What do you think?
Rate this book
Everything Will Be All Right: A Memoir
Abused by an alcoholic, unemployed father, Doug Wallace and his seven siblings barely survived childhood--fleeing in the night from landlords, scrambling for food, and burning down the only home they ever owned to collect insurance money. In this raw testimony of a heart-breaking, hardscrabble childhood, Doug Wallace paints an unforgettable portrait of a child determined to free himself from the cycle of poverty that strangled his family for generations. With a genuine voice and a keen eye on the class divide in America, the author unflinchingly reveals the painful experiences of class prejudice and life on the fringes of society. Separated from the haves by his poverty and from the have-nots by his desire for more, Wallace learns to use every person, every situation, and every encounter to realise his dream and serve his community. This book empowers readers to overcome any obstacle through tenacious will, relentless drive, and indomitable faith.
- GenresMemoir
252 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
85 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 13, 2013
Poverty. Alcoholism. Fighting. Perserverance. Triumph. In Douglas Wallace's memoir, Everything Will Be All Right, this is the mantra that he repeats from childhood.
Wallace was born into a family and poverty that threatned to destroy him. His alcoholic father doesn't do such a great job in taking care of his family. Moving his brood from home to home in Tennessee, the first house he actually bought he set fire to in order to collect on the insurance. Eight children in the family, six boys and two girls, didn't make things any easier. They worked the land. Wallace's mother had been married before, but her husband had died in World War II, leaving her a widow at the young age of 17. She received a monthly support check of $55 from the government. That amount of money helped keep the Wallace family afloat. But life was still difficult.
Wallace's story is amazing. Knowing when he was in fifth grade he wanted to be a lawyer, he recalled the principal telling him that was a big dream he probably wasn't going to make come true. He was urged to find a more attainable goal.
After a church revival meeting, he was walking home with one of his brothers through the woods. Wallace started praying, and it was there that he felt a certain energy and peacefulness. It was then that he knew everything would be all right.
A seeming constant when he was a young man was fighting. You almost want to shake Wallace and tell him not to get into these situations. Indeed, a violent East Tennessee neighborhood and high school fill Wallace's life with several altercations. There were lots of bullies in high school. Wallace stood up to them, but the violence was getting out of hand. Scared that he would be seriously hurt, or murdered, Wallace left high school. This was a dangerous thing to do, since it was nearly the height of the Vietnam War. What might seem amazing to some people was the fact that the boss at one of his many jobs took an interest in him. It wasn't just a passing interest; the boss and his wife actually spoke to Wallace about adopting him. Despite his family's poverty, and his father's alcoholism, Wallace was close and protective of his family. He was horrified at the couple's offer of adoption, even though agreeing to it would mean the couple would arrange for housing, schooling and the financing of it all. I think a lot of people would have taken the couple up on that offer. However, I get the feeling that Wallace is stubborn and independent. He wanted to make it in his own way.
Of course, Wallace gets drafted, but ends up in Korea, not Vietnam. Because he knows how to type and has some college under his belt, he gets a better assignment. He leaves the service unscathed. He also learns Tae Kwon Do, which also helps him out in a few battles he and his brothers get into.
Yes, despite being in the military, and doing well, Wallace and some of his brothers get together again when he comes back, and they get into some fights. Wallace uses his martial arts skills to keep them from being killed, but the fighting, and his brothers being in party mode (and loving it) makes Wallace realize that Nashville, Tennessee, is leading him towards a life that he doesn't want to lead.
He gets an office job at Frost Arnett, a credit management and debt adjustment firm, which allows him to continue his education. During what seems like a random comment made by his boss, Wallace parlays that into a job offer at one of the branch offices of Frost Arnett in Atlanta. Within a month, he turned things around.
Wallace was working full time and attending school. He'd started classes at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, and was doing his best to continue his education so he could make it to law school. He continued to do well at Frost Arnett, becoming office manager in about a year. At the top of the building he worked in was the Woodrow Wilson College of Law. He checked it out, and took the director of admissions to lunch a couple of times. Wallace told her about his ambitions. He knew that Ruth Sill knew a lot of people connected with law in Atlanta. At the time, an undergraduate degree wasn't necessary in order to get into law school. Knowing that going to school part time would add several years to the pursuit of an undergrad degree, Wallace discovered that he could bypass his classes and go straight to law school—if he could get in. The Woodrow Wilson College of Law was about to start fall classes in a few weeks—and admissions to that class had been closed for a year. Sill made an appointment for Wallace with the board of directors of the school. Sensing his big chance, Wallace stayed up the night before assembling a portfolio of his jobs, military and schooling history, including his GED and a two page statement. Within an hour, Sill called, and said he'd been accepted for the fall, 1973 semester. He could still continue working for Frost Arnett, and thanks to the G.I. bill, his law school tuition was taken care of, so he could continue to help his mother out. And a year after Wallace passed the bar, he bought a home for his mother.
