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There Is an Urgency
Born into a world of horror, madness and chaos in 1973 to Debbie, a 23-year-old drug addicted prostitute and Howard, a 24-year-old addict and convict, Gregrhi Love grew up quickly with the Department of Children's Services becoming an active part of his life in 1974. With Howard in prison, the only father he knew as a child was Bobby, his mother's pimp, drug dealer, and lover. In 1980, he was placed in his first foster home. While foster care was often horrifying, nothing compared to the daily near-death experiences he survived living in Father Panik Village with Bobby and Debbie. On May 23, 1980 his coerced testimony sent Debbie to prison. Now a grown man, Mr. Love uses his childhood traumas to change lives. Working as a teacher allows him to use the experiences of his life to help children who live in a similar world. His experiences give him a perspective most people do not have and knowledge that cannot be obtained from any textbook. There Is An Urgency explores these experiences in an effort to make others aware that people like him walk among us every day. There Is An Urgency is inimitable in that it juxtaposes Mr. Love's experiences as an adult, working with children in school and juvenile detention settings, with personal accounts of physical and sexual abuse from his childhood. There Is An Urgency to share this story of hard won hope and resilience after years of terrifying abuse by a real life monster.
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 2009
13 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 18, 2011
This book gives such insight to what an abused child goes through. Every other chapter is a very detailed and often times hard to read memoir of his past and the other chapters are positive, encouraging stories of how he has used his abuse for good, to help at-risk, hard to handle kids.
Before this book I was unable to fathom the kind of abuse some kids endure. I feel I have a better understanding of what the kids at the group home I volunteer at have gone through. I can only pray this helps me to love them even more and empathize with their situation.
Excellent book, but definitely heavy and emotionally draining at times.
Before this book I was unable to fathom the kind of abuse some kids endure. I feel I have a better understanding of what the kids at the group home I volunteer at have gone through. I can only pray this helps me to love them even more and empathize with their situation.
Excellent book, but definitely heavy and emotionally draining at times.
November 30, 2010
This is an excellent book. It is very disturbing and unfathomable. This book broke my heart and made me cry. I loved the way it was written with each chapter transferring back and forth between past and present. There is a huge contrast between this writer's past and present lives. He is an amazing human being who has overcome what most people would probably have not survived. Absolutely amazing!
June 11, 2009
This is a horrifying, horrifying story - not for the faint of heart - about what this man went thru as a child, from the ages of 1 - 6. He came to our book club the other night. He's an amazing man, a superhero as far as I'm concerned. To pull himself up to where he is now is nothing short of miraculous.
March 15, 2011
This memoir is a strong reminder of the power of a book and how it can transport one outside of one's own world and into a place you never thought to experience. This book was inspiring and it's story will stay with me for a long time.
September 22, 2011
Someone I work with gave this to me knowing how I liked to read and said it's rough, but it's good. I could hardly put it down it was attention grabbing. This is probably one of the most difficult books I will ever read, but it was no doubt one of the best.
July 28, 2010
I gave this book an average ratng at first but I think it was because it was so intense. It stayed with me long after I read it. I think I needed time to absorb it all.
May 1, 2011
This was such a difficult and painful story to read, but Greg Love has overcome so many challenges in his life and sought to make a difference in the lives of children. Truly an inspiring story.
January 26, 2026
This memoir was really dark and hard to read at times, but it also gave me a sense of hope. It made me feel disgust, sadness, and empathy all at once. It also made me think about my own life and how, even though I’ve been through some traumatic stuff, I still have things to be grateful for.
The switching between being an adult and then a child again was interesting. It helped break things up a bit so it wasn’t just nonstop misery, even though it was still really heavy.
Some of the descriptions were so disturbing that I had to stop reading after one chapter. The writing is very powerful, but it can be emotionally exhausting too.
What stood out to me most was the author’s resilience. It honestly gave me hope that even if I’m dealing with my own issues, I can still do something good with my life.
The only reason I’m not giving it a full 5 is that the ending felt kind of rushed and abrupt. Other than that, it’s a really strong memoir.
I’ve met the author before, and this book helped me understand him better, though that didn’t affect my rating. It also gave me more insight into what someone who’s gone through abuse might think or feel, which made it even more meaningful to read.
4.9/5
The switching between being an adult and then a child again was interesting. It helped break things up a bit so it wasn’t just nonstop misery, even though it was still really heavy.
