Someone Like Me: An Unlikely Story of Challenge and Triumph over Cerebral Palsy
$11.99
As a child, John Quinn had a dream of a naval career despite his affliction with cerebral palsy. After failing the physical exam, he underwent painful, self applied physical therapy for one year then successfully passed a second exam. He kept his cerebral palsy a secret from the record-keepers and medical authorities for 20 years. He had a distinguished and highly decorated career despite the pain he endured to appear normal. He served on board destroyers, a battleship, two aircraft carriers and functioned as an administrator for a SEAL unit.
The outside world also impacted on him further aggravating his CP when he was challenged by alcoholism and excessive grief caused by the suicide of a brother. With help, John Quinn triumphed over both, as he did the painful cerebral palsy.Kudos for Someone Like Me:“Someone Like Me will serve as an inspiration to a lot of people, not only those with CP, but just ordinary folks who want to read about someone who overcame adversity and succeeded in a most amazing way.”
General Richard (Butch) Neal, Assistant Commandant
United States Marine Corps, Retired
“Mighty Quinn” …well, that’s what we called him…and still do…and I don’t believe Bob Dylan would mind… His story is uncommonly unique and unquestionably inspirational, leaving readers no choice but to confirm that he is indeed…Mighty Quinn.”
Chris F. Jewett, Captain, United States Navy, Retired
“This book is a must for every physician, therapist, and other caregiver that treats individuals with cerebral palsy or any other disability. It also is a must for every young person who ever looked at a goal and thought it was just out of reach. Perhaps he or she should look again.”
Edward A. Hurvitz, M.D. Associate Professor
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Michigan
Publisher : Paperback Press
Publication date : December 16, 2021
Language : English
Print length : 189 pages
ISBN-10 : 195680627X
ISBN-13 : 978-1956806274
Item Weight : 11.2 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.43 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #935,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #725 in Biographies of People with Disabilities (Books) #4,945 in Military Leader Biographies
Customer Reviews: 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 217 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
5 reviews for Someone Like Me: An Unlikely Story of Challenge and Triumph over Cerebral Palsy
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Dan –
Awesome Read. Buy the book, read it. You’ll love it.
I love this book, it’s great. Once I started reading it, I just couldn’t put it down. It hit me on many levels. First and foremost, I have mild spastic cp, and although the book isn’t specifically about cp, it also is a bit about cp. There is a lot of useful information about what it is like to live with it and the challenges that must be overcome because of it. I don’t know anyone personally who has cp besides myself, so I’ve always felt alone in this perspective when it comes to other people. I’ve always sort of felt like a mutant or an alien. So reading about another person with cp from their perspective was wonderful. It really opened my eyes and made me feel “normal” for lack of a better word, or maybe feeling like I “belonged” is a better one. In any case, I stopped feeling like I was in this thing all by myself. It feels good knowing there are other people dealing with the same challenges that I am, that I’m not a total freak of nature, and that the things I’ve felt and worried about are completely normal. It was a huge sense of relief for me to be able to read about it from a different yet similar view.I’m also glad about how much he emphasized perservance and how it can overcome most obstacles if you let it, and not just the disability obstacles, all the other obstacles life has to offer. I forgot that a long time ago, so it’s nice to have the reminder. It’s good to get a kick in the rear sometimes to bring you back to reality. I guess I needed that. When you get told “no” so many times in your life, it becomes easy to forget that “yes” still exists. It becomes even easier to forget that you can do something about it if you want it bad enough.A couple of other fun things that stood out for me while reading this book. When I was 18, I tried to join the navy, as my father did when he was younger. I dreamt of a career sailing from port to port on the open sea, if only for a few years like he did, and then who knows what. Maybe sign on for a longer term, maybe move on to something different. But mostly, just get out there and see the world. When I called the recruiter, I thought about lying about my disability to get in. In the end, I was honest and up front about it, and they practically hung up on me because of it. It felt like they took a sharp knife and shoved it in my chest. The sad part is, I was angry because I knew that it wasn’t my fault, it was the fault of the cp that invaded my life the day I was born. I’m over the anger part, and the blaming part, but to this day, I still wonder what it would be like had I lied to the recruiter and made it in. So in a way, the fact that John Quinn got in the navy with his cp and managed to hold on all that time as he did, holds special meaning to me. I was glad to read that he saw it all the way through and it was great to read about the many adventures he had while doing it.Also, my dad and his family comes from detroit as John’s family does. When I learned of the part where they made their own ice rink in the yard, I told my dad about it and he told me how he and his family did the same thing when they were kids. Also my family always watches the wolverines, the lions, the tigers, and the red wings. Although I’m not an advent sports fan like my dad and brother, I still like to watch an occassional but rare game. However, the red wings have always been my personal favorite and I rarely miss watching them whenever they play the Stanley Cup. So it was great reading about the hockey match against the russians. I also understood the alcohism part of the book, although my dad steered away from drinking other than the occassional rare beer, his dad was a heavy drinker who died of cirrhosis of the liver when my dad was in his early 20’s. So our dad pushed us from an early age to make sure we didn’t turn out that way, and he suceeded. It made it interesting though to read what it is like to be an alcoholic and a former alcoholic. Lastly, the part of the family member’s suicide, holy crap, I’m glad to have read that. I know of no one who has committed suicide, but I know what it’s like to personally contemplate it, so I was very glad to have read about the other side of that, of how that can affect the living afterwards.This is definitely the best book I’ve read in a long time, definitely a five ***** star’er for me. I had reservations about buying the book initially (it was my first kindle book, and my first book about cp from a cp’ers p.o.v.), but I’m glad I did buy it, and read it. It was definitely worth the price and worth the read. Even if you don’t have cp, know nothing of the navy, or don’t hail from detroit, you’ll still enjoy reading it. Very few books are good enough in my book to make me write a review about them, but this one is very much worth it. Buy the book.