The memoir ends with an epilogue of Wallace describing some of the property he owns, and what happened to some of his family members. His mother is still living, but noted that she had a “pretty rough life.” Some of his brothers died. Land still plays an important part in Wallace's life, with plenty of room for vegetable gardens and animals. Wallace doesn't talk about law school in this memoir. It was his goal to get to law school, and he did.
Wallace says he's grateful for it all—the good and the bad. He was born into poverty, but he didn't let him defeat him, and he took advantage of whatever opportunity came his way. This book should kick start you into doing something—whether it's looking for a better job, going to school, losing weight, or changing your life in some way. The old saying, “there's always someone worse off than yourself” is completely true. After reading this, I was even more grateful for my childhood and the wonderful parents I had. You think YOU had/have it bad? Read Wallace's book. He had it bad. But he made it good.
Reviewed by Gloria Diaz
Wallace was born into a family and poverty that threatned to destroy him. His alcoholic father doesn't do such a great job in taking care of his family. Moving his brood from home to home in Tennessee, the first house he actually bought he set fire to in order to collect on the insurance. Eight children in the family, six boys and two girls, didn't make things any easier. They worked the land. Wallace's mother had been married before, but her husband had died in World War II, leaving her a widow at the young age of 17. She received a monthly support check of $55 from the government. That amount of money helped keep the Wallace family afloat. But life was still difficult.
Wallace's story is amazing. Knowing when he was in fifth grade he wanted to be a lawyer, he recalled the principal telling him that was a big dream he probably wasn't going to make come true. He was urged to find a more attainable goal.
After a church revival meeting, he was walking home with one of his brothers through the woods. Wallace started praying, and it was there that he felt a certain energy and peacefulness. It was then that he knew everything would be all right.
A seeming constant when he was a young man was fighting. You almost want to shake Wallace and tell him not to get into these situations. Indeed, a violent East Tennessee neighborhood and high school fill Wallace's life with several altercations. There were lots of bullies in high school. Wallace stood up to them, but the violence was getting out of hand. Scared that he would be seriously hurt, or murdered, Wallace left high school. This was a dangerous thing to do, since it was nearly the height of the Vietnam War. What might seem amazing to some people was the fact that the boss at one of his many jobs took an interest in him. It wasn't just a passing interest; the boss and his wife actually spoke to Wallace about adopting him. Despite his family's poverty, and his father's alcoholism, Wallace was close and protective of his family. He was horrified at the couple's offer of adoption, even though agreeing to it would mean the couple would arrange for housing, schooling and the financing of it all. I think a lot of people would have taken the couple up on that offer. However, I get the feeling that Wallace is stubborn and independent. He wanted to make it in his own way.
Of course, Wallace gets drafted, but ends up in Korea, not Vietnam. Because he knows how to type and has some college under his belt, he gets a better assignment. He leaves the service unscathed. He also learns Tae Kwon Do, which also helps him out in a few battles he and his brothers get into.
Yes, despite being in the military, and doing well, Wallace and some of his brothers get together again when he comes back, and they get into some fights. Wallace uses his martial arts skills to keep them from being killed, but the fighting, and his brothers being in party mode (and loving it) makes Wallace realize that Nashville, Tennessee, is leading him towards a life that he doesn't want to lead.
He gets an office job at Frost Arnett, a credit management and debt adjustment firm, which allows him to continue his education. During what seems like a random comment made by his boss, Wallace parlays that into a job offer at one of the branch offices of Frost Arnett in Atlanta. Within a month, he turned things around.
Wallace was working full time and attending school. He'd started classes at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, and was doing his best to continue his education so he could make it to law school. He continued to do well at Frost Arnett, becoming office manager in about a year. At the top of the building he worked in was the Woodrow Wilson College of Law. He checked it out, and took the director of admissions to lunch a couple of times. Wallace told her about his ambitions. He knew that Ruth Sill knew a lot of people connected with law in Atlanta. At the time, an undergraduate degree wasn't necessary in order to get into law school. Knowing that going to school part time would add several years to the pursuit of an undergrad degree, Wallace discovered that he could bypass his classes and go straight to law school—if he could get in. The Woodrow Wilson College of Law was about to start fall classes in a few weeks—and admissions to that class had been closed for a year. Sill made an appointment for Wallace with the board of directors of the school. Sensing his big chance, Wallace stayed up the night before assembling a portfolio of his jobs, military and schooling history, including his GED and a two page statement. Within an hour, Sill called, and said he'd been accepted for the fall, 1973 semester. He could still continue working for Frost Arnett, and thanks to the G.I. bill, his law school tuition was taken care of, so he could continue to help his mother out. And a year after Wallace passed the bar, he bought a home for his mother.
The memoir ends with an epilogue of Wallace describing some of the property he owns, and what happened to some of his family members. His mother is still living, but noted that she had a “pretty rough life.” Some of his brothers died. Land still plays an important part in Wallace's life, with plenty of room for vegetable gardens and animals. Wallace doesn't talk about law school in this memoir. It was his goal to get to law school, and he did.
