I Am Potential

A 19-year-old Kentucky man born with deformed limbs and no eyes collaborates with his father (and with contributor Stamford) to describe how he became an accomplished musician and an inspiring model of personal growth. The result is an invitation to share this family's sorrow and triumph, and a challenge to listeners to work around their own weaknesses or disabilities and live life to its fullest. Narrators Paul Garcia, Malcolm Hillgartner, and Grover Gardner share the reading, and each is a skilled interpreter of the pathos and inspiration in the story. Rotating the narrating duties creates a strong dynamic: Three exceptional voice talents bring distinct sensibilities and views to the recording but also work together to give this heroic memoir impact and continuity. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

November 3, 2008
Born with a complex of birth defects which led to malformed limbs, no eyes and more than a half-dozen surgeries in his first few years alone, wheelchair-bound University of Louisville student Hughes details a life overcoming enormous obstacles with hard work, devoted parents and a lifelong passion for music (he's even a Marching Cardinal, with the help of his father). Much of Hughes's story is also his dad's, and the straightforward narrative switches off between them, giving some dimension to otherwise flat prose (not necessarily a bad thing, as the remarkable story needs little adornment). Hughes's countless setbacks give stark life to perhaps-familiar lessons on acceptance and perseverance (chapter one: "When Life Gives You Lemons, Accept Them and Be Grateful"), but his spirit and triumphs also lead to lessons in pursuing your passion, giving love freely, and appreciating the people around your. For fans of television's Extreme Makeover Home Edition and the Grand Ole Opry, there's a behind-the-scenes chapter for each. A gentle evangelical streak comes out in occasional references to God, but the book is probably at its most parochial in the chapter, "Be the You Your Mother Would be Proud Of." Hughes's knowing but uplifting tone balances out the tragedies, making this an inspiring addition to the growing self-help-memoir shelf.