I bought this book because of a recommendation by my late father's lovely 88-years-young lady friend (she recently quit tap dancing). FABULOUS read, and keep the tissues handy. This is such a wonderful, incredible story about two of the most unlikely men to ever become lifelong friends. One seems hopeless beyond repair, and spent the majority of his life working for no pay; he is black and named Denver. The other man is white, and has been lucky in life AND mostly lucky in love; he is Ron. Ron's wife is the "cook" who adds the ingredients of this friendship, and stirs it to make it happen. No one is more surprised by the results, than Ron and Denver and their entire community in Texas. This is a gift of a true story, that filled me with such pride and wonder, and gave me hope for the world. What an incredible woman Deborah Hall turned out to be!! Great book to give as a gift, especially to a friend who needs a mental boost! LOVED this story. Just an outstanding read. I especially loved the way the authors alternated the chapters they wrote.

This was the most captivating book I have ever read. I couldn't to go sleep until I had finished the book. A beautiful story. I think it would make a great movie.

Peggy Van Hofwegen
rpvh@alltel.net

Cannot speak highly enough of this book. Would put it in the Top Five of my most inspiring reads. The authors are so real with expressing their feelings both positive and negative. Ron Hall has quite the sense of humor in the midst of what continues to be his walk of pain. I am ordering at least, five copies to give to friends. This book urges its reader to step out of the box and take your eyes off yourself.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME. IT MAKES ME WANT TO GO OUT AND VOLUNTEER FOR FEEDING THE HOMELESS OR SOMETHING. WHAT REALLY AMAZED ME WAS THAT DENVER HAD NEVER GONE TO SCHOOL, COULDN'T READ OR WRITE, BUT HE COULD QUOTE BIBLE SCRIPTURES. THEY BOTH LEARNED FROM EACH OTHER EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE FROM SUCH DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!

Although they say you cannot judge a book by its cover, that is not always true. And sometimes, just sometimes, I can judge a book by its title. That was so with Same Kind of Different As Me. I had just walked into the bookstore when this book caught my eye. I found the title original, eccentric, and intriguing. Then when I read the back cover, I was presented with the question, "What would bring a homeless black man, a rich white man, and a gutsy white woman with a dream together? I wanted to know.

If you buy Same Kind of Different As Me, do not look at the pictures in the middle until you finish reading the book. It spoiled things for me and caused a major distraction as I tried to finish the novel!

I never liked stories about slavery and the horrible things that happened to blacks because they all ended up the same way when black people ended up with the crappy end of the stick, but it was something about this book that kept me reading. Maybe it was the writing styles, maybe it was the atmosphere the authors created in my mind, or maybe it was the way Ron Hall and Denver Moore made me look at homelessness and generosity in a different way. These were the elements that kept me reading this insightful novel.

"In the twentieth century, slaves were free to leave the plantation, but their debt and lack of education kept them shackled to the Man." This passage shed light on the origin of the black man's struggle after slavery. It spoke volumes about its rippling effects as its residual oppression contributes to problems that some black men still experience today.

There were other passages in this novel that also spoke to me, like the times the rich man felt as if he were the student and the homeless man was teaching him when the wealthy man realized "....we'd enjoy life a whole lot more if we owned a whole lot less." Those words spoke truth and wisdom on so many levels.

Another passage that spoke to me was when the homeless man was describing the rich man's wife: "But it was the way she treated the homeless that made them accept her as their friend. She never asked em no questions, like how come you is here? Where you been? How come you done all them bad things in your life? She just loved em, no strings attached." Not only were those words powerful, but they made me think about the judgment that keeps people from helping others. The rich man's wife, Deborah, didn't have time to judge the less fortunate. All she saw were people who needed help. Her level of sincerity really moved me.

Because of its powerful message, I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
This is book is excellant. You cannot put it down, once you start to read it. It is very inspiring.

I recommend this book to everyone. It's very open, honest, and gritty. I love how the two authors go back & forth to weave a story that you can visualize. (This book would make an awesome movie.) It reminds me some of the Green Mile, so if you loved that book....you'll love this book too. I watched Denver on a show one day, and someone asked him how did your life get turned around like that. He said "I was always who I am, I was just deep under cover." The love of the three people in the book was palpable, and Christ's redeeming power shined through at the end. I cried a lot, the book is very moving. READ IT!

