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Still Breathing
by
2019 B.R.A.G Medallion Honoree
2019 Finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards
Newly widowed and on the threshold of seventy, Lizzie Warton questions the value of her remaining years. Uncharacteristically, she decides for the first time in her life to do what she wants, instead of what everyone expects.
Against the wishes of family and friends, she sets out for Africa to wor ...more
2019 Finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards
Newly widowed and on the threshold of seventy, Lizzie Warton questions the value of her remaining years. Uncharacteristically, she decides for the first time in her life to do what she wants, instead of what everyone expects.
Against the wishes of family and friends, she sets out for Africa to wor ...more
Kindle Edition, 412 pages
Published
October 23rd 2018
by Acorn Publishing
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I was joyously surprised with Still Breathing, only the second book I have read by a male author writing women’s fiction. Lizzie, a woman in her late 60s, the main character, kept me reading through the first few chapters as her children made me want to close the book. Trust me everyone stick with it past those chapters because once Lizzie arrives in Africa you will not be able to close this book.
Lizzie becomes a vibrant strong woman coming out of her shell with the help of many secondary chara ...more
Lizzie becomes a vibrant strong woman coming out of her shell with the help of many secondary chara ...more
Finished reading Still Breathing by E.A. Fournier. It is a wonderful novel about a middle-aged woman, Lizzie Warton, who loses her husband to Alzheimer disease, and is faced with the dilemma, "Where do I go on from here?" When she hears an African pastor from Uganda speak at her church, Lizzie believes she is being called to go. Pushing all reservations aside, along with the nay-sayers, Lizzie hops on a plane to Africa.
Her first encounter turns out to be not only dangerous but frightening as w ...more
Her first encounter turns out to be not only dangerous but frightening as w ...more
A tale about spiritual transformation and growth, and very approachable novel. The author has a tremendous command of the written word and this work is grammatically flawless, not to mention the depths to which the cultural nuances of Ugandan life were obviously researched.
Prepare for some sweet yet powerful emotional build-up surrounding the climax. A heartfelt story about transcending mental boundaries and finding family in the most unexpected places.
Prepare for some sweet yet powerful emotional build-up surrounding the climax. A heartfelt story about transcending mental boundaries and finding family in the most unexpected places.
What a sweet story written by E.A. Fournier.
I enjoyed reading about how an older recently widowed lady finds the courage to fly to Africa. How she makes the best of it under difficult circumstances, and comes out on top.
I enjoyed the diversity of the people the main character met, and to learn more about life in Africa. This continent is so different from the United States as was confirmed in the book. Power outages, street boys, bombings, clogged roads, corruption, bribes, haggling for everythi ...more
I enjoyed reading about how an older recently widowed lady finds the courage to fly to Africa. How she makes the best of it under difficult circumstances, and comes out on top.
I enjoyed the diversity of the people the main character met, and to learn more about life in Africa. This continent is so different from the United States as was confirmed in the book. Power outages, street boys, bombings, clogged roads, corruption, bribes, haggling for everythi ...more
We are proud to announce that STILL BREATHING by E. A. Fournier is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
This beautifully moving novel is about a sixty-nine-year-old widow, Lizzie, and her experience traveling to Uganda as a missionary to set up a library. Lizzie had spent years caring for her husband as he battled Alzheimer's and then prior to his death he requested that she do something that she wanted to do and to do something big. After hearing a guest speaker at her church and feeling that she had been called by God, she sets off to Africa with high hopes of what she could accomplish. Things g
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If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. I have it in paperback and the cover is just absolutely stunning, and it's just the smallest hint of how great the book is going to be.
In Still Breathing we meet Lizzie, who after losing her husband after a long illness, hears the call to go to Africa and help. At 69 years old, it's a bit scary to think of trekking across continents, but the Pastor who inspired the call to go to Uganda has the perfect job for Lizzie.
A bit naive to the world ...more
In Still Breathing we meet Lizzie, who after losing her husband after a long illness, hears the call to go to Africa and help. At 69 years old, it's a bit scary to think of trekking across continents, but the Pastor who inspired the call to go to Uganda has the perfect job for Lizzie.
A bit naive to the world ...more
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Still Breathing
Author: E. A. Fournier
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 21
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 21 readers:
20 would read another book by this author.
21 thought the cover was good or excellent.
20 felt it was easy to follow.
20 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 12 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a st ...more
Title: Still Breathing
Author: E. A. Fournier
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 21
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 21 readers:
20 would read another book by this author.
21 thought the cover was good or excellent.
20 felt it was easy to follow.
