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“Eric Karlson's struggles and
ultimate triumphs are presented throughout Fall To Grace
with engaging detail, brutal honesty and a surprising innocence; I
have read few tales which simultaneously disturbed and inspired me
as this one has. I cried through the chapters detailing the
author's drug addictions, empty family life, and witnessing of
unspeakable atrocities; I felt a powerful calm and inner-peace as
I read the pages telling of his courageous anti-war protests and
profound spiritual transformation; throughout, I cheered on
Karlson as he accepted the challenge to better not only his
personal situation, but also the life of every person he
encountered. Above all, Fall to Grace reinforced for me
the dangers of complacency and the strength of the determined
individual.
“Don't be fooled into thinking
that this is a just sensationalist, glamorized account of sex,
drugs and war; rather, it is a very real and sharp journey through
personal and political conflicts, told in a straight-forward
manner that makes the reader feel as if he is right there.
Evolving from the darkest of circumstances into an enlightened
state of awareness, Karlson's experiences represent both the best
and the worst aspects of the human condition. This book comes with
my highest recommendation. It definitely deserves a re-read (and
will get one, once I have gotten it back from a friend who
insisted on borrowing it!).”
Beth
Spradley
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| “I was spellbound by
this fascinating true story by Eric Karlson, so much so that when
I was finished I went to my local bookstore and bought four more
copies to give to friends. For those of you who seek a deeper
understanding of the path(s) to enlightenment, this book is a
must.”
Brian
Doubleday - Co-producer,
Instinct
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| “Eric Karlson gives
us hope that even in the worst of times, your spirit can rise
above and guide you on your path if you follow your heart.”
Anne-Marie
Boles
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“Fall to Grace is a
remarkable juxtaposition of war and spiritual awakening. Eric
Karlson puts himself in the company of our best on the ground
commentators of the Vietnam War, indeed of any war. Had Gandhi and
King found themselves in Vietnam as eighteen year olds, this might
have been, in part, their story.
“Fall to Grace is not only about one man's struggle to
integrate the opposites and contradictions of the Vietnam era. It
is also a story about a man in his late forties drawing on the
perspective of time and maturation to show us the universality of
eternal spiritual truths. Here we meet the capacity of one human
being acting courageously on his deepest principles and beliefs of
non-violence in the midst of chaos and horror.
“Eric Karlson offers his experiences in service to anyone of any
age finding themselves in difficult and untenable situations.
Ultimately his is a story in the genre of the triumph of the human
spirit.”
John
Steiner
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| “I am a woman, and
can't imagine what it would be like to be in the Vietnam War.
Karlson puts you there, right in the heart of the heart of it all!
Dark and Light, Beauty and Truth, Tears and Fears. It is All here.
You will be touched by the courage it took Karlson to act from
what is right and the influence that those actions had. This book
will touch you deeply to the Light of your Being. I promise!”
Tamara
Matthews
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| “The bold story of
one man who found God in the midst of darkness. A cogent testimony
that spirit dwells wherever we are.”
Alan Cohen
- Author, The
Dragon Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and A Deep Breath of
Life
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| “After reading the
first chapter, I was completely hooked and spent every possible
moment reading. I called in sick to work the day I completed the
book—just so I could stay home and finish it! One of those rare
reads; a titanic pleasure, with large lessons, contemplations,
compassions.”
Brian
Comerford -Cofounder,
executive producer, RadioValve.com
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“I read two or three
of the current best selling books a week. Fall to Grace
is better than eighty percent of the books I read.”
Michael
Weinstock
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| “Fall to Grace
is utterly engaging. Once you start reading you will be struck by
the immediacy of Karlson's writing. This book is alive with detail
that only direct experience can provide. Mr. Karlson grabs the
reader by the collar and propels him at a reckless velocity. This
is a masterful account of what depths and what heights we are
capable of in a single life span; where horror and sublime beauty
coexist in the blink of a human eye.”
Tom Gass
- Author
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| “Brilliant! Fall
To Grace is one of the best books I’ve ever read.”
Annie
Flanders - Former
owner of Details Magazine
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| “Fall to Grace
is absolutely riveting in its intensity. I have not been able to
put it down. I give it six thumbs up. Congratulations on a vividly
crafted work!”
Michael
O'Rourke - Author
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| “Having been to
Vietnam (stationed in the same area and arriving about a month
after the author left) I can testify to the authenticity of the
daily occuring events of that time and place. Finally someone has
written the real story of what it was like there. Believe me, it
took guts to stand up to the US government. They shot guys like
him. Fall to Grace is without question an emotional
roller-coaster ride!”
David
Accetta
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| “From the first page
to the last, I found myself completely immersed in the author's
extraordinary journey. From drug addiction, to a senseless war, to
love and understanding, each page reveals the capacity and
potential within each of us to see beyond our own story to what we
can make of our lives. Karlson's journey is our journey and
written in a manner that speaks to the deepest part of who we
are.”
Stephen
Belgin
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“From the time I
picked this book up until the time I finished it, I couldn't put
it down. It is the quintessential page-turner. Karlson's life has
been filled with five lifetimes worth of adventure. He conveys it
to the reader in the most readable of styles. I enjoyed this book
immensely and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn
more about our debacle in Viet Nam, and how every day suffering
can be trancended through the experience of enlightenment. I give
it my highest rating.”
Guy
Benintendi
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| “I was plunged into
a world so dark it was hard to imagine there could be light at the
end of the tunnel. What a powerful read!”
Jennifer
Born
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|
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| “Eight out of ten
books I read end up in my slush pile about halfway through them. Fall
To Grace is one of the most action-packed, roller coaster
rides ever written. It also contains the power to change your life
as it has mine. This book will stay one of my favorites. It is
destined to become a movie.”
Graham
Green
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| “This is the coolest
f _ _ _ _ _ _ book I have ever read.”
Sonnet
Baker
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“If you like human
interest stories you will love this book. I couldn't put it down.
Knowing this was a true story made it even more compelling. It
opened my eyes to what really went on in Vietnam and also gave me
a new perspective on how one's soul knows all the answersóif you
just know how to listen to it.”
Alan
Pollock
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| “Karlson moves
through the chaos of his experiences and the depths of his despair
to find an inner guidance that most of us only dream about.