There are few books that I'd call life-changing, but this is one of them. An absolute must read!

Here's a true story--a powerful story--about a rich guy and a homeless guy. Warning! You won't be able to put it down.

As I write this review, hundreds of rescue mission leaders and managers are attending the annual convention of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions in Dallas.

While we celebrate the incredible in-the-trenches spirit that permeates the people who serve the homeless, the addicted and those in need of emergency shelter--let's face it--it's difficult to put a face on the overwhelming statistics of poverty.

Here's an idea. This summer, take a break from your normal book picks and read this poignant true story. It's deep, it's convicting, it interrupts the pain with humor, and it's a page-turner.

But as Denver relates mid-way through the book, when the two men made a connection, "Lord-a-mercy, did that open up a can a' worms." Caution. It may do the same for you.

If your organization or church has uninspired volunteers, buy a box of these books and instill new life into your Volunteer Bucket, one of the 20 core competencies featured in my book, Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit.

The characters seemed flat to me and the protagonist was completely unflawed, which made the book unbelievable to me. I'd rather read a Christian book that that feels more authentic. I'm all for honoring this terrific lady and the work she did for the homeless, but the writing didn't cut it.

Wow! And I say it again, Wow! I don't think I have ever read a story quite like this one, and I've read some incredible stories. This is probably the most amazing true-life tale I have ever heard of. It is so amazing it's almost hard to believe it really happened. But you know without a shadow of a doubt that it did. People don't make up things like this. The fact that God could bring together a wealthy art dealer and an angry homeless man and use them to further His glory proves that he can truly do ANYTHING. This book will challenge the way you view everything, including yourself. It offers insight into worlds most people know nothing about; the world of the homeless, the world of cancer and most importantly, the spiritual world. Everyone on planet Earth should read this book and learn from it. To its authors: thank you for sharing this story and your faith. I know God is using it in wonderful ways.

A really inspiring look at my generation, the generation of the Great Depression. It shows you what one determined and truly caring individual can do in a world seemingly without hope.

Highly recommended. It has the power to convert the most determined sceptic among us.

I started this book while eatting lunch on a Thursday. I picked it back up on Sat. and did not put it down until I finished it. Being from Ft Worth TX myself, I could really connect with the 1st part of the book. I did not know much about the book (picked it up for book club), so I was not prepared for the 2nd half of the book. It really touched me. Warning: Have tissues ready!!! Being a Christian, it made me reflect on how God's plan for us may not be exactly what we had in mind, but we just have to trust HIM that "Father knows best." Christian or Not - Texan or Not, I think everyone can enjoy this book. There are so many subjects cleaverly intertwined into this book, that it is thought provoking - - - Racism, Prejudice, Poor, Rich, Infedelity, Grief, Self-Doubt, etc. That's what I thought of the book, now for a brief synopsis of the book itself...

You have Denver, who worked most of his life virtually as a slave in a cotton field, until he escaped only to find himself homeless and a slave within his own self doubt. He isolates everyone around him and set a boundry of fear around him as a survival technique. Then there's Ron who is very successful and enjoys being so. He travels with the "right" kind of people; enjoys fancy cars and doesn't have much use for those below him. Ron is married to Deborah-a loving Christian woman, who really does not care for the rich fancy lifestyle. She wants to be a good mother, wife, person and serve God. Ron has an affair. Deborah forgives him and their marriage becomes stronger, however to try to appease his wife, Ron reluctantly follows her to work in a homeless shelter. Through Deborah's persistence, Ron learns to let go of his prejudice and Denver learns how to escape from his self prison and they both learn to trust people again. But nothing comes without a price and Ron & Denver learn to work together and with the love of God to overcome a great tragedy. As a result they become best friends and even closer to God.

Second only to the Bible, Same Kind of Different As Me is the most outstanding book I have ever read. Thanks to Ron Hall and Denver Moore for sharing their beautiful story about the activity of God in all of our lives. Gentlemen, you are to be commended for putting on the printed page the mighty works of the great I AM. Proverbs 2:1-5 speaks to our search for understanding and that when we search for it as for treasure, we find it. You, gentlemen, have found it! Your book testifies to that fact. May God richly bless you and your families as you continue to follow Him.

