Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service

What a wonderful story of a wonderful man who has given his life to support the men and women who protect us each day. Thank you for your story, Gary Sinise. It has touched me like no other book has.

The next couple paragraphs may seem superfluous to you, but please read the entire review to understand why I included some of my personal reflections as a lead-in for this.There is much in this book that resonates within me. Nearly the same age as he, I recollect the same atomic war drills, JFK’s assassination and of witnessing Ruby’s killing of Oswald on our small black and white television set. I shed tears as I recollected being one of the servicemen America forgot to host parades for during the early 1970’s. But, what his hardest, was when I remembered how a Korean-Conflict veteran chewed me out at my first meeting after joining the local American Legion post. The man’s name was Mick. He gave us Vietnam vets a stern lecture, because the country still was forgetting him and his fellow vets of Korea. So?Next morning a fellow legionnaire visited me to tell me I wouldn’t need to worry about Mick yelling at me anymore. He died of a heart attack in the hours following the subject meeting. I have never forgotten the look of anger that Mick embedded in my memory. Thank God for people like Gary Sinise for raising up, for all America to remember, the forgotten and too often disregarded Wounded Warriors.Yes, some will probably decry the two above paragraphs and wonder what my rambling has to do with Sinise’s life story. To me, nostalgia and embracing my journey through life has EVERYTHING to do with why I love “Grateful American.Now, on with my review…POV: First person.BLUSH FACTOR: Except for one use of the word rhyming with dam, there is not a single profanity in the book. Well, except for those that have been disguised with symbols and, and except for naming some politicians…just kidding.WRITING & EDITING: Thoroughly professional editing. The writing is engaging. His early family history, in some ways, mirrors that of my great grandparents and parents. I was fascinated to learn that my grandpa Trygve wasn’t the only immigrant who changed the spelling of his last name to make it American. In fact, grandpa got the name Charles affixed to precede what became his middle name, because they had no clue as to how to spell or pronounce the Norwegian name, Trygve.EXCERPT‘…My grandpa Dan was a South Side man—a big-framed, tough Italian guy who’d been through the war and worked for the railroad. Not a cuddly grandpa at all. He was never mean. He was just tough. And a little scary. As a kid, I was a little afraid of Grandpa Dan whenever my parents took us for a visit. But years later, when I started acting in high school plays, Grandpa Dan and Grandma Betty came to see me in the restoration comedy Tartuffe by Moliére. I was playing the title character and had all kinds of makeup on, a funny nose, and a crazy wig, and from the stage I could clearly hear one voice in the audience. Grandpa Dan wasn’t the kind of guy who laughed a lot. But I heard this bold belly laugh from the crowd, and I knew it was Grandpa Dan—strong, rich, and vibrant. Hearing his laugh was so affirming. I thought, Well, if I can get Grandpa Dan laughing like this, then maybe I’m not half bad as an actor. Maybe I’ll keep going.For first through third grades I walked to school by myself. Every morning, I passed a big mound of sticks, dirt, weeds, and thorns that beckoned to me. I liked to climb that mound and stand on top like a king. One morning I was messing around on top of the mountain and tumbled off. A thorny bush broke my fall, driving a huge thorn into my leg. Bloody, I got to school where they patched me up. My leg healed, and I forgot about it. Two years later, I looked down at my leg one day and saw something sticking out. The tip of a sliver of wood. I reached down and yanked it out. My eyebrows arched in disbelief. I had pulled out a two-inch-long piece of thorn that had lived in my leg unseen for two years. The scar is still there, a little indentation in my left calf muscle, to remind me. Perhaps it was some sort of life metaphor. Something dirty and thorny can live unnoticed in a person for a long time. Little by little, you hope, it works its way out, never to return.This was the height of the Cold War. The nightly news didn’t mean much to me as a kid, but I frequently heard about the tensions between Russia and the United States. In elementary school we had atomic bomb drills where we were all ordered to “duck and cover” underneath our desks. On the news, I heard about the Cuban Missile Crisis, a serious standoff between Khrushchev and Kennedy, and everybody prepared for nuclear weapons to land. I didn’t understand all of this, and I wasn’t fearful—but all the adults around me sure looked concerned. Even paranoid. What’s the big deal? I thought. If an atomic bomb explodes over your city, you just duck and cover under your desk.On November 22, 1963, I was walking to school near that same mound with the thorny bush, andanother kid was climbing on the mound. He had a strange look on his face, and he chanted something over and over.“Kennedy’s dead. He got shot in the head.Kennedy’s dead. He got shot in the head.Kennedy’s dead. He got shot in the head.”The little kid was chanting naively. I thought he was just sing-songing nonsense. When I reached school, the teachers sent us all straight home again. Now I knew something big was up. We watched the news on our little black-and-white TV on Sangamon Street. Lee Harvey Oswald had shot and killed President Kennedy, and everybody in my family was sad. I walked outside; everybody was sad. We went to the store; everybody was sad. The whole country was grieving. I didn’t know anything about politics, but I knew that my president had just been shot. I was sad too.Not long afterward, Jack Ruby killed Oswald on live TV, and I watched the violence unfold in front of my eyes. As an eight-year-old, I didn’t know what to think about what I’d just seen. About all the turmoil in my country.About all the changes happening to America.Sinise, Gary. Grateful American (pp. 17-19). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.BOTTOM LINEObviously, I was greatly moved by the author’s words. But simply stating that, without including some background as to how and why, would have resulted in a review with little of value. Hopefully, readers of this review will appreciate my ‘opening up’ to them.Five stars out of five.I am striving to produce reviews that help you find books that you want, or avoid books that you wish to avoid. With your help, my improvement will help readers find books they enjoy reading.

Exceptional story of a man about the same age as I am who transformed himself from someone who could have ended up in a nowhere job doing nothing with his life to a man of true stature through his service to others. He didn't gloss over his own faults, nor the struggles he faced which makes the story all the more relatable. I found this book inspirational and uplifting. It reminded me that I too am a Grateful American.

My husband and I listened to audio version of Grateful American, read by Gary, on a long road trip to Florida. The book was riveting--conversational, personal, honest and inspiring. Like Gary, we grew up during the Vietnam War and were heartsick to see our nation turn its back on our returning soldiers. My uncle and brother-in-law were among the returning soldiers, who were spit on as they walked thru our airports. (The military urged them to change into civilian clothes before coming stateside.) The treatment these soldiers received was sickening—something that I've always mourned.I'm grateful to see our country turn the page on that era and express its appreciation once more for our men and women in uniform, which this book showcases. Gary reminds us: Freedom isn't free.A number of years ago, my husband and I visited the World War II Museum in New Orleans and by chance got to meet a number of the WWII veterans that Gary's Soaring Valor program had brought to the museum. It was remarkable to have to opportunity to hear these vets share their experiences in the war. We stood on the sidewalk and watched these heroes board their bus to head back to the airport, complete with an NOPD escort. Yes, the police sirens blared and traffic stopped to honor the veterans on board. Gary's book brought back our memories of that very special day.Gary's efforts to support our military have helped me “let go” of the guilt I've always felt regarding the treatment of the Vietnam Vets. I applaud Gary's service, leadership and efforts to express our nation's gratefulness for our military, veterans and first responders.I purchased this book to give a close friend and plan to buy additional copies to give to family members. Grateful American will touch your heart, inspire you and remind you of the extraordinary things that everyday Americans perform for our country. Gary’s stories about soldiers who gave up their lives for their fellow soldiers, and those who came home with missing limbs and severe burns, will touch your heart and bring a tear or two. Gary’s book will also make you grateful to be an American.In addition to buying this book, I've made a small donation to Gary's foundation and have added the foundation to my Christmas gift list each year. Keep up the great work, Gary!

I honestly bought this book because Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies, and I enjoyed Sinise's performance in it as Lieutenant Dan. I'm not surprised to find out that as important as that role was for his career and everything that came after it, that role barely scratched the surface of everything Sinise has done. He is an incredibly generous man who has given so much to so many people and it's honestly humbling to read about it. I also found his theater background interesting, as I had no idea about any of it.

Today's generation forgot the sacrifices many individuals made for their freedom today!Unless you have served your country or have a loved one who is/has served, you will not understand this sacrifice.This book, "grateful America," should be a mandatory read in school. Yet it is not because the far left social facist have no appreciation of our freedom!

You can choose whether to spend your life comfortably seated in an armchair and be content with the passive role of spectators, or to be protagonists, an active part of a communication process that is not just the movement of the body but mainly of ideas. Gary, talking about himself from the origins of his family, his experiences as a successful actor, musician, director and author, told in American Grateful how every life can be transformed - even that of those who could have enjoyed the laurels of fame and well-being - in life of service for others, for the less fortunate, for those who have returned from war scenarios to defend peace and world stability, find themselves with losses of their physical and often economic integrity. Support for his Foundation would deserve more attention and funds not only from willing and generous individuals but also from government sources. Incidentally, Gary's surname - Sinise - is identical to that of my grandfather - my mother's father - who also emigrated to New York in 1903 and never returned to Italy, but we have ascertained that there is no kinship even if the area of origin is the same (Basilicata - Italy), and this makes me look at Gary as a far relative to be proud of because he is an extraordinary and remarkable person! Then he is also very good as an actor and many other things ...

Ich bin begeistert von diesem Audiobook. Mister Sinise liest sehr deutlich und exakt. Daher ist das Produkt sehr zu empfehlen.

Great story of a wonderful actor who has helped his countries war heroes

I have been a fan of the actor for decades. Of course, I had to read his book. It is very insightful regarding his career as an actor and his work with the Gary Sinise Foundation. I learned a lot about US history, as well. Sinise's writing style makes it an easy and fast read.