Read to Beautiful

If I could give Jimmy Wayne's WALK TO BEAUTIFUL more than 5 stars, I so would! This amazing, beautiful memoir is a MUST READ. It is so inspirational, powerful, moving, and just plain BEAutiful. 

I am embarrassed to admit that I've had this book in my possession since some time in April. WALK TO BEAUTIFUL was chosen to be our Interdisciplinary Read (IR) for the 2016-2017 school year at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, NC, so I was given a free copy of the book to read to decide whether or not I would participate in the upcoming IR. I have not participated in recent years, so I was not very excited about this new book. One reason why I had not participated in the IR in recent years was because, in all honesty, I simply did not like the books that have been chosen. Last year's book was good, but I did not feel that it was a good choice for our students. 

So I let WALK TO BEAUTIFUL sit on my desk until the end of the semester, grumbling meekly whenever someone on the IR committee would remind me to read it about how I'd get to it....eventually. Once the Spring semester was over, I did bring the book home with me, but I put it on a shelf with the intention of reading it--not so much. 

I just did not have high hopes for this book being any good or being one that would be of any value to our students.

I have no idea what made me finally pick it up and start to read it except to say that I highly respect several of the folks on the IR committee and I knew that if they recommended the book, it might not be too bad. From the first sentence, I was hooked. As I began reading, I had NO idea who Jimmy Wayne was--is. I had never heard of him, and I actually like country music, believe it or not. 

I am now officially a Jimmy Wayne Groupie! I am pretty sure that he will be visiting our campus at some time over the course of this upcoming year and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to be part of the team that welcomes him to CVCC and who gets his autograph and a twofie (selfie with two people--I like it) taken with him!!! 

WALK TO BEAUTIFUL is nothing like what you'd expect from a country music star, but I promise you that it is WORTH reading. Jimmy is honest and open about his story; he does not hide behind his fame and pretend that he is something that he isn't. His vulnerability in his story makes me want to hug him so hard that he will forever feel me hugging him.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about WALK TO BEAUTIFUL by Jimmy Wayne. I will be using it in my classes this upcoming school year at CVCC; I can hardly wait to introduce this amazing book to almost 100 students!!!!