Some of the descriptions were so disturbing that I had to stop reading after one chapter. The writing is very powerful, but it can be emotionally exhausting too.
What stood out to me most was the author’s resilience. It honestly gave me hope that even if I’m dealing with my own issues, I can still do something good with my life.
The only reason I’m not giving it a full 5 is that the ending felt kind of rushed and abrupt. Other than that, it’s a really strong memoir.
I’ve met the author before, and this book helped me understand him better, though that didn’t affect my rating. It also gave me more insight into what someone who’s gone through abuse might think or feel, which made it even more meaningful to read.
4.9/5
May 29, 2018
There Is An Urgency
This bio by Tony Love shows a horrific childhood. It saddened me to read of the emotional abuse inflicted by his mother. The physical & sexual abuse he endured from his mother's pimp & heroin addicted boyfriend. Damit... I was and still feel sick to my heart that it took neighbors & others family members that came in contact with Tony, his brother Matthew, and 🚼 sister Ruby so long to call Child Protective Services.
Mr. 💘, you survived and are an outstanding individual now helping children that experienced what you did. These young people can have a better outlook on life. You make a great contribution to society and you are a good 🚹.
This bio by Tony Love shows a horrific childhood. It saddened me to read of the emotional abuse inflicted by his mother. The physical & sexual abuse he endured from his mother's pimp & heroin addicted boyfriend. Damit... I was and still feel sick to my heart that it took neighbors & others family members that came in contact with Tony, his brother Matthew, and 🚼 sister Ruby so long to call Child Protective Services.
Mr. 💘, you survived and are an outstanding individual now helping children that experienced what you did. These young people can have a better outlook on life. You make a great contribution to society and you are a good 🚹.
January 1, 2024
A gripping and heartbreaking retelling of an unbelievably awful childhood, mixed with a life transformed to help others. I was torn apart inside for the child, but left feeling hope for those Love has and will impact with his story.
November 7, 2019
Excellent read!
I enjoyed every page of this book. It was heartbreaking and inspiring. This absolutely amazing book is a must read!
I enjoyed every page of this book. It was heartbreaking and inspiring. This absolutely amazing book is a must read!
November 20, 2016
There is indeed an urgency....to rescue this child from a sadistic monster!
This raw and brutally honest glimpse into the Hell that the author was forced to call his childhood goes from 0-60 almost immediately palpable hardship and poignancy. A young Greg is walking the streets of Bridgeport,Connecticut with his drug addicted prostitute mother mostly barefoot and is given a pair of shoes at the welfare office, but to avoid the boyfriend's wrath his mother confiscates the shoes to give to his older brother, whom the boyfriend oddly adores and vice versa. Okay....strange. You wonder what kind of woman this mother is that she doesn't insist her child have a pair of shoes on his feet. It all starts to make sense though very soon. In a rare demonstration of maternal care, Greg's mother goes behind her lover's back and purchases a cheap pair of runners for him at a local store, which the little boy wears with pride especially when allowed outside to play as another rare indulgence, but the good times are very brief. He is soon attacked by a group of black and latino kids, for the simple 'crime' of being the white child of a prostitute while residing on a poor government housing estate, and has to be rescued by his older brother, who again oddly is accepted and liked. The attack destroys his new shoes and after being compelled to return their apartment by his brother, facing the wrath of the livid boyfriend, who is already beating and berating his mother for spending money on little Greg as well as letting him leave the apartment to begin with, and the destroyed shoes only make matters worse....much worse. No empathy or mercy whatsoever from this most pitiful excuse of a father figure "Bobby', who despite seeing the attack on the playground with his own two eyes, demands to know why the shoes are destroyed and then savagely beats both mother and child as if they're DOGS, with his belt. After this, under the guise of helping little Greg not "get his ass kicked every time he goes out of this goddamn house!' as Bobby so graciously puts it.What better way to teach a 5 year old how to fight and be a man than to force the boy to spar with you while telling him "You ain't shit!', decide he needs practice and ball his small hands into fists before locking him outside of the apartment and telling him to strike the door as hard as he can with those fists if he wants to get back inside that night? This is just the 1st of many disturbing scenes of 100% Child Abuse throughout the book that escalate to horrific levels. It infuriated me to no end that Greg's mother not only had her sons calling this inhuman Psycho 'Daddy' and referred to him as such repeatedly "Do what your Daddy says!" "Your father will be back soon." , but that Debbie also took the blame for a near attempted murder of Greg and allowed Bobby to walk away scott free! Though the author never got justice for the nearly fatal acts of brutality against him by darling 'Daddy Bobby', I am glad that he was able to move on to a peaceful and positive life as an adult, whether than ending up in prison or strung out on drugs like so many other victims of difficult childhoods. Read this book if you want a gritty and unflinching look into the nightmare that is the life of an abused child, the daily struggle to survive against all odds and only a child's natural resilience to somehow hold their life together.