Wallace says he's grateful for it all—the good and the bad. He was born into poverty, but he didn't let him defeat him, and he took advantage of whatever opportunity came his way. This book should kick start you into doing something—whether it's looking for a better job, going to school, losing weight, or changing your life in some way. The old saying, “there's always someone worse off than yourself” is completely true. After reading this, I was even more grateful for my childhood and the wonderful parents I had. You think YOU had/have it bad? Read Wallace's book. He had it bad. But he made it good.
Reviewed by Gloria Diaz
June 4, 2015
Not everyone is born experiencing the "good" life. In fact, in a one mile radius of this little community surrounding the Kirkpatrick community building lived some 14,000 people. Many of these people lived in section 8 housing. Most American's have no clue what this means. We watch movies and see pictures of poverty in other countries but we have no clue to poverty in the U.S. We do not want to understand and see it. I was a part of this group - that is until our family moved into the Kirkpatrick community to plant a church there. I watched adults and children walk through the doors of Kirkpatrick. I visited in the homes. We worshiped on Sunday mornings together. But I still did not fully understand what life was like there. Just like all other families, they allowed us to see what they wanted us to see. We want to think that in time everything will be alright. In fact, we, missionaries, tell them that it will be. But will it be alright? And... if it will be alright, what is the cost, and long will it take?
It is easy to say, "Everything Will Be All Right," but it is faith in something greater than one's self, that drives a young boy to not only survive but to reach the seemingly unattainable (62). It was by accident that I heard about this book. As I was searching for photos of the section 8 housing apartments, I clicked on a photo and was linked to Douglas Wallace's book, Everything Will Be All Right. I immediately ordered the book.
As painful and difficult as it, Wallace, shares his personal story of being born into generational poverty (10). Early in life he learned that life was about survival. He did not want to be a fighter but by the age of 6 he had to prove his ability to fight against a group of bullies unless you want to be the victim (16-17). Not only did he have to worry about the neighborhood kids, but, his alcoholic dad took out his anger and violence on his mother and his siblings(19). As a child, his mom, and siblings, stoned the dad, in an attempt to hold him off them during one of his rampages (43). Wallace tells story after story how poverty" isolates you, degrades your sense of self worth, renders you a third-class citizen, leaves you incomplete, and threatens your very survival."
At age 12, while in the woods, he hears a voice, that he thought was God's, assuring him that "every thing would be alright" (62). And even though his life thereafter is filled with fighting (117), crime (123), and dropping out of school (136), the voices remains motivation to carry on (142). He joined the Job Corps (153) and after graduating entered University of Wisconson. It was when he went home with his roommate that he got a taste of a middle class living (173). It was during his college years of campus life versus home life that he realized the bittersweetness, that as you gain entrance to one lifestyle you leave the other (174). Also, to his dismay he dropped a class. Therefore, he was not a full-time student so in the midst of the Vietnam conflict, he was drafted into the army (178). He was sent to Korea rather than Vietnam. Here he learned Tae Kwon Do (198). He was honorably discharged in 1971 and in fear left a safe environment to return to a place where he had been abused and victimized (209), so he entered University of Tennessee and in 1973 entered Woodrow Wilson College of Law (249). He is now retired and lives with his wife in Phoenix, Arizona.
I wrote Wallace, and even though he escaped the violence at Kirkpatrick, it has taken years to be able to talk about his experiences. He went back on one occasion and such fear flooded his body he decided to never return.
This book would not appeal to everyone, but it would be beneficial to everyone. We all need to be knowledgeable of the living conditions of all people living in our country. Too often I have heard such comments as, "Everyone in America has a chance to succeed if they want to. Some just do not want to." After reading Wallace's story, it is obvious that it is not always easy. I encourage you to pick up a copy of "Everything will be All Right."
It is easy to say, "Everything Will Be All Right," but it is faith in something greater than one's self, that drives a young boy to not only survive but to reach the seemingly unattainable (62). It was by accident that I heard about this book. As I was searching for photos of the section 8 housing apartments, I clicked on a photo and was linked to Douglas Wallace's book, Everything Will Be All Right. I immediately ordered the book.
As painful and difficult as it, Wallace, shares his personal story of being born into generational poverty (10). Early in life he learned that life was about survival. He did not want to be a fighter but by the age of 6 he had to prove his ability to fight against a group of bullies unless you want to be the victim (16-17). Not only did he have to worry about the neighborhood kids, but, his alcoholic dad took out his anger and violence on his mother and his siblings(19). As a child, his mom, and siblings, stoned the dad, in an attempt to hold him off them during one of his rampages (43). Wallace tells story after story how poverty" isolates you, degrades your sense of self worth, renders you a third-class citizen, leaves you incomplete, and threatens your very survival."
