The Hundred Story Home

64 comments

We are joining McGuffy’s Reader’s Sparks (even though she is on hiatus), Comedy Plus’ Awww….Mondays and Book Date’s It’s Monday! What Are YOU Reading? 

The Hundred Story Home by Kathy Izard is a touching memoir of one woman’s quest to make the world a better place.

*Disclosure: I received this book for free as part of The Book Look Bloggers book review program. I am not required to write a positive review, all opinions are my own.

Kathy Izard was a graphic designer, happily married with four daughters when she felt what she described as an “insistent whisper”. At the time, she was volunteering at a local soup kitchen in Charlotte, NC. One day, while working at the soup kitchen she meets a man who was formerly homeless and later became a famous author, Denver Moore. He asks her one simple question that changes the course of her life. “Where are the beds? ”

Prior to that , Kathy thought the soup kitchen was doing a great job serving the homeless of Charlotte. She had never given a thought to where they go after they eat. This one question inspires her to quit her job so she can find a way to create homes for the homeless.It takes a lot of work, prayer and donations, but she finds a way.

Throughout the memoir, she revisits her childhood. Until she was six, she had a fairly normal life with two sisters and her parents. Eventually, her mother’s bipolar disorder takes her away from the family for years.The author realizes now how easily her family could have become homeless because of this. So not only does she provide homes for the homeless, she finds a way to keep them stable once there through medical and psychological care.

Unfortunately, her focus on helping the homeless takes her away from her family and even when she is with them, she is not giving her all. It takes finding a letter of despair her college aged daughter wrote to make her realize this. Eventually, she finds a happy medium between work and family, but it takes a lot of effort.

I highly recommend this book as an inspiration to anyone that feels they are not living the life they were meant to live. Kathy Izard says, ” I wrote The Hundred Story Home not to convince you to help solve the homelessness in your community but to help solve the homelessness in you. ”

This book also has a reader’s guide and FAQ from readers at the end. I think it would be perfect for church groups or book clubs. It would also be a great gift for a friend that needs a little push to living their dreams.

I am going to spread the joy and give this book away so if you are interested, just tell me in the comment section. We will announce the winner on Wednesday’s post. I can only afford to mail it in the USA though, sorry, but books are heavy.

 

I review for BookLook Bloggers

 

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64 comments

  1. Sounds like a really interesting book – particularly for someone who needs to find some sort of balance in their life when they are interested in or involved deeply in multiple projects as well as having time for a personal life. It’s a fine line to walk for sure. Nice of you to have a giveaway of the book so someone else might benefit from the author’s experience!

    Happy Monday
    Hugs, Pam

    1. It is a good book. KaTwo says hello. It is really hot here too and so humid. XO

  5. Ellen,

    This sounds like an interesting story. I admire anyone who can give of themselves in this capacity. It truly takes a special person, in my opinion. Thanks for sharing your book review.

  7. There’s so much need in the world, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose balance. I’ve always thought Lottie Moon was the most famous example of that.

  8. This sounds like a great book with great things to ponder, and perhaps even, to act upon. We’ll make sure Mom adds this title to her books list. Thanks for sharing!

  10. I’m reading The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy.

    A night out. A few hours of fun. That’s all it was meant to be.

    They call themselves the May Mothers—a group of new moms whose babies were born in the same month. Twice a week, they get together in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for some much-needed adult time.

    When the women go out for drinks at the hip neighborhood bar,they are looking for a fun break from their daily routine. But on this hot Fourth of July night, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is taken from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but her fellow May Mothers insisted everything would be fine. Now he is missing. What follows is a heart-pounding race to find Midas, during which secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are destroyed.

    Always love your Awww Mondays kitties. I love your kitties.

    Have a purrfect Awww Monday. ♥

    1. That sounds like an interesting book. Thank you, I am glad you love my kitties 🙂 XO

  12. Mee-you Aunty Ellen that soundss like a reelly inn-spirationall story! An what thee man asked her iss true…where do thee homeless peepull sleep an cleen uppy an rest??
    Wee all most at thee endin of “Playin With Fire” an Inspecktur Bankss crime drama bye Mistur Peter Robinson. 400 pages red an wee still have NO clue who set thee firess or if there iss more than one fire setter….Hope wee finish thee book tonite so mee will know WHO DUN IT!!!!
    ~~~head rubsss~~~ neffkitty Siddhartha Henry~~~

    1. That must be a good book if you don’t have a clue so far into the book. XO

      1. Mee-you Aunty it was thee Art Deeler who was purrtendin to bee 3 other peepull….wee wundered about Mistur Philip Keane butt nevurr quite thott hee was an arsonist…..well hee WAS thee arsonist an a reel bad man!! Pawsum story bee-cause neither of us new who did it!!!!

  14. this book would make a nice gift to those who do volunteer at shelters ~~~~~

    N wavez two ewe ka two frum uz 🙂 ♥♥

  16. Folks who rescue animals often get burn-out, due to the huge demand on one’s time…and the emotional roller-coaster. Balance is key, but the pendulum can swing back and forth at times.

  23. Charlotte…where I just came back from. Is the kitchen still there?

  29. It sounds like a very interesting and meaningful book. I used to read a lot of books like this when I was younger, even when I was a kid. I started young, at six years old and I used to read everything I could find. Now I prefer supernatural, dystopian and that kind of stuff, because I have enough of real life in real life. lol

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