This raw and brutally honest glimpse into the Hell that the author was forced to call his childhood goes from 0-60 almost immediately palpable hardship and poignancy. A young Greg is walking the streets of Bridgeport,Connecticut with his drug addicted prostitute mother mostly barefoot and is given a pair of shoes at the welfare office, but to avoid the boyfriend's wrath his mother confiscates the shoes to give to his older brother, whom the boyfriend oddly adores and vice versa. Okay....strange. You wonder what kind of woman this mother is that she doesn't insist her child have a pair of shoes on his feet. It all starts to make sense though very soon. In a rare demonstration of maternal care, Greg's mother goes behind her lover's back and purchases a cheap pair of runners for him at a local store, which the little boy wears with pride especially when allowed outside to play as another rare indulgence, but the good times are very brief. He is soon attacked by a group of black and latino kids, for the simple 'crime' of being the white child of a prostitute while residing on a poor government housing estate, and has to be rescued by his older brother, who again oddly is accepted and liked. The attack destroys his new shoes and after being compelled to return their apartment by his brother, facing the wrath of the livid boyfriend, who is already beating and berating his mother for spending money on little Greg as well as letting him leave the apartment to begin with, and the destroyed shoes only make matters worse....much worse. No empathy or mercy whatsoever from this most pitiful excuse of a father figure "Bobby', who despite seeing the attack on the playground with his own two eyes, demands to know why the shoes are destroyed and then savagely beats both mother and child as if they're DOGS, with his belt. After this, under the guise of helping little Greg not "get his ass kicked every time he goes out of this goddamn house!' as Bobby so graciously puts it.What better way to teach a 5 year old how to fight and be a man than to force the boy to spar with you while telling him "You ain't shit!', decide he needs practice and ball his small hands into fists before locking him outside of the apartment and telling him to strike the door as hard as he can with those fists if he wants to get back inside that night? This is just the 1st of many disturbing scenes of 100% Child Abuse throughout the book that escalate to horrific levels. It infuriated me to no end that Greg's mother not only had her sons calling this inhuman Psycho 'Daddy' and referred to him as such repeatedly "Do what your Daddy says!" "Your father will be back soon." , but that Debbie also took the blame for a near attempted murder of Greg and allowed Bobby to walk away scott free! Though the author never got justice for the nearly fatal acts of brutality against him by darling 'Daddy Bobby', I am glad that he was able to move on to a peaceful and positive life as an adult, whether than ending up in prison or strung out on drugs like so many other victims of difficult childhoods. Read this book if you want a gritty and unflinching look into the nightmare that is the life of an abused child, the daily struggle to survive against all odds and only a child's natural resilience to somehow hold their life together.
August 7, 2012
Oh my Gosh!!! Goodness Gracious this book was truly heartbreaking. It is shocking to learn that horrific acts of child abuse exist in our country. However after talking with Gregrhi Love he has informed me that it is happening every day and there are many victims who experience this level of abuse.
The book alternates from his life as a child who was born to a drug addicted prostitute, and her pimp Bobby to his life now at a alternative school for students who have troubled home lives and behavioral issues that affect their school environment.Mr. Love has turned into such a positive role model for the youth of America and he was even nominated Teacher of the Year. Yeaaa!!! You go Greg!!
I am kind of glad the book alternates in that way though because it is the type of book that brought me to tears and even with the alternating chapters from then and now, I still had to take a few breaks in between a couple times, but I read the book in one day.
GoodReads why is Jay Lee Phillips listed as author??Maybe he is editor, or something but surely this needs to be changed and Mr Love needs to be given the credit he deserves for sharing his difficult story.
The book alternates from his life as a child who was born to a drug addicted prostitute, and her pimp Bobby to his life now at a alternative school for students who have troubled home lives and behavioral issues that affect their school environment.Mr. Love has turned into such a positive role model for the youth of America and he was even nominated Teacher of the Year. Yeaaa!!! You go Greg!!
