L.K. Wood As Everyone Should Tour

This book was presented to me for review as an :."...incredible biography, L.K. Wood: As Everyone Should L.K.'s story almost reads like fiction. Imagine a Forrest Gump-like story with chance celebrity encounters, World War II adventures, brushes with the mob, and a rags to riches tale all rolled into one."

Of course I was intrigued and it didn't disappoint. L.K. Woods lived and worked with a tenaciousness born from a will to survive that must have been  born in adversity. His childhood story brought tears to my eyes. His siblings' stories as well. Good grief what misery, and his mother...I could have happily wrung her neck myself!

But even as a child L.K. was a warrior and worker. He set lofty goals and achieved them. No victim of circumstance, he made his own way for sure. However I love the part when he's old and finally comes to Jesus and learns to really live. To live forgiven and forgiving and being truly free to love without attaching dollar signs.

His frequent attempts at family life are always corrupted by ambition, bitterness and brokenness.

The adventures of his life are extraordinary. The amount of money he made was too, but the thing that struck me was his always-present will to help others. His community, family, and employees and countless others were in his mind, a reason to keep working and building and helping

The man that could make millions and build a real estate empire could not, for most of his life, have a healthy intimate relationship until He was introduced to Jesus.

My take away was told in a true life story, which are always the best. It was this: money cannot buy happiness and all the talent, achievements, social standing and prestige in the world still cannot take away loneliness, regrets and pain. We humans always hunger for the genuine love that covers a multitude of sins and can only come from One Source.

I was glad to read that L.K. finally got what he really was striving for all along.

First a by and then a man driven and yet still longing for the comfort of place- home and family. God the Father puts that in us and this man's life story illustrates that very well.

*I received a free advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased written review on my blog.

L.K. Wood: As Everyone Should Raised in poverty in upstate New York, L.K. was sent to an orphanage after the death of his father. On his way to a better life, he spent the night with hobos, had a brush with the Chicago mob, taught Clark Gable how to knife fight, was radio gunner for the Army in World War II, served as a spy for the OSS, sat in the Oval Office with Richard Nixon, became one of the richest men in Missouri, and helped bring The Gateway Arch to St. Louis.  L.K. spent his life trying to fulfill the promise he made to his dying father: Take care of the family. His wife Patty and friend Dr. Robert Scudieri compiled L.K.'s biography from his own journals after his death in November 2013. "WHEN YOU PLAY, PLAY HARD. WHEN YOU WORK, DON'T PLAY AT ALL."