Zachary Lemon –
What a great book!
Every now and then I come across a really special book. There’s nothing like the exhilaration of being pulled into a gifted author’ world. Usually when this happens it’s with books that are already rightfully famous. You’re not going to blow too many minds if you tell someone that you just finished To Kill a Mockingbird and it’s a masterpiece…yeah…maybe that’s why everyone has heard of it…So it feels especially exciting to find a special book that isn’t already in the canon of Great Works. That’s how I felt reading Someone Like Me by John W. Quinn. It is one of those rare memoirs with a great story and told well- a man born with cerebral palsy, who against all odds (with the help of seemingly endless determination) hid his diagnosis to make a 20 year, highly successful career in the U.S. Navy. Honestly, the less you know going into it going in the better, so I won’t reveal much more. I will tell you that I read it in one day, and that it is among the best books I have ever read.Early on the author writes, “I didn’t even know where to put the commas or the quotation marks when I began [writing the book].” He may well be a naturally gifted story teller, but I think a big part of how Someone Like Me came out so engaging and well crafted is that the author was an avid reader. There’s something about spending time in the company of great writers that just rubs off. Knowing where to put the commas and quatotion marks is pretty minor stuff compared to the magic of a great story. The pacing is excellent, keeping you engaged through his formative years and early struggles. He shares small details that keep you invested, and insights into family members’ emotional lives that make you care without every getting bogged down. As we pass into adulthood he is careful to never give the reader what they have been trained to expect from a lifetime of “uplifting” stories: an easy solution. As an 80’s kid I learned that The Karate Kid won his big fight and everything was ok, The Goonies found the treasure so the neighborhood was saved, and with enough bullets John McClaine can not only take out the terrorists but also save his marriage. In Someone Like Me you see the more complicated truth: heroism doesn’t make you perfect, or fix all of life’s problems.The author closes the book with two simple thoughts, but by following the course of his life they have become invested with the weight of truth. I can’t just help you skip to the end of the book and tell you what they are. You have to get there yourself. I promise you this- it’s worth the journey!
Victor P –
Wish id red it 40 years ago
Nigel Fallon –
I enjoyed this book Quinn seemed like a cross between Christy Brown from “My left foot” and Steven Seagal’s character “Casey Ryback” a former Navy SEAL in the film “Under Siege” 1992. On a basic level the book is about sheer determination and hard graft. People with Cerebral Palsy (be it severe or mild) will find parts of this book they relate to.There is plenty there is plenty of humour, heartache, and tragedy within this book. But even these are only serve as catalysts to yet more dogged determination that permeates the book.My one gripe with the book is the title “An unlikely story of challenge and triumph over Cerebral Palsy”. A person cannot “Triumph” over Cerebral Palsy. I feel that the use of the word triumph delivers a false reality. But, any individual with Cerebral Palsy can adapt to the condition and push themselves to their limits, as John W. Quinn has proven.
Amazon Customer –
Awesome book. I cannot believe John hid his Cerebral Palsy so well – this is due to his determination (I wish I was as well). I read the book over 2 evenings. As someone with CP, I could relate (although I had more surgery over physiotherapy). I would totally recommend this book and I would hope he writes another. He is an excellent writer.