Don't Let Me Go
David Pierce
Reviewed by Teresa Konopka
David W. Pierce’s “Don’t Let Me Go” is an emotional read that will
strike cords in readers’ hearts. The book is a true account of a
father’s journey with his daughter. Aside from what the back
cover
suggests, the book does not just focus on one mountain-climbing
experience. Rather, it delves into many adventures of spiritual
growth, athleticism, and family morals that span several years.
The
book starts out with Pierce’s daughter as a young teen and culminates
with her as a married woman.
The whole adventure begins when
Chera (Pierce’s daughter) reads a book about mountain climbing and then
wants to go herself. She convinces her father to go with
her. After
that adventure, Pierce decides to get in shape, join a gym, and even
run a marathon with his daughter. Later, they both go to climb a
glacier and fail, only to return a year later and master it.
Descriptions of the physical processes, surroundings, and avid
procedures give the book an interesting quality. Also, Pierce
inserts
flashbacks that deal with his alcoholic father and quest for God.
Other insertions occur when Chera begins to fancy boys. There are
segments when Chare asks her father about dating and Pierce grills boys
on the phone.
For a long time, Pierce sought God. He even fell
into a scam where he mailed out prayer requests and money that went up
to a Prayer Tower. No matter how many times he mailed the request
or
how much money he sent, his prayer of having a sober father never
materialized. Only when his father died and he truly forgave both
himself and his father does Pierce claim he truly understood God.
More
importantly, he learns the necessity of letting go. As he was
able to
let his father rest in peace, he must eventually let his daughter rest
in the company of another male figure.
The books has all the
aspects of a self-help book, but has a unique twist. Instead of
having
sections with subdivisions and bullet points, Pierce writes in a
story-like fashion, equip with dialog, literary devices, and stream of
consciousness. The chapters fly by as father and daughter grow
together. Most remarkable is Pierce’s desire to satisfy his
daughter’s
wishes. Never once does he turn her down or suggest that her
outdoor
suggestions are frivolous. When he does reach summits, he does
not
just sigh with the contempt of placating his daughter. Rather, he
uses
it as a means to teach his child a lesson. He references
Scripture and
tells Chera that God can turn even the biggest mountain to wax and that
all are insignificantly small when compared to his bounty. This
book
is a cherished story of redemption and progression that parent and
child alike will treasure.