Author: Terry Dwight Coleman: ISBN: 978-1-60477-465-8
Terry Dwight Coleman's battle for survival began from the moment he was two weeks old in 1951 when he was admitted to the Denver General Hospital with whooping cough. His great-grandmother came to visit him and noticed that he was crying. When she questioned the nurses what was wrong with Terry, they were unable to provide an answer. However, his great-grandmother, who was not one to give up too easily, detected a safety pin that went through Terry's diaper into his skin. Sadly, Terry's mother was not present to take care of him and as Terry recounts, she had issues in her own life. It was then and there that his great-grandmother decided to take Terry home and raise him herself. Unfortunately, his three other siblings were not as fortunate and they wound up with their mother.
In his autobiography, Don't Give Up, Don't Give In: A True Story of the Struggles of a World Record Hymn Singer Terry, who eventually became a born again Christian, relates how he believed God interceded and prevented a man from shooting him when he was a teenager, how he empowered him to put an end to his drinking, how he saved his marriage, and in essence how he assisted him to get through life in one piece.
Terry's tale may not be unique as he recounts the difficulties he faced as an African American during the turbulent 1950's and 60s' and his dependency on drugs and alcohol. However, his memoirs exude frankness and intelligence that provides readers with a window into a way of life that is probably foreign to many of us, particularly if we are from the white community and are not familiar with some aspects of African-American culture and way of life.
What is quite significant is that Terry's soul searching and his return to his religious roots eventually led him to realize that as God had been good to him he ought to give something back to society or as he states, why not do something to glorify God. Deeply affected by the plight of his homeless brother as well as the many destitute people whom he had met while helping distribute food and clothing to them, he was determined to employ his singing voice to bring awareness to their quandary.
Searching the Internet he came across various organizations that were involved with all kinds of world records. It was at that moment, as he recounts, that a light came on in his head wherein he decided he would sing for a world record to bring awareness to the awful conditions of the homeless and at the same time give back to society as well as give glory to God. The rest is history as he succeeded in singing 849 songs, rotating 120 hymns, for forty hours and seventeen minutes at the age of fifty-four. Quite a feat and it did lead to his recognition as the holder of the world record for hymn singing marathon that was published in The Book of Alternative Records. He has also been mentioned in Ripley's Believe Or Not.
From the point of view of the subject matter, this is a remarkable tale and an engrossing read with a great deal of candour and forthrightness conveying the ups and downs of a life voyage illustrating how it is possible to survive against practically unbeatable odds. It is also an attestation to a noble desire to give back to society.
However, where the book comes up short is the author's underdevelopment of his various life experiences. It would have been preferable to focus on fewer events providing readers with a personal interpretation of these events in a way that would bring a special insight and perspective. At times I felt that many of the chapters were extremely short and devoid of substance where there seemed to be pointless passive chat that added very little in conveying the author's message.
Nonetheless, Terry warrants a great deal of credit in pulling himself up from his shoe straps and living to tell his story.
It should be pointed out that Terry graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and he is also a certified Paralegal. He has been married to the same wife for thirty-five years, a feat in itself with today's high rate of divorce.
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