At age 12, while in the woods, he hears a voice, that he thought was God's, assuring him that "every thing would be alright" (62). And even though his life thereafter is filled with fighting (117), crime (123), and dropping out of school (136), the voices remains motivation to carry on (142). He joined the Job Corps (153) and after graduating entered University of Wisconson. It was when he went home with his roommate that he got a taste of a middle class living (173). It was during his college years of campus life versus home life that he realized the bittersweetness, that as you gain entrance to one lifestyle you leave the other (174). Also, to his dismay he dropped a class. Therefore, he was not a full-time student so in the midst of the Vietnam conflict, he was drafted into the army (178). He was sent to Korea rather than Vietnam. Here he learned Tae Kwon Do (198). He was honorably discharged in 1971 and in fear left a safe environment to return to a place where he had been abused and victimized (209), so he entered University of Tennessee and in 1973 entered Woodrow Wilson College of Law (249). He is now retired and lives with his wife in Phoenix, Arizona.
I wrote Wallace, and even though he escaped the violence at Kirkpatrick, it has taken years to be able to talk about his experiences. He went back on one occasion and such fear flooded his body he decided to never return.
This book would not appeal to everyone, but it would be beneficial to everyone. We all need to be knowledgeable of the living conditions of all people living in our country. Too often I have heard such comments as, "Everyone in America has a chance to succeed if they want to. Some just do not want to." After reading Wallace's story, it is obvious that it is not always easy. I encourage you to pick up a copy of "Everything will be All Right."
August 23, 2009
In many ways this is an inspiring story. Sixty year old Doug Wallace looks back at a childhood of poverty and deprivation and gives an account of how he created a vision of prosperity against all odds and expectations.
His life is proof that keeping an inner eye firmly locked upon a personal vision with faith in achieving hopes and dreams can lead to success beyond challenging circumstances.
Doug relates growing up in rural Tennessee tobacco country in abject poverty one of the 8 children of a violent, drunken father and a hardworking mother. Over the course of the years the family moved perhaps a hundred times around the country side and in and out of cities. All the while Doug held on to the unlikely dream of becoming a lawyer and bringing any of his siblings along who wanted to come. In turns tragic and triumphant.
His life is proof that keeping an inner eye firmly locked upon a personal vision with faith in achieving hopes and dreams can lead to success beyond challenging circumstances.
Doug relates growing up in rural Tennessee tobacco country in abject poverty one of the 8 children of a violent, drunken father and a hardworking mother. Over the course of the years the family moved perhaps a hundred times around the country side and in and out of cities. All the while Doug held on to the unlikely dream of becoming a lawyer and bringing any of his siblings along who wanted to come. In turns tragic and triumphant.
May 14, 2013
Everything Will Be All Right
I have read many books about people and their life stories. Everything Will Be All Right by Doug Wallace was true to its message. Doug grew up among poverty and he struggled to still achieve his dreams and goals. No matter who told him he was too poor to do so. This book was a hard to put down and emotional read. You can literally pick up with the author was feeling and everything that he was going through. I could relate to a lot of it. This book is an inspiration to moving forward with your goals and your dreams. If Doug Wallace did it so can anyone. If you are stuck in life and people are telling you that you can’t then read Everything Will Be All Right and you will see that you can and anything after that is possible.
I have read many books about people and their life stories. Everything Will Be All Right by Doug Wallace was true to its message. Doug grew up among poverty and he struggled to still achieve his dreams and goals. No matter who told him he was too poor to do so. This book was a hard to put down and emotional read. You can literally pick up with the author was feeling and everything that he was going through. I could relate to a lot of it. This book is an inspiration to moving forward with your goals and your dreams. If Doug Wallace did it so can anyone. If you are stuck in life and people are telling you that you can’t then read Everything Will Be All Right and you will see that you can and anything after that is possible.
October 25, 2020
This is an amazing story. Growing up in poverty in Tennessee for generations, Doug is laughed at in elementary school when he makes it known he wants to be a lawyer when he grows up. With seven siblings who follow the family's pattern of living life with difficulty and hardships, Doug chose a different path. He says he was touched with random acts of kindness that helped shaped his future. I see a person with a good heart and with a determination to chose which path will make him a better person.
From the book: The high road seemed far too hard. Yet I'd seen firsthand what happens to a life when you give up and start living on entitlements, start feeling entitled, expecting generous handouts to compensate for the hardships. Everything dead-ends.
From the book: The high road seemed far too hard. Yet I'd seen firsthand what happens to a life when you give up and start living on entitlements, start feeling entitled, expecting generous handouts to compensate for the hardships. Everything dead-ends.
May 30, 2017
This book really touched me. As a memoir I felt his struggles every step of the way. The difficulty of pulling himself out of proverty is next to impossible, as we hear from his family's experiences.
March 9, 2018
very well written. very inspriring
June 27, 2013
Solidly Written Inspirational Memoir of a Journey Through Poverty to Success
Everything Will Be All Right, a memoir written by Doug Wallace and based on his own life experiences of growing up in acute poverty makes its reader pause to reflect on a topic that is often forgotten or quickly glossed over when discussing the issues of economics in America. We believe that while there may be poverty here, there positively can't be children starving, rooting through garbage trying to find their next meal in America, the land of plenty...the land of excess. With all the state and federal assistance, child care services, the foster system, etc. we unpretentiously presume this couldn't and wouldn't be tolerated. So when we do come across a story such as Wallace's detailing the pain of extreme poverty as a child right here in America and how he was determined to break the cycle for himself, we tend to dismiss it as an exception to the rule or that those parents couldn't have been sensible parents if they couldn't or wouldn't be responsible enough to feed, clothe, support and educate their children properly like everyone else does in America.