I am kind of glad the book alternates in that way though because it is the type of book that brought me to tears and even with the alternating chapters from then and now, I still had to take a few breaks in between a couple times, but I read the book in one day.
GoodReads why is Jay Lee Phillips listed as author??Maybe he is editor, or something but surely this needs to be changed and Mr Love needs to be given the credit he deserves for sharing his difficult story.
July 12, 2012
Let me start off saying I usually HATE when chapters jump around in different times. Now that being said this book makes me want to rethink that. I loved his style. It so worked with this story.
His childhood was an absolute nightmare. I was scared for him as I turned pages. He made me love him and want to protect him. These type always rip my heart out.
Childabuse is so frequent in our country. Makes you wonder if it spreads like a disease.
On his mother or Debbie as he refers to her was sick..why would she subject her children to this man..Drugs really that importain that you would help molest your own son? Thank God the author chose to help society instead of varrying on this lifestle.
This is like MOST of my reviews a rant of anger toward the abuser. For this I am sorry.
His childhood was an absolute nightmare. I was scared for him as I turned pages. He made me love him and want to protect him. These type always rip my heart out.
Childabuse is so frequent in our country. Makes you wonder if it spreads like a disease.
On his mother or Debbie as he refers to her was sick..why would she subject her children to this man..Drugs really that importain that you would help molest your own son? Thank God the author chose to help society instead of varrying on this lifestle.
This is like MOST of my reviews a rant of anger toward the abuser. For this I am sorry.
October 23, 2012
Even though I completed the book two years ago, tears still well in my eyes when I think of it. Never have I attempted to get through a more horrifying book. Never have I cried more while reading a novel. Never have I imagined the haunting situations faced in this memoir. This is the most fantastically terrifying book that I've ever read and yet the most fantastically uplifting. The author and protagonist rose out of the ashes of his past and now uses his painful memories as a teacher to reach those students who need to be most reached. I only hope that I can one day be such an inspirational educator. Five stars. Hands down.
March 21, 2016
Very well written book. I particularly liked how he went from past to present to show where he is and how he got there. His childhood was very hard to read, its just incomprehensible how some people parent their children!! However his present day was very interesting. I was though quite shocked that the book ended and felt as though I was only half way through. Thats why I only gave 4 stars instead of 5, I feel as I need book 2, in order to get the rest of the story. It is hard to explain what I mean without giving the plot away!
November 24, 2014
Achingly honest
I'm a therapist & work with abused kids. this is a raw and powerful account of turning life around after severe treatment and abuse. I like the fact that the author got his point across without feeling the need to detail the sexual abuse as some memoirs are to blunt and feel almost voyeuristic. the human spirit astounds me. my question as always is how does one child develop empathy while kids from the same family don't as this is key to recovery
I'm a therapist & work with abused kids. this is a raw and powerful account of turning life around after severe treatment and abuse. I like the fact that the author got his point across without feeling the need to detail the sexual abuse as some memoirs are to blunt and feel almost voyeuristic. the human spirit astounds me. my question as always is how does one child develop empathy while kids from the same family don't as this is key to recovery
January 3, 2013
I enjoyed this book mostly, though the way of writing frustrated me in that each alternate chapter jumped from past to present. I would have preferred to have read about the past first and moved on to the present in later chapters. It was like trying to read two separate books at once.
July 6, 2014
this was hard to read, unfathomable what he went through and inspiring how he changed his life. I want to know what happend after and how is he doing now. one of those books you keep thinking about long after you have finished. he's an amazing survivor.
May 6, 2012
Wonderful and disturbing memoir about abuse and helping others.
June 26, 2012
I would have given this book four stars but it just ended. No warning, just ended.
July 10, 2012
good book...basically just an abuse memoir...he needed more on the outcome/healing. and forgiveness especially for his brother.
July 10, 2012
Heartbreaking and courageous. Thank you for opening up so honestly so that we could have a clue.
February 6, 2013
Holy cow.. not for the light of heart but Mr. Love's writing and heart-wrenching stories had my jaw dropped. Amazing story, amazing person.
May 13, 2014
Rough. Intense. Thought-provoking
June 3, 2015
Heart wrenching
Must read but keep tissue close by. Makes me motivated to continue helping that kids I work with and be a better social worker.
Must read but keep tissue close by. Makes me motivated to continue helping that kids I work with and be a better social worker.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews