From There to Here

Rating:
Summary: Superb tales of an American life told with admirable candor
Review: I am frequently "turned off" by reading autobiographical books but Robert Rock's FROM THERE TO HERE is a notable exception. It is excellently written and I couldn't stop until I had read it from cover to cover. It may seem odd, but the book's attraction lies in both what it includes and what it lacks. What it includes are incidents in the author's life that did not take place in the halls of the powerful and famous, nor are they titillating revelations of private indiscretions, but the kind of events that have filled or might have filled any of our lives. The author's background is that of a typical American, one who, like so many millions of his (and my) generation, was a soldier in World War II, specifically in the "Pacific theater," the tragic arena of the war against Japan. What the book lacks is the flaw of so many autobiographical works, the intrusion of ego or self-importance. Although writing in the first person, the author's perspective is one of an observer, candidly revealing his likes, dislikes, foibles, disappointments, regrets, triumphs, and even the clever subterfuges which were common practice for a supply officer on Okinawa responsible for providing for a large company of fighting men. It is written with uncommon clarity and honesty.

To me the most poignant story (which has been read on National Public Radio) was "The Striped Pen," about a Japanese prisoner whom Rock unjustly accused of a theft, an incident Rock rues to this day. The funniest is one called "Snakes," the ending of which left me chortling. In another story, Rock discovers that another officer, whom he had actually trained, had become a First Lieutenant while he remained a Second. Instead of rankling over the injustices of life, the author simply hitched a ride on the first available plane to General MacArthur's headquarters in Manila, had his record searched, and found his promotion had been authorized but simply not forwarded, a typical military snafu which was quickly corrected. The story which I found most remarkable was called simply "The Train." Stuck on a cramped, smelly military transport train in the railroad yards at Boise, Idaho, Rock listens raptly to "what seemed like at least one hundred steam locomotives climbing through that huge valley-all puffing away, hooting at each other, clinking and clanking along in the crisp, cold air, which transported those sounds to me without the loss of one decibel." What would you expect the reaction to such a din to be? For Robert Rock, "It was ethereal, it was magical, what kind of words can I use to recreate the experience for your senses." The answer is that no one could have found better words.

You can read all the celebrity autobiographies you wish, but my wish it that FROM THERE TO HERE will make Robert M. Rock the celebrity he deserves to be.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating reading - with life lessons sneaked in
Review: Robert Rock tells wonderful stories that make you laugh and cry, that capture your attention, and that keep you reading - while subtly teaching you the important lessons about life. This is an excellent book to read aloud to your kids or your grandkids, and it might spark your telling them stories about your own life. If you grew up in St. Louis or attended the Missouri School of Mines/University of Missouri-Rolla, this is an absolute "must read". And even if you didn't, you'll find this a eye-opening view into the past that you'll remember long after the last page is turned. Best book I've read in years!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating reading - with life lessons sneaked in
Review: Robert Rock tells wonderful stories that make you laugh and cry, that capture your attention, and that keep you reading - while subtly teaching you the important lessons about life. This is an excellent book to read aloud to your kids or your grandkids, and it might spark your telling them stories about your own life. If you grew up in St. Louis or attended the Missouri School of Mines/University of Missouri-Rolla, this is an absolute "must read". And even if you didn't, you'll find this a eye-opening view into the past that you'll remember long after the last page is turned. Best book I've read in years!

Rating:
Summary: Robert Rock's Essayistic Voyage through Life
Review: With, dare I say, an Emmersonian touch, Robert Rock has recorded his multi-faceted life in seventy-odd charming vignettes. From "The Bomb" to "The Little Girl" Rock captured my attention with his gentle approach to life. Whether the experience was terrifying or tearful, he has injected a combination of humility and electrifying instance with captivating detail. Wonderful reading for any time of the day.

Rating:
Summary: Robert Rock's Essayistic Voyage through Life
Review: With, dare I say, an Emmersonian touch, Robert Rock has recorded his multi-faceted life in seventy-odd charming vignettes. From "The Bomb" to "The Little Girl" Rock captured my attention with his gentle approach to life. Whether the experience was terrifying or tearful, he has injected a combination of humility and electrifying instance with captivating detail. Wonderful reading for any time of the day.

Rating:
Summary: From There to Here "rocks!.."
Review: Wow. Articulate writing of stories that warm and challenge the heart. I am not a reader of stories. They bore me; not this book. I felt that "I'm not alone" validation. I'm reading these pages about places and events that I never thought I would enjoy; and I'm moved by the sense of being bathed in light, a recognition that the truths interwoven in this man's storytelling are humanites truths, that I'm reading the experience of "one of Us". And I am a better person for having enjoyed a damn good story. There is an uncanny spiritual depth clothed in crisp, simple words even a child will enjoy, and those adults who have ears to hear will be changed.