Too often when we think of poverty, it is while watching television, an extended commercial flicks on begging you to send money to a charity while presenting the small faces with the too large, sad eyes and bloated bellies of dark-skinned children in some far off third world country. We may feel saddened; we may feel angry; we may even be moved enough to get out our checkbooks and write a check there and then in order to feel that we are doing something good. However, those commercials are never about children here in our backyard and this book, Everything Will Be All Right, makes the reader ask WHY? Why are we sending tens of thousands of dollars for medicine, food, clean water and education opportunities to countries with names we can barely pronounce to help their children while at the same time refusing to even acknowledge the same problem we have here with our own children? There is a saying...in order to help others, you must first help yourself. Are we so caught up as a nation with other people's misery that we overlook the misery happening right under our very noses? Apparently we as a nation are so obsessed, so enthralled with the romanticized view of ourselves being the world's champion that we pitilessly step over our own citizens sorely needing that very attention on our own shores.
I am sure the writing of this book was not only a healing manifestation on how far the author has come in his life, from pauper to prince/ independent wealth, but in writing his story he has also succeeded in giving a service to his readers by creating more awareness about this issue. This story was told from the heart and each page made me feel as if I was living Wallace's experiences as he described them. Through his imagery he made me experience a semblance of what he was feeling at the time which caused me to run the gamut of emotions through each successive chapter. This is truly a story of pulling yourself up from your boot straps as they say and creating your own opportunities. I can definitely appreciate the title of this aptly named book as I have lived by two mantras that have gotten me through very tough spots of life, "This too I shall overcome" and "Where there's a will; there's always a way". Wallace bares his soul to the reader on his journey of self-discovery, demoralizing mistakes, and uplifting achievements to be able to finally overcome his tragic generational cycle with a lot of faith and tenacity. I would highly recommend this book. It is a solidly written inspirational memoir.
Everything Will Be All Right, a memoir written by Doug Wallace and based on his own life experiences of growing up in acute poverty makes its reader pause to reflect on a topic that is often forgotten or quickly glossed over when discussing the issues of economics in America. We believe that while there may be poverty here, there positively can't be children starving, rooting through garbage trying to find their next meal in America, the land of plenty...the land of excess. With all the state and federal assistance, child care services, the foster system, etc. we unpretentiously presume this couldn't and wouldn't be tolerated. So when we do come across a story such as Wallace's detailing the pain of extreme poverty as a child right here in America and how he was determined to break the cycle for himself, we tend to dismiss it as an exception to the rule or that those parents couldn't have been sensible parents if they couldn't or wouldn't be responsible enough to feed, clothe, support and educate their children properly like everyone else does in America.
Too often when we think of poverty, it is while watching television, an extended commercial flicks on begging you to send money to a charity while presenting the small faces with the too large, sad eyes and bloated bellies of dark-skinned children in some far off third world country. We may feel saddened; we may feel angry; we may even be moved enough to get out our checkbooks and write a check there and then in order to feel that we are doing something good. However, those commercials are never about children here in our backyard and this book, Everything Will Be All Right, makes the reader ask WHY? Why are we sending tens of thousands of dollars for medicine, food, clean water and education opportunities to countries with names we can barely pronounce to help their children while at the same time refusing to even acknowledge the same problem we have here with our own children? There is a saying...in order to help others, you must first help yourself. Are we so caught up as a nation with other people's misery that we overlook the misery happening right under our very noses? Apparently we as a nation are so obsessed, so enthralled with the romanticized view of ourselves being the world's champion that we pitilessly step over our own citizens sorely needing that very attention on our own shores.
I am sure the writing of this book was not only a healing manifestation on how far the author has come in his life, from pauper to prince/ independent wealth, but in writing his story he has also succeeded in giving a service to his readers by creating more awareness about this issue. This story was told from the heart and each page made me feel as if I was living Wallace's experiences as he described them. Through his imagery he made me experience a semblance of what he was feeling at the time which caused me to run the gamut of emotions through each successive chapter. This is truly a story of pulling yourself up from your boot straps as they say and creating your own opportunities. I can definitely appreciate the title of this aptly named book as I have lived by two mantras that have gotten me through very tough spots of life, "This too I shall overcome" and "Where there's a will; there's always a way". Wallace bares his soul to the reader on his journey of self-discovery, demoralizing mistakes, and uplifting achievements to be able to finally overcome his tragic generational cycle with a lot of faith and tenacity. I would highly recommend this book. It is a solidly written inspirational memoir.
May 28, 2013
This is the memoir of a person who was born into extreme poverty, and who never let go of his life-long dream of becoming a lawyer.
The author was born in a ramshackle house in the backwoods of Tennessee. Part of a large family, the children helped out in the garden, or spent their days in the local woods hunting and looking for edible plants. Mom was the rock that held the family together. Dad worked occasionally; the rest of the time he was drunk, abusive or absent. Nearby relatives were a big help.