I read this book in just a few days. It was unpredictable, inspiring an a great read.

Recommended by a friend, this book actually surprised me. I initially wondered whether the story would get "sappy" or "preachy," but my fears were unfounded. Instead, I found it to be a rather straighforward, personal chronicle of how authentic Christianity impacted the lives of an unlikely trio - a homeless black man who deeply distrusts Christian "charity," a Christian woman who persuades her reticent husband to volunteer with her at a homeless shelter, and her husband, a man who finds in the experiences that ensue much more than he ever expected. The writing is heartfelt and candid, and the story is compelling without being pontifical. The lives of all three are forever changed, and as a result, the lives of countless homeless persons continue to be changed as well. Buy it, read it, and I think you'll recommend it to your friends, too.

This is a great book! Probably in my all time top three favorites. I read this on a trip back from England then purchased this through Amazon for my father-in-law as a birthday gift. I couldn't put it down. I finished all but 12 pages on my trip. The order from Amazon was great. I put in an order and got it just a few days later. I've ordered several things through Amazon before and they are just so easy to work with.

Enlightening, entertaining and inspirational. The performers on the audio version are excellent. The story is unique and meaningful.

This is a must read! There is something for everyone. You will have a new appreciation for the trials of life at the end of this one. Heartbreaking, thought-provoking and inspirational! Don't miss it!

This book will eek you out of your comfort zone with such a passionate, down to earth story, that you will immediately want to go and change the world. You'll be taken through a whole array of emotions, unfolding in such a way that you feel you are on a journey of growth rather than just reading pages. Can you make a difference in this world? Can you melt away the preconceived notions you may have about others you don't yet know? Dare you try? It's up to you.

Do you think you have compassion? Do you feel like you "treat others as you would like to be treated"? That thinking will be challenged in Same Kind of Different As Me. You will laugh, you will cry (no, you will sob!); you will come away ashamed of what you might think is a Godly, caring, compassionate life. Be challenged, be touched, be inspired, be encouraged . . .read Same Kind of Different As Me. You won't regret it!

The front cover says, " a modern day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together. "

This is a powerful, fascinating story that covers the early 1950's to mid 2000 in Louisiana and Texas about a black, sharecropper (who was really a virtual slave) who became a hobo, hopping on and living on trains and then how he lived for 30 years as a homeless man on the streets of Fort Worth, Texas. This book is about the life of a homeless, dangerous man meeting up with a couple, Ron and Deborah and their story being interwoven together.

Denver speaks the language of rural Southern African American who has never gone to school, worked in the cotton fields from sunrise to sunset and never touched any money until he was an adult. For someone not from the South, the language may take a bit of getting used to......

Denver had never spoken to a white woman before until Miss Debbie. He wrote on Page 4," Miss Debbie was so pushy, I couldn't keep her from finding out my name was Denver. She investigated until she found it out on her own. For a long time, I tried to stay completely outta her way. But after a while, Miss Debbie got me to talkin `bout things I don't like to talk about and tellin things I ain't never told nobody -- even about them three boys with the rope. Some of them's the things I'm fixin to tell you. "

The wisdom and simplicity of those who do not have - will make you cry.....then make you start thinking hard and then move you to some kind of response. Don't be afraid to read this book.

This book is one of the most profound books I have ever read. Also, it is a book that grips the reader's attention to the very end - it just keeps getting better and better.

The true life friendship that developed between Ron Hall, an international art dealer, and Denver Moore, a homeless man, is very moving and inspirational. It's a story of faith and following God's guidance, and shows that we each can make a difference in someone's life if we just open ourselves up. Denver and Deborah's (Ron's wife)teachings of values and unconditional love are a gift and a blessing for us all. I'm even more commited now then ever to continue and expand my own spiritual mission.

I loved the book. I bought one for everyone in my family. It is an easy read with short chapters that really makes it hard to put down because I would think that I would just read one more chapter, then because it was so short, I would read one more.

I laughed and cried as I read this book. I was really touched by the story and the power of God to move in our lives. It also challenged me to look at people differently and inspired me to want to live out my faith in new ways.

This book was recommended by a friend. I loved it and couldn't put it down. I live in Dallas Tx so for the setting to be close to here also made a difference to me. It is an easy read but one you don't want to put down until you are finished. How proud Miss Debbie would be of Denver today!