Breakfast at Sally's

September 15, 2008
“Sally’s” is what the homeless call the Salvation Army’s soup kitchen. LeMieux is a first-time author whose memoir chronicles his descent as a conservative publisher who loses his company, his home, his wife and kids, and all sense of hope, until he is called back from a potential suicide by the insistent barking of his beloved dog, Willow. Together, they embark on what is truly the “inspirational journey” of this book’s title, living in an old van and moving from town to town. Using a beatup typewriter, LeMieux captures not only what day-to-day life is like for those whose lives have been broken by economic hardship (“from the millions of teenagers on the street to the millions of old heroes stored away in nursing homes across the country”), but also the rich inner life and the wellsprings of hope that he finds in the many people he skillfully and sensitively describes—“people are as real as you can find anywhere.” And his own experiences with constant depression, the mental health system that exists for the homeless, and his discovery of life and a sense of hope in his new home of Bremerton, Wash., combine into a moving tale that cuts through the stereotypes of homeless living.

November 1, 2008
Have you ever had breakfast with Sally? Perhaps not, for in this case Sally is short for the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen in Bremerton, WA. Former successful businessman Richard LeMieux has lived better than the average American, but descended, through economic and personal failures, to homelessness for almost two years. Writing of life on the streets with his dog, Willow, he introduces a cast of characters from his experiences and reminds us that each struggling person has a life story that speaks of his or her humanity and value. He notes that he found that, "given help and a sense of direction, most will help themselves and even help others." Along the way, he also discovers the value of public libraries and that he has a talent for writing that he wants to share with others. This inspirational political and social memoir can offer readers hope for a renewal of faithin God and humanity. All public libraries will want this book for their collections.Nancy Richey, Western Kentucky Univ. Lib., Bowling Green

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