The family was forced to move every few months, because Dad had no intention of paying rent on whatever run-down house they were occupying. As the "new kid" in school, Wallace attracted the attention of the local bullies in whatever school he was attending. He got a reputation as someone who was not afraid to fight; he knew that "not fighting" was not an option.
As a young boy, one night, he received an overwhelming feeling of total peace and total love, maybe from God. He also received the words "everything will be all right," which has been his mantra ever since. The family spent his high school years in a government-run housing project. All-night drunkenness and violence were common. Wallace was "invited" several times to take part in fights where his physical survival was not a sure thing.
After a couple of detours, he received his GED, and enrolled in the University of Wisconsin. An academic miscalculation caused him to be drafted into the Army. Instead of going to Vietnam, he was a Company Clerk (like MASH's Radar O'Reilly) in Korea. Returning home, he got a decent job with a company that eventually sent him to their Atlanta office. He finished his college education, and found a small law school nearby. Did he hold on to his dream of becoming a lawyer? Does he succeed in becoming a lawyer?
No matter how bad a person's personal situation is, everyone has two choices. The first choice is to wallow in alcohol, violence and dead-end jobs, blaming "the man" for your plight. The second is to get your high school education, get a good job with some sort of future, or go to college, and then get a good job with some sort of future. Many people, including several of the author's siblings, chose the first route. If this book can get just a couple of people to see that there is an alternative to their current situation, it will have done its job. It is highly recommended.
The author was born in a ramshackle house in the backwoods of Tennessee. Part of a large family, the children helped out in the garden, or spent their days in the local woods hunting and looking for edible plants. Mom was the rock that held the family together. Dad worked occasionally; the rest of the time he was drunk, abusive or absent. Nearby relatives were a big help.
The family was forced to move every few months, because Dad had no intention of paying rent on whatever run-down house they were occupying. As the "new kid" in school, Wallace attracted the attention of the local bullies in whatever school he was attending. He got a reputation as someone who was not afraid to fight; he knew that "not fighting" was not an option.
As a young boy, one night, he received an overwhelming feeling of total peace and total love, maybe from God. He also received the words "everything will be all right," which has been his mantra ever since. The family spent his high school years in a government-run housing project. All-night drunkenness and violence were common. Wallace was "invited" several times to take part in fights where his physical survival was not a sure thing.
After a couple of detours, he received his GED, and enrolled in the University of Wisconsin. An academic miscalculation caused him to be drafted into the Army. Instead of going to Vietnam, he was a Company Clerk (like MASH's Radar O'Reilly) in Korea. Returning home, he got a decent job with a company that eventually sent him to their Atlanta office. He finished his college education, and found a small law school nearby. Did he hold on to his dream of becoming a lawyer? Does he succeed in becoming a lawyer?
No matter how bad a person's personal situation is, everyone has two choices. The first choice is to wallow in alcohol, violence and dead-end jobs, blaming "the man" for your plight. The second is to get your high school education, get a good job with some sort of future, or go to college, and then get a good job with some sort of future. Many people, including several of the author's siblings, chose the first route. If this book can get just a couple of people to see that there is an alternative to their current situation, it will have done its job. It is highly recommended.
December 28, 2010
About the author: Douglas Wallace is an attorney, a successful entrepreneur and a published author. His book launched nationwide on October 1, 2009 titled, Everything Will Be All Right is an engaging memoir about the riveting journey of a child desperately seeking to escape the vicious cycle of poverty. In December 2009, the memoir won the prestigious Indie Bound Next List Notable Award in the best non-fiction category. Book awards are chosen by a majority of votes from members of the American Book Sellers Association. After the award was announced, the book promptly sold out the remainder of the first print run of 5000 copies. The book can be purchased on the Internet at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and also at Ebay. The book can also be purchased new at eBook retailers such as Kindle, and Sony Reader, as well as other online eBook sites. Doug chose to write the story of his rise from generational poverty to wealth independence, as a way to call attention to the unimaginable hardships for the generationally impoverished. Today the book is being used by public and private schools across America, from 5th grade through high school, and also by universities, as required reading for students taking classes in sociology.
July 25, 2013
I would categorize this book as a memoir, and a great one at that. It normally isn't my go-to genre of reading, but I enjoyed it none the less. I always love picking up a book, and reading it regardless of the cover or the subject. It makes for a fun and adventurous read.
I have great respect for the author, who was able to open themselves up to his own successes and failures, and write about it for the public to read. This is Doug Wallace's journey through life, starting with a heartbreaking childhood with seven other siblings in Tennessee. They lived a life of poverty, violence and abuse. The children are raised having to work to help support the family.
The beginning was very emotional, and if you say you normally don't cry at books, you might find yourself crying at this one. My heart ached for all the characters, and I loved reading about each one.
Doug grows up, getting himself out of poverty, joining the military, and becoming a successful lawyer. So this book isn't about living poor, or despair and raw feelings, it's more about hope, and finding inspiration in life. Some call this the American Dream.
This is a great story told by a brave and strong man who faced it all. It will change how you view life and poverty. It's an eye opening experience that will keep you from putting this book down. I rate this book a 5/5!
I have great respect for the author, who was able to open themselves up to his own successes and failures, and write about it for the public to read. This is Doug Wallace's journey through life, starting with a heartbreaking childhood with seven other siblings in Tennessee. They lived a life of poverty, violence and abuse. The children are raised having to work to help support the family.
The beginning was very emotional, and if you say you normally don't cry at books, you might find yourself crying at this one. My heart ached for all the characters, and I loved reading about each one.
Doug grows up, getting himself out of poverty, joining the military, and becoming a successful lawyer. So this book isn't about living poor, or despair and raw feelings, it's more about hope, and finding inspiration in life. Some call this the American Dream.
This is a great story told by a brave and strong man who faced it all. It will change how you view life and poverty. It's an eye opening experience that will keep you from putting this book down. I rate this book a 5/5!
July 19, 2010
I stumbled on this incredible memoir when I was shelving new books. Even though Doug Wallace is not a professional writer by any stretch of the imagination-- and I generally grow impatient with poorly crafted writing-- his is a very gripping life story with many gritty details. He states that his purpose in sharing his life story is to capture the high level of difficulty involved in escaping a family's cycle of poverty. He came from a large sharecropping family that would squat on a piece of property until they were run off, or had to find work elsewhere. His father drank and battered his wife on a regular basis. They were so poor that they wore rags to school. One of the most touching moments in Wallace's young life was when the principal asked the second graders what they wanted to do when they grew up. Doug wasn't sure where the idea of being a lawyer came from, but that was his response. The whole class broke out laughing at him, and then to add futher insult to injury the principal called him into his office to let him know that his grownup dream was so out of reach that it was a stupid thing to even say. He was asked to apologize.
I don't want to give too much away, but he manages to achieve most of his goals against very great odds.
I don't want to give too much away, but he manages to achieve most of his goals against very great odds.
May 7, 2013
Till date my favourite book was “ The Alchemist”. I liked it because the story was of a shepherd boy who achieved his dreams. The shepherd boy indicated a condition of poverty of no roots and no one to rely on to. But today I have discovered something that is far beyond the skimpy “alchemist” plot. Here we have a real boy who was the poorest kid in the class, the one whom his principal told on the face when he expressed his dreams of becoming a lawyer that he should only have aspirations that were tangible for a boy of his means. Born to an alcoholic, abusive father and a distraught mother, there seemed no hope for this child until one day after coming back from an evening Gospel meeting he saw a light and a voice was implanted in his heart that said precisely this “ Everything will be all right”. From then on whenever he faced a challenge that still voice was beside him. Let me tell a bit about me. I was born in a place that did not have electricity for months, in poverty. Doug is a hero for me because he being in a worse condition did it all. He went on to establish the largest law firm in the US in its specialisation and when you look at him you can’t say that this is the same boy who once said that $.50 is the most money I ever got together. Thank You.
January 26, 2015
"Everything Will Be All Right" is a heartbreaking memoir of one man's struggle to escape the cycle of poverty. He uses his determination and his faith to gain footing in the upper classes of society and achieve a better life for himself and his family. Sometimes, the right miracle of an opportunity at the right time comes in handy as well.
Douglas Wallace shows us just how different poverty can be between a rural life and one in the city. He also shows us how he was able to escape despite the odds piled up against him and that it is indeed possible. "Everything Will Be All Right" is an emotional roller coaster from the very start to the end, with some of the toughest trials any human being can endure in their lifetime.
This is a wonderfully written, sincere, and humble life story that would make a great movie. It should not be missed as there is a lot to learn from this author's experiences on achieving one's dreams that any reader can aspire to.
Douglas Wallace shows us just how different poverty can be between a rural life and one in the city. He also shows us how he was able to escape despite the odds piled up against him and that it is indeed possible. "Everything Will Be All Right" is an emotional roller coaster from the very start to the end, with some of the toughest trials any human being can endure in their lifetime.
This is a wonderfully written, sincere, and humble life story that would make a great movie. It should not be missed as there is a lot to learn from this author's experiences on achieving one's dreams that any reader can aspire to.
May 17, 2013
I read this memoir and I really enjoyed it, it was superbly well written and interesting.
Doug Wallance is a true inspiration and proof that you can succeed in life if you have inner strength and persevere. He has the gift of portraying his life in an interesting and inspirational manner. It is amazing how well written this memoir is and I was glad I picked it up. I did not want to put the book down until I finished it, but I also see this book as being one that can be read countless times. Growing up poor, I dislike the myth that you can only rise so high in your life, it starts to become a self fulfilling prophecy for many people.
The author does not only overcome adversity but is able to come out stronger and smarter for his troubles. He was by no means perfect and does make mistakes along the way but he is able to learn and change. I am looking forward to reading more from him in the future and am recommending this to all my friends.
