional with unconventional career choices and a general lack of stability. Risk takers, in general, don't end up with the requisite number of square feet in their house and the recommended number of children, dogs, and spouses. Their lives tend to be more colorful, to seem at the surface purely self-destructive and self-indulgent - they make people impatient and those people then call them "adrenalin junkies (meant as a pejorative)."
People who take risks also have experiences that can't be compared - to see things and meet people who change their world views. Sometimes this leads to more risk taking because, what the hell, see how bad it gets? Why bother? And sometimes this leads almost inevitably to action - to political activism or charity work, to writing and reporting, to working hard to try to change the things that have been witnessed and must be remedied. This is the path that Stefan Templeton has followed.
There is no denying that he's lived unconventionally and made unconventional choices that have put him in various kinds of danger, but there's also no denying that these choices have made him who he is, have led him to the humanitarian work he does today. Written as only a best friend could write it, Kicking Ass and Saving Souls tells the remarkable and true life of a man who has lived and is doing something with his life based on his living. I find that altogether admirable and cheered for Stefan all the way. A great read for my fellow adrenaline junkies, for those who love us and despair of us, and for those who need a little push to step outside their comfort zone. Bravo.
December 16, 2017
Growing up in Washington D.C. surrounded by corruption may knock an individual down. Everywhere they go, they may find it hard to fit in. In every neighborhood they walk through, there lurks an entity waiting to take everything they have. Raised amidst the backdrop of an unstable relationship between a mother and father may cause one to fight through every predicament without support. The main character, Randall Stefan Templeton, surely lived a “life over the line”. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls: A True Story of a Life Over the Line proves to be a marvelous memoir as the author, David Matthews, successfully fills the book with compelling action and emotional connections to the characters.
Many individuals that read novels find the action to be compelling. They love to experience the nerves, choices, and consequences a character faces in a predicament. In the beginning of the memoir, David Matthews immediately places you in one of the many situations Stefan encountered. At the start of the novel, Stefan is in a confrontation with young gang members at work. The author writes, “...the Yak winks to his buddies and in a wide-arcing pivot grabs Stefan by the belt and tosses him over the railing. Stefan’s left-hand reaches out for anything solid and locks on the Yak’s belt buckle. Now both men are over the side and Stefan spins the Yak midair and uses the Yak’s body to absorb the impact...” (Matthews, 16-17)
One is able to visualize one of the young, drunk men taking a risky attempt to kill Stefan and ends up killing himself. You can picture the character rolling off of the dead Yak, unable to walk from impact and starting to run before the cops come and the young gang members as well. Certain audiences love gang violence, fighting, killing, etc. and that’s exactly what this book describes, which is the dark entertainment of losing life or fighting to stay alive. Later in the memoir, we are faced with another action-packed event as five drunk individuals attempt to jump Stefan. “They came at him with a roar. Four or five leading the charge. Sloppy, wobbling like pool balls after a bad break. The first guy probably figures he had another few feet. The man reached back, balling a doughy fist when the sidekick bent him like an arrowhead…” (Matthews, 68) Trouble always has a way of finding Stefan and tries to produce self-destruction. All the time he spent training with his father created a man similar to Bruce Lee. As you read about the fights, you picture a situation similar to one that Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee or Patrick Swayze have faced in movies. They create “oohs” and “ahhhs”, allowing you to imagine yourself witnessing it first hand. If you’re one of the many that crave action, then this book will satisfy that need. You find yourself glued to the passages, as you urge to learn about the future situations the character encounters.
Where there’s a great narrative, there is always an emotional connection to the characters. Without the emotional connection, the characters have no significant role to you. At the beginning, I felt an instant emotional connection with Stefan’s father, Roye Templeton. In paragraph 2, page 22, the author describes “Roye was quiet and kept to himself. There was little in his blank stare and arched eyebrows that invited conversation. He could be bothered to waste oxygen on people he deemed past hope of enlightenment. In his mind, that was pretty much everyone.” I am immediately drawn to Roye because I was able to see myself in his character. I am an individual who may seem as one who does not love to associate and does not welcome conversation. I also do not like to waste my breath on people who are little minded and care less to think before they speak. Along with character, comes many life lessons. In Chapter 9, page 144, the author writes “The more he knew, the less panicked he felt. Information was tepid comfort...” People react in different ways based on the amount of information we receive. The more we know about something the less it affects us. Information allows us to calm our nerves knowing that there are many outcomes. The quote mentioned above challenged my perspective on information I receive daily, by helping me realize that my life is not as bad as others. Becoming aware of another individual's struggles, causes me to push through my life less frantically. Many passages throughout the book create critical thinking and self-observation. It helps you become aware of your purpose and how you analyze life, such as when the author discusses how all those who wander are not lost. This is a different way to escape life through characters or gain different perspectives through lessons.