20 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 12 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a st ...more
In an astonishing synchronicity that only God can pull off, a Kenyan pastor spoke at our church today, hoping for the blessing of our congregation's support for his church, an 800-capacity school "in the middle of nowhere Africa"... the very day on which I completed this extraordinary book in which an African pastor speaks to a congregation with the same purpose, compelling the protagonist, a recently widowed woman to go/come to Africa "to do something for herself without others' opinions to int
...more
I had never read a novel that pulled you within its pages and made your senses come alive. I could see, I could smell, I could feel as I was reading, and I tasted all that was vividly described in the novel. Still Breathing was a very enjoyable and exciting read! I grew up in Uganda, so Eugene Fournier took me on a journey down memory lane. The author really captured the essence of the culture, the foods, the interactions, and the Ugandan sense of humor I grew up with. All the characters in the
...more
Still Breathing is outstanding! This book is outside of my normal genre, but I found it riveting. We follow Lizzie through her journey to Africa after the loss of her husband. The story started a little slow for me and I was unsure about how I was going to relate to Lizzie. However, once she landed in Uganda I was unable to put the book down, finishing it in a day. I fell in love with her and those she befriended as she worked to help the Wobulezi School. The writing was so descriptive that I tr
...more
In Still Breathing you will join Lizzie at the bedside of her dying husband and travel with her as she goes on an adventure of a lifetime to a world unknown to either of you. Mr. Fournier writes masterfully in a detailed, pictorial, and vivid manner. You will smell the dust, feel the hot sun, hear the insects buzzing, smell the simmering chai and savor the tasty cha' pati. You will not want to skim over any part of this book for fear of missing any of the author's beautiful descriptive and often
...more
I lived and worked in Kampala - this is totally realistic, could smell and hear the cacophony of traffic and people. Then I stopped and became irritated at the "smart muzungu jjjajja outsmarts usually successful scammer/thief" in a few encounters. Made the male crook look somewhat stupid - those manipulators I knew would have become angry and vindictive. But, for the sake of a good plot, I got over that slight put down. As impossible as the bomber story line seems, it could have happened that wa
...more
Still Breathing is a unique, wonderful story about the interconnectedness of all people, regardless of geographic location. The characters and central location are gold...diamonds! Additionally, its protagonist’s journey is a true testament to the strength of women who have grown wise with experience. I recommend this book highly and hope it gets adapted for film one day—the visual storytelling begs to be seen.
Not a favorite
The writing was well done, but I found this story to be a bit unrealistic. Lizzie desires to be her own person after her husband’s death, but I can’t picture a 70 yr old woman, leaving her family and home, and suddenly heading to Africa to head up a library. Her boldness and determination is admirable, but the story seemed to contrived and just didn’t work for me.
The writing was well done, but I found this story to be a bit unrealistic. Lizzie desires to be her own person after her husband’s death, but I can’t picture a 70 yr old woman, leaving her family and home, and suddenly heading to Africa to head up a library. Her boldness and determination is admirable, but the story seemed to contrived and just didn’t work for me.
Excellent read! Fournier does a fabulous job engaging the reader revealing a rich tapestry with clear imagery of even minor supporting characters. It was like building a jigsaw puzzle steadily revealing beautiful scenes, but being truly awed at how they all went together as the final piece is fitted.
It felt very much like a long lost friend coming back and telling me what had happened to them in way that made me feel like I was with them the entire time.
LOVED IT!
It felt very much like a long lost friend coming back and telling me what had happened to them in way that made me feel like I was with them the entire time.
LOVED IT!
E.A. Fournier's book Still Breathing is an adventure worth taking! When her husband’s battle with Alzheimer's ends, 69-year-old Lizzie Warton embarks on a trip to Uganda, Africa as his dying wish. She ends up in situations she would never have dreamed and feels vulnerable and scared. However, she doesn’t realize that her experiences in America help her to succeed in Africa. Lizzie solves problems and performs feats that are not only amazing for someone her age, but for anyone.
Still Breathing ta ...more
Still Breathing ta ...more
All I have to say is this is an incredible book! Mr. Fournier does an amazing job of telling the story, describing his scenes, and making you feel every single emotion Lizzie, and the other characters, are feeling and more.
Well written, interesting story.
This story is very well written and interesting. It depicts Kampala and Uganda so well that it is hard to believe the author has never been well. Kudos to his daughter in law for making it so realistic. I highly recommend it.
This story is very well written and interesting. It depicts Kampala and Uganda so well that it is hard to believe the author has never been well. Kudos to his daughter in law for making it so realistic. I highly recommend it.
A wonderfully warm and touching story. I loved and felt compassion and understanding with each character. Funny, sad, sometimes harrowing, and totally enjoyable.
I really enjoyed this book. The development of the characters are superbly done.
69 yr old widow goes on a harrowing adventure to Uganda to set up a library for a small Christian school. Twists and turns and some descriptive passages
This book needed an editor. While I did appreciate the book being set mostly in Uganda, it could have been easily cut to 250 pages instead of 400. The story started off slow and many of the beginning plot events seem contrived and unrealistic. I found Lizzie a difficult character to relate to and was disappointed of hints of how her white American privilege seemed to resolve problems in the story.
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Originally from South Minneapolis, Gene Fournier earned a BA in Philosophy & Literature from St. Louis University followed by a Masters in Film from USC. Gene is a member of the Writers Guild of America west (WGA) and worked as a screenwriter and editor in Hollywood, but sadly, he never got that big break.
Seeking a return to his roots after twelve years in California, he accepted a Director of Me ...more
Seeking a return to his roots after twelve years in California, he accepted a Director of Me ...more
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