Doug Wallance is a true inspiration and proof that you can succeed in life if you have inner strength and persevere. He has the gift of portraying his life in an interesting and inspirational manner. It is amazing how well written this memoir is and I was glad I picked it up. I did not want to put the book down until I finished it, but I also see this book as being one that can be read countless times. Growing up poor, I dislike the myth that you can only rise so high in your life, it starts to become a self fulfilling prophecy for many people.
The author does not only overcome adversity but is able to come out stronger and smarter for his troubles. He was by no means perfect and does make mistakes along the way but he is able to learn and change. I am looking forward to reading more from him in the future and am recommending this to all my friends.
September 9, 2010
A genuine, true story that will change your life!
I recommended this book to everyone I talk to. It is by far, the best book I have read. It is inspiring and triumphant, yet also shockingly revealing. If you think life is tough, or that you have experienced hardships, then give yourself a break from the guilt and shame. Mr. Wallace will bring you back to the real world in a way that makes you want to change your life in a positive way. The book is about the author’s childhood and the challenges of growing up in generational poverty. The author tells the story with such grace and honesty. What I admire most is his genuine desire to share his inner-most feelings with the reader. It’s an insight you will never forget. This book will stay with you. I didn't want it to end!
I recommended this book to everyone I talk to. It is by far, the best book I have read. It is inspiring and triumphant, yet also shockingly revealing. If you think life is tough, or that you have experienced hardships, then give yourself a break from the guilt and shame. Mr. Wallace will bring you back to the real world in a way that makes you want to change your life in a positive way. The book is about the author’s childhood and the challenges of growing up in generational poverty. The author tells the story with such grace and honesty. What I admire most is his genuine desire to share his inner-most feelings with the reader. It’s an insight you will never forget. This book will stay with you. I didn't want it to end!
January 17, 2016
I really enjoyed the first say, 3/4 of this book. I enjoyed hearing about how the author faced his many adversities and triumphed against them without boasting, exaggerating or begging for pity. As I came towards the end of the book though, that feeling seemed to be lost... There was never a search for pity that I felt, but I did feel a rise in arrogance which turned me off from even reading the last four/five chapters of the book. There was a character there that I found myself not really being interested in anymore.
Read
November 27, 2009This is a memoir by a white American male who pulls himself out of
generational poverty to become a millionaire.
In a plain, period-specific, and young voice, Doug Wallace presents his life story from birth to his early twenties. He starts out in a Tennessee shack with seven siblings, an alcoholic father & battered mother and ends up in a Georgia graduate school a few floors above his office. The journey in-between is what happens when he remembers that "everything will be all right".
generational poverty to become a millionaire.
In a plain, period-specific, and young voice, Doug Wallace presents his life story from birth to his early twenties. He starts out in a Tennessee shack with seven siblings, an alcoholic father & battered mother and ends up in a Georgia graduate school a few floors above his office. The journey in-between is what happens when he remembers that "everything will be all right".
October 3, 2011
As hardship/poverty/abuse memoirs go, this one is rather tame, mostly because the author stood up to his abusive father and defended his mother from his father. The book covers his life up to becoming a lawyer, his lifelong ambition, and the main theme is just at the title says. At every crisis point his encounter with the beyond was in memory to get him through. It seems there might be more to this story, but the lives of the southern poor always seem to be interesting.
September 9, 2010
This book is the real thing. Memoirs, by definition, do not attract me as they are at times self-serving (political) or misleading and overwrought (no specifics here.). This, however, is one of the finest, most honest memoirs I have ever read. I was mesmerized from the first page. I couldn't put it down!
October 17, 2011
Inspirational story of one man's drive to overcome poverty, alcoholism and abuse and make a life worth living. Deeply emotional, interesting comparisons between lower and middle class, inside look at the sense of hopelessness on the city streets.
Some of the story was predictable, but the author gave great reference to his own success not because of his upbringing, but in spite of it.
Some of the story was predictable, but the author gave great reference to his own success not because of his upbringing, but in spite of it.
May 16, 2017
Read this and other reviews:
http://readtillyoudie.tumblr.com/post...
http://read-till-you-die.blogspot.pt/...
http://readtillyoudie.tumblr.com/post...
http://read-till-you-die.blogspot.pt/...
December 19, 2009
Inspiring, but somewhat dull. The author is an extremely admirable person, but he writes in a very straightforward manner that makes the book interesting but not special.
February 9, 2010
great memoir -- inspirational & positive
March 2, 2010
This is a story of one man's remarkable tenacity through out much adversity. I found this book to be very inspirational and moving! I would definitely recommend it.
March 16, 2010
matter of fact, not too dramatic, just a good story about one man's story growing up poor.
June 14, 2010
Great memoir of a person who was raised in generational poverty and the life lessons he learned along the way to succeed.
November 15, 2010
Compelling memoir about a man who strives in the most dire of circumstances to overcome poverty and a cycle of dysfunction and violence.
April 3, 2013
This is a truly remarkable true story of a boy escaping his tragic upbringing. Very inspirational. Really helped me see that know matter how bad life seems, everything will be all right.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews