Finding Fish audiobook

Finding Fish was a book that my social worker MIL had around that she'd had to read for school, and suggested I read it, since I'm also a social work student. It sat around until I had a dry spell between library runs; I wasn't as interested as I wanted to be. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I had a messed up childhood myself, but I could relate to very little of Antwone's experiences (foster care, the 60's and 70's, African American culture, male perspective), but his voice is so strong and honest that it's impossible not to root for him as he builds his own moral compass from scratch and tries to find his way out of his abusive foster home. It's rarely about grotesque, gratuitous abuse (not never, just rarely), and more about a lack of love, support, or belonging. By the time he's out of the house and in the Navy, the book could say "And then he became a millionaire, and married a supermodel, and had five wonderful kids, and was waved by palm leaves and fed grapes all day" and you would keep reading just because the author is so genuine and likable, he deserves happiness and peace and it's truly enjoyable to read about him finding it. I tend to stay interested throughout the central struggle of a book and by the time it gets to the happily ever after, I'm thinking "Yeah, yeah, and then you were happy and blah blah blah, that's great," but this one, if he wrote another book about nothing but his happy life now, I'd read it.

I actually have an autographed copy of this book; fantastic memoir about overcoming abuse; he's from cleveland; he came and spoke at event i went to and i went to a book signing of his; amazing story; he talked about how the screenplay to this book (became the movie with Denzell) that he wrote was the first screenplay ever sold for more than 1 million dollars by an african american screenwriter

Fathered by a 23 year old man killed by a pregnant girlfriend who had a restraining order and two daughters by him already, and born posthumously in prison to an unwed teenage mother, Antwone starts life deeply disadvantaged. A ward of the state of Ohio from his birth, we get Antwone's story in two ways - from his own memories and from the pieces of the official record created by the dozen or more caseworkers assigned to him until he was released from state care at age 18. In a story as brutal as it it hopeful, Antwone defies despair, defines resilience, and overcomes a bleak and heartbreaking childhood. He tells of the dysfunctional household and lack of any semblance of care and nurturing in the foster home he lived in most of his childhood and how easy it is to tear down a child and set foster children against each other though they suffer together. But we see how even small acts of kindness or thoughtfulness can impact a child deeply that they could remember something so small for so long, of teachers who helped along the way, of how the military can hone and polish discipline and skills in soldiers willing to submit to its methods, of how to come through homelessness and fear and hopelessness to a successful and productive life. Beautifully wrought.

Antwone's early life is a filled with textbook examples of causes which lead to a life of crime, drugs and poverty. He grew in a foster home where it was made apparent to him he was just a means to get money from the state and nothing more. He grew up in an impoverished Cleveland neighborhood where he was treated to beatings, molestation, slave labor and psychological intimidation within his foster home. Yet, through this and other events in his early life, Antwone was able to escape the life he was raised in to find and become what was missing in his life earlier on.This is a moving book about the author that shows the importance of perseverance through adverse diversity. The book starts off slow and really builds the background story of Antwone so once you have adjusted for the pace of the book you will certainly enjoy it.While reading this book I felt a sense of pride in getting to know someone like Antwone even though it's only through a book. Hearing his life story inspires me to push myself everyday and not just accept the situation you are in, it is up to you create your own future, not others.

Finding Fish by Antwone Quenton Fisher is a heart wrenching story about a young boy, Antwone Fisher, and his journey from being put into foster homes at birth, he goes from feeling unwanted, and unloved, to feeling important, and meaningful to others. Antwone was originally put into an orphanage after birth, but was eventually switched to two different foster homes. The first one was only a short term, temporary foster while the other one housed him for around 13 years of his life. This foster home created many difficulties for Antwone to overcome throughout his time living at the house with a recurring theme of physical and psychological abuse, he was sexually abused, whipped, and beaten as punishment for things he did. The theme isolation also played a role in the development of this story because he had no one to rely on. He was on his own. Antwone escaped his misery from the house by enlisting in the navy. A Navy reimen soon helped him overcome his troublesome childhood. “With Dwight, everything was external and physical. With me, it was all on the inside. I was hands-in-pockets, watchful, quiet, and hidden tears.” (Fisher 77). This quote represents exactly what the whole book is about. The troubles that were happening at the foster home played an important role in the development of Antwone. He learned to keep things to himself and deal with situations without showing any emotion. This book was an easy read. It gives you a perspective of what it would have been like to live in that time period and in a foster home. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about the transformation from hardships to success. This is a well written book.