I personally have nothing but great remarks after finishing the exquisite 255-page novel. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls: A True Story of a Life Over the Line proves to be a great novel due to the action and ability to allow the audience to connect deeply with the characters. The author successfully uses vivid description to allow the audience to feel as though they are in every moment of the novel. This is definitely one book that will not waste your time or leave you with regret.
Works Cited
Matthews, David. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls: a True Story of a Life over the Line. Penguin-Press, 2011. Print.
Many individuals that read novels find the action to be compelling. They love to experience the nerves, choices, and consequences a character faces in a predicament. In the beginning of the memoir, David Matthews immediately places you in one of the many situations Stefan encountered. At the start of the novel, Stefan is in a confrontation with young gang members at work. The author writes, “...the Yak winks to his buddies and in a wide-arcing pivot grabs Stefan by the belt and tosses him over the railing. Stefan’s left-hand reaches out for anything solid and locks on the Yak’s belt buckle. Now both men are over the side and Stefan spins the Yak midair and uses the Yak’s body to absorb the impact...” (Matthews, 16-17)
One is able to visualize one of the young, drunk men taking a risky attempt to kill Stefan and ends up killing himself. You can picture the character rolling off of the dead Yak, unable to walk from impact and starting to run before the cops come and the young gang members as well. Certain audiences love gang violence, fighting, killing, etc. and that’s exactly what this book describes, which is the dark entertainment of losing life or fighting to stay alive. Later in the memoir, we are faced with another action-packed event as five drunk individuals attempt to jump Stefan. “They came at him with a roar. Four or five leading the charge. Sloppy, wobbling like pool balls after a bad break. The first guy probably figures he had another few feet. The man reached back, balling a doughy fist when the sidekick bent him like an arrowhead…” (Matthews, 68) Trouble always has a way of finding Stefan and tries to produce self-destruction. All the time he spent training with his father created a man similar to Bruce Lee. As you read about the fights, you picture a situation similar to one that Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee or Patrick Swayze have faced in movies. They create “oohs” and “ahhhs”, allowing you to imagine yourself witnessing it first hand. If you’re one of the many that crave action, then this book will satisfy that need. You find yourself glued to the passages, as you urge to learn about the future situations the character encounters.
Where there’s a great narrative, there is always an emotional connection to the characters. Without the emotional connection, the characters have no significant role to you. At the beginning, I felt an instant emotional connection with Stefan’s father, Roye Templeton. In paragraph 2, page 22, the author describes “Roye was quiet and kept to himself. There was little in his blank stare and arched eyebrows that invited conversation. He could be bothered to waste oxygen on people he deemed past hope of enlightenment. In his mind, that was pretty much everyone.” I am immediately drawn to Roye because I was able to see myself in his character. I am an individual who may seem as one who does not love to associate and does not welcome conversation. I also do not like to waste my breath on people who are little minded and care less to think before they speak. Along with character, comes many life lessons. In Chapter 9, page 144, the author writes “The more he knew, the less panicked he felt. Information was tepid comfort...” People react in different ways based on the amount of information we receive. The more we know about something the less it affects us. Information allows us to calm our nerves knowing that there are many outcomes. The quote mentioned above challenged my perspective on information I receive daily, by helping me realize that my life is not as bad as others. Becoming aware of another individual's struggles, causes me to push through my life less frantically. Many passages throughout the book create critical thinking and self-observation. It helps you become aware of your purpose and how you analyze life, such as when the author discusses how all those who wander are not lost. This is a different way to escape life through characters or gain different perspectives through lessons.
I personally have nothing but great remarks after finishing the exquisite 255-page novel. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls: A True Story of a Life Over the Line proves to be a great novel due to the action and ability to allow the audience to connect deeply with the characters. The author successfully uses vivid description to allow the audience to feel as though they are in every moment of the novel. This is definitely one book that will not waste your time or leave you with regret.
Works Cited
Matthews, David. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls: a True Story of a Life over the Line. Penguin-Press, 2011. Print.
Read
October 26, 2011A very strange tale, it was not interesting to me at all, yet surprised that it was well like by others.
January 10, 2022
I so enjoyed reading about these remarkable adventures, the story unfolded with great pacing and story telling. I'll also note that I especially enjoyed the parts from high school were our paths crossed very briefly. Mr. Matthews efforts to verify some of the more improbable events were fun to read. I also appreciated the author's attempts to reflect and give meaning and shape to the significance and larger context of these stories. If anything, I would have enjoyed even more of that.
November 29, 2021
Wow, what an amazing life! Very interesting read that also broadens one's perspective.
July 22, 2011
The synopsis above pretty much says it all. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls is a memoir of sorts, following Stefan's crazy and slightly unbelievable life. The twist is, that it is written from his friend, David Matthew's point of view, as he is being told the story. I guess that would make it more of a biography? Not certain, but it was categorized under memoir when I researched it so that is what I labeled it! Semantics, eh?
I can't even begin to express my feelings properly for this book. Stefan's life is nothing like I've ever seen before. From the inner city of Baltimore, to a castle in France, to the wilds of Africa, and back to a tiny one bedroom apartment, Stefan is literally everywhere. His travels alone were mind boggling and fascinating. Ferried back and forth between two very different parents, from a very young age Stefan was a world traveler. He went wherever his life happened to take him. Reading about him being 8 years old and travelling through Norway was utterly engrossing to me. At the age of 13 he was in France and quite a playboy. Are you seeing what I mean? It's almost unbelievable how rich this man's life was with travel.
If that isn't enough to draw you in, take a look at the darker side of Stefan's life above. He was a boy growing up in Baltimore and learning to protect himself from the violence around him. A master at martial arts at a very young age. Deeply stoic before he understood what it meant to be stoic. Then he spiraled out into all sorts of different endeavors, including ones that were illegal. Watching Stefan float through his life from job to job, heist to heist, city to city, became a bit unnerving after a while. He never actually finished anything. Every time he got close to making something of himself he was drawn on to something more exciting, and often more sinister. David Matthew's shows us that this man was extremely multi-faceted.
I know I'm rambling. As I said it's hard for me to explain exactly how intense this book is. Stefan's life is colorful. It's vivid, and dark, and gritty. There is no room for fluff here because the way his story is told is no-nonsense, just like his personality. What is built for the reader is the lifetime of a strong person who lets himself be lead astray. By the time I reached the end of the book and saw Stefan slowly start to figure out a path to retribution, I was emotionally exhausted and yet still intrigued.
I'm not sure what else I can say! If you are a fan of memoirs, or biographies as the case may be, you need to give Kicking Ass and Saving Souls a read. It's most definitely not a light read, but it's utterly engrossing nonetheless.
I can't even begin to express my feelings properly for this book. Stefan's life is nothing like I've ever seen before. From the inner city of Baltimore, to a castle in France, to the wilds of Africa, and back to a tiny one bedroom apartment, Stefan is literally everywhere. His travels alone were mind boggling and fascinating. Ferried back and forth between two very different parents, from a very young age Stefan was a world traveler. He went wherever his life happened to take him. Reading about him being 8 years old and travelling through Norway was utterly engrossing to me. At the age of 13 he was in France and quite a playboy. Are you seeing what I mean? It's almost unbelievable how rich this man's life was with travel.
If that isn't enough to draw you in, take a look at the darker side of Stefan's life above. He was a boy growing up in Baltimore and learning to protect himself from the violence around him. A master at martial arts at a very young age. Deeply stoic before he understood what it meant to be stoic. Then he spiraled out into all sorts of different endeavors, including ones that were illegal. Watching Stefan float through his life from job to job, heist to heist, city to city, became a bit unnerving after a while. He never actually finished anything. Every time he got close to making something of himself he was drawn on to something more exciting, and often more sinister. David Matthew's shows us that this man was extremely multi-faceted.
I know I'm rambling. As I said it's hard for me to explain exactly how intense this book is. Stefan's life is colorful. It's vivid, and dark, and gritty. There is no room for fluff here because the way his story is told is no-nonsense, just like his personality. What is built for the reader is the lifetime of a strong person who lets himself be lead astray. By the time I reached the end of the book and saw Stefan slowly start to figure out a path to retribution, I was emotionally exhausted and yet still intrigued.
I'm not sure what else I can say! If you are a fan of memoirs, or biographies as the case may be, you need to give Kicking Ass and Saving Souls a read. It's most definitely not a light read, but it's utterly engrossing nonetheless.
December 6, 2014
I would be lying if I said the story of Stefan Templeton didn’t grab me from the start. He is a human being just like the rest of us, but he has lived an extraordinary life. Things that the general population can only dream of were seen and done by Stefan by the time he became an adult. Deep sea diving, traveling over several continents, a run in with a member of the Yakuza, walking through crime ridden neighborhoods in the dead of night for an adrenaline fix as a teenager, and helping people in need all over the world – this is only a sampling of the things Stefan Templeton has experienced.
At times, this man’s story seems almost unrealistic and you can’t help but think, ‘Really, one person has done all of this?’ Yet there is one about the book that makes you realize, yes this is true, this is the extraordinary story of a real person, and that is seeing the change in Stefan as he goes through life.
The changes Stefan goes through from the time he was a child through his adulthood is my favorite part of Kicking Ass and Saving Souls. The book paints a picture of Stefan’s life and the many good and not-so-good things he’s done. Seeing that he had made both good choices and some mistakes gives him a human quality. This isn’t just some unrealistic story, but it’s the life of a living and breathing person. A father, a son, a friend, a lover.
Stefan Templeton has done some amazing things during his life. He’s seen the most beautiful parts of the world and the ugliest. His story, told by his good friend David Matthews, is absolutely worth reading.
At times, this man’s story seems almost unrealistic and you can’t help but think, ‘Really, one person has done all of this?’ Yet there is one about the book that makes you realize, yes this is true, this is the extraordinary story of a real person, and that is seeing the change in Stefan as he goes through life.
The changes Stefan goes through from the time he was a child through his adulthood is my favorite part of Kicking Ass and Saving Souls. The book paints a picture of Stefan’s life and the many good and not-so-good things he’s done. Seeing that he had made both good choices and some mistakes gives him a human quality. This isn’t just some unrealistic story, but it’s the life of a living and breathing person. A father, a son, a friend, a lover.
Stefan Templeton has done some amazing things during his life. He’s seen the most beautiful parts of the world and the ugliest. His story, told by his good friend David Matthews, is absolutely worth reading.
October 8, 2011
I'm a sucker for a good memoir, and I know it might seem cliche, but Kicking Ass & Saving Souls literally has it all. A not always likable protagonist, living a double life between urban Baltimore and European splendor. Seriously, what's not to like?
Stefan Templeton became friends with the author in 1970's Baltimore. Baltimore is rough town even now, and from an early age Stefan realized that would have to carve out his own path in life, and what a life he's lived. When I read any memoir, I take it with a grain of salt. Unless you're some hopeless narcissist who recorded all your conversations, you're not going to remember conversations from 1985. That said, Stefan seems like the type of person that these sort of things would happen to. Moves to Europe, ends up in Colombia, stumbles into a criminal life, then begins to redeem himself by doing humanitarian work.
When I finished this book, I couldn't help but wonder what it's like to live a life over the line. To pack so many great and varied experiences into such a relatively short period of time. I wish I was a little bit more like Stefan Templeton. I doubt I'll be diving in Europe or working as a bouncer in Tokyo, but if I can take one thing from this book it's that perhaps I should try to be a little bit more fearless in my daily life.
Stefan Templeton became friends with the author in 1970's Baltimore. Baltimore is rough town even now, and from an early age Stefan realized that would have to carve out his own path in life, and what a life he's lived. When I read any memoir, I take it with a grain of salt. Unless you're some hopeless narcissist who recorded all your conversations, you're not going to remember conversations from 1985. That said, Stefan seems like the type of person that these sort of things would happen to. Moves to Europe, ends up in Colombia, stumbles into a criminal life, then begins to redeem himself by doing humanitarian work.
When I finished this book, I couldn't help but wonder what it's like to live a life over the line. To pack so many great and varied experiences into such a relatively short period of time. I wish I was a little bit more like Stefan Templeton. I doubt I'll be diving in Europe or working as a bouncer in Tokyo, but if I can take one thing from this book it's that perhaps I should try to be a little bit more fearless in my daily life.
August 19, 2011
Told in a frenetic, almost stream of conciousness style, this is a biography of a fascinating man few people have ever heard of. The child of a Black American Vietnam vet and philosopher and a Norwegian aristocrat and new age healer, Stefan Templeton spent his childhood divided between the ghettos of Baltimore and the elite society of Europe. By the age of 17 he could speak four languages and had a black belt. Stefan's childhood friend, David Matthews tells the story of his incredible life in this book. Stefan always had a taste for adventure and challenge. The things he accomplished by age 21 would take fill a lifetime and then some for most people. He studied at Oxford, explored the deepest jungles of Columbia, and trained at Jacques Cousteau's diving school.
However, it didn't seem that normal society could satisfy him, and soon Stefan found himself involved in a criminal gang, participating in a jewel heist and smuggling. Fortunately, we find that Stefan Templeton has a conscience and a strong humanitarian bent,and he redeemed himself by working with some of the great relief efforts of the age. If this book wasn't true you would have a hard time believing it, but David Matthews has done us a service by writing this book about his remarkable friend.
However, it didn't seem that normal society could satisfy him, and soon Stefan found himself involved in a criminal gang, participating in a jewel heist and smuggling. Fortunately, we find that Stefan Templeton has a conscience and a strong humanitarian bent,and he redeemed himself by working with some of the great relief efforts of the age. If this book wasn't true you would have a hard time believing it, but David Matthews has done us a service by writing this book about his remarkable friend.
April 20, 2014
I think it's safe to say without hyperbole that the man portrayed in this biography did more in any given week than most people do in a lifetime. This is a truly fascinating yarn which involves the extremes of wealth and poverty in one family, as well as one person's willingness to face grave danger internationally. This life-on-the-edge takes him into James Bond-like criminal activity and among abject Third World conditions in which his heroic bravery stands above the often problematic American presence. The first-hand perspectives regarding Hurricane Mitch and the tsunami in Southeast Asia in 2004 alone are worth the price of admission, sobering and tear-jerking as they are. This sometimes reads like a screenplay, and I suspect Matthews thought that Hollywood would pick up this story for immediate adaptation. Nevertheless, the story of Stefan Templeton deserves a wider audience than it's thus far received.
November 23, 2011
Short, easy to read, and interesting. Stefan had an early life full of experience. From living in Baltimore in a hard neighborhood, to swimming off the coast of Spain, Stefan lived a full life by the time he reached 15.
By the time Stefan reached 21, he had already touched most continents, either by helping disaster relief or running illicit gems.
If you've got a few days to burn and you want to read an interesting story about a guy who simply goes out and lives life, this could be your book.
By the time Stefan reached 21, he had already touched most continents, either by helping disaster relief or running illicit gems.
If you've got a few days to burn and you want to read an interesting story about a guy who simply goes out and lives life, this could be your book.
June 29, 2012
Sorry. I skimmed, poked into various pages. Then couldn't find what I thought might be there and after the dippity-doo approach decided the book belonged back on the library shelf for another patron. I have too many unread and half-read books about Burma (Myanmar) calling me right now. Perhaps we need a "Gave Up" category.
July 14, 2014
Oddly titled, but a fun and interesting read. Quickly gets up to speed and loses the "bro tone" early on.
Epilogue (where the author shares his own skepticism of the stories his subject has told him) was perhaps the best part of the book, with some meaningful (not trite) reflections.
Matthews is a genuinely gifted writer.
Epilogue (where the author shares his own skepticism of the stories his subject has told him) was perhaps the best part of the book, with some meaningful (not trite) reflections.
Matthews is a genuinely gifted writer.
August 10, 2011
I liked this story because it was true. What happens to Stephan is nearly unbelievable. I wanted to understand the main character a bit more, wanted more depth. He seemed a bit distant.
August 25, 2011
Good book David.
September 4, 2011
An amazing amount of ass kickery (in various forms) and NOTHING to do with religion!! Unfortunate title; great book.
September 4, 2011
Insanity. I definitely recommend, but so we're clear, the title does not reference Christian missionaries of any sort.
May 19, 2012
3.5. erratic storyline but the anecdotes highlighted were humorous enough. told from a "dude" pov which was a little irritating sometimes.
August 7, 2012
Great adventurous true story, I want to be his friend.
June 13, 2013
Started off much more engaging than it ended, but still an entertaining read. Might have been more so for me because of all the Baltimore references.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews