Will Work for Food or $: A Memoir from the Roadside

I challenge anyone to read this book and look at roadside beggars in the same way as before. It is impossible, because you now know that the next beggar you pass just might be another Bruce Moody. Bruce Moody breaks all the steretypes. This is perhaps the most honest book I've ever read, and Moody's willingness to share with readers his inner process is extraordinary. Most people would find the mere act of standing on a street corner begging for work or money utterly embarrassing, and indeed, Moody himself struggles mightily with shame. But Moody courageously shares everything: not just the doing of it, but his self-condemnation, his stereotyping judgments of passersby (who will give? who won't give?), his struggles with guilt, fear, rage -- all the demons. Rarely does one encounter such an act of generosity as this book represents, when an author shares so intimately with readers. Because of Bruce Moody's generosity and his willingness to put truth before ego, I am able to learn something rich and rare about the human condition, and about myself -- because I am that same human being and I have my own roadsides. Although I have never literally had to beg on a roadside, I found myself irresistably identifying with Moody in his self-discoveries: I, too, am prejudiced; I, too, try to control the people, places and things around me; I, too, have moments when I am merciless with myself and with others; I, too, desire God; I, too, wonder about the source and meaning of blessing. But most of all, I am glad I read this book for the hope it gives. If I am ever faced with a desperate situation, Bruce Moody will be there in the back of my mind, coaching. I read this book with a chilly spine, I'll tell you, for the prospect of losing your home and going begging is terrifying. But at the same time I read with a sense of adventure, wonder, and even joy. Joy? Yes, joy. That's where Bruce Moody ultimately takes his readers, straight into the realm of joy, right there in the most unexpected of places, along the roadside. To me, that's the greatest message of the book. It's the treasure buried in the field, and thank you Bruce for digging it up and sharing it with all of us. Congratulations!

At the age of 60, Bruce Moody found out the hard way that education from Yale and Columbia, published writing credits, a strong acting resume and years of work in the business world (as a contract employee) could not protect him from economic downturn. His struggle to keep a roof over his head, pay his bills, continue to develop and maintain his self-respect, and cope with his sister's serious illness, without burdening his family financially, is a story as suspenseful as anything by Ken Follett. Of interest to anyone, especially persons involved with human growth, spirituality, the arts, and any of us who've ever whizzed by those guys with the placards at freeway offramps, is this memoir. It details how, with fear and trepidation, Bruce Moody decided to trust his wellbeing to the kindness of strangers and stand by the roadside with the proverbial sign: "Will work for food or $". His expectations and prejudices are shattered as he finds that his life is being supported by people he does not know and, in many cases, will never know. How he handles, with grace and spiritual insight, this radical shift in his living patterns, until he can locate steady work, is a fascinating and thought-provoking memoir. Highly recommended and quite unexpected.

The devotion to detail, the honesty, the dignity, the humanity, the willingness to put a personal philosophy to the test-all these qualities come up roses in this book.On both levels, the level of person and the level of writer, the author seized the authentic moment of his reality and recognized the power that flows from his being able to totally accept and acknowledge himself, where he's at, and once able to do that with surprise, openness, a lack of bitterness, and an absorption in the moment, he's on your way.

This is a difficult book for me to review. I want to like it for the graceful form of the paragraphs, elegant structure of the sentences and impeccable choice of words, and I like it very much. It does get tiresome reading about the tedium of standing for long periods of time holding a sign. Yes, that must be tiresome. But what is impressive is the author's honesty. He lays bare his fears and his self-justifying inner dialog, allowing me to judge him. Then I must question why I am judging him. He's just like me!It is fascinating learning of the relationships that develop between the author and the people he comes into contact with in his struggle for survival. When I had decided he knows nothing of compassion, he writes of his loving care for his sister and I get to see I misjudged.I don't always like this guy, but then I don't always like myself. I learned to appreciate being manipulated into seeing my weaknesses and learning to be grateful for them. This book changed me.

Who are these people who beg by the side of the road? What has driven them to so desperate a measure as panhandling? How much money do they collect? Where do they go and how do they live when they are not on the streetcorners? While Bruce Moody's book cannot speak for all street beggars, it does provide a thoughtful and penetrating glimpse into the hidden world of the down and out. In reading this account, one must perforce give up the well-worn cliches and stereotypes about those inhabiting this netherworld. Moody's tale is one of raw adversity, yes, but also one of redemption. The kindness of strangers he encounted in one year is, I daresay, more than most of us will experience in a lifetime. "Will Work For Food or $" shines as a bright beacon of hope through the darkness of despair.