Listened to the audio book in a down period of life, and found his real-life overcoming story challenging and motivating. He wasn’t crying over spilled milk or excusing his bad choices by blaming his background. He was grateful for teachers and Navy mentors who found praiseworthy traits, and the last scene he shares (blueberry pancakes with his daughter) makes it clear that you really can come out of a wretched background without letting it remain your reality.

What a sad powerful story of self discovery. Page after page I wanted Fish to get out of his messed up predicament.It's sad how someone can make your life a living hell for no reason . Then feel noway about it. I hope those who hurt , used, abused , and lied to him get what they DESERVE. The movie was better but this is his memoir so I'll respect it.

Absolutely inspirational, Antwone, had a rough start in life to put it very mildly, you need to read the story and be astonished that he survived, being born in Cleveland, surrounded by gangs, drugs the works, The woman who takes him in as a foster child is totally deranged, in spite of the face that this is a Mininster of the Gospel's house, with the nausiating show of playing religion on Sunday, totally abusing her foster children, unbelievable how she was able to make the case workers believe all was well, and she did not need those frequent visits to her home by them, what kind of case workers were these, but thank goodness there finally was on Miss Nees, who was not will to be hoodwinked, she realized how brilliant Antwone was the great possibilities he had in life if he was willing to take that route, and he did, this is a wonderful book, filled with insights, how desperate his childhood was, what do we know as a 4-5-6 etc year old child, imagine being tied to a pole in the basement by that frigging witch, were was her gospel preaching husband gimme a break, did he have blinders onI could go on telling you about the pain and sadness Antwone experiences, how he survived is a testimony to a mans spirit there is an insight as well that during the civil rights movements, there were black people who considered the movement run by "troublemakers"GET THE BOOK READ IT, BE INSPIRED!!!

Great book. A difficult read at times. The story has a lot of press as inspirational and uplifting, and indeed it is both of those things in an absolutely amazing way. The book has a dark, disturbing side that is devastatingly sad..there is no way of getting around it. It is devastating. The shine of a bright future that eventually arrives cannot take away from the pure sadness, not only for Antwone Fisher but for the other children in his household. It is very important to learn about what can happen to children placed in foster care. and it is very important to hear the story through the eyes of a child who has been through it.

Dramatic story of Antwone Fisher's life and successes

A really good book..... Baby Boy Fisher--as he was documented in his child welfare caseworkers' reports--was raised in institutions from the moment of his birth in prison to a single mother. After beginning his life in an orphanage, Antwone was placed in a temporary foster home until, around age two, he was transferred to a second foster home. It was there, over the next thirteen years, that he endured emotional abandonment and physical abuse. Removed from this foster home not long before his sixteenth birthday, Antwone found fleeting refuge in a boys' reform school but was soon thrust into the nightmare of homelessness.Though convinced he was unwanted and unworthy, Fish, as he came to be known, refused to allow his spirit to be broken. Instead, he became determined to raise himself, to listen to social workers and teachers who intervened on his behalf, and to nurture a romantic heart along with a scathing sense of humor and a wondrous imagination--all of which sustained him with big dreams of a better day. Fatefully, just as Antwone's life on the streets hit rock bottom, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he remained for the next eleven years. During that time, Fish became a man of the world, raised by the Navy family he created for himself.

This is one of those rare occasions in which I like both the movie AND the book! In this memoir, Antwone Fisher discusses his difficult childhood and how he was raised in a foster care home. When he was a teenager, he became homeless before enlisting in the Navy. It wasn't until he was in the Navy, that he started to turn his life around. I thought this was a truly inspiring book! I felt the author could have taken the wrong path very easily, with all that he had been through, and so the fact that he became a successful producer/screenwriter is truly remarkable!

I read this a while back I back in the early 2000s. A fantastic,touching reread. It def touched on some topics that we could relate to. The favoritism of the lighter skinned brother. I really enjoyed reading this beautiful memoir again.

True story about an unlikely boy growing up in foster homes making something of himself. Good read.

Great read and a great movie.

I am reading this book and i think its great because it takes you back to old times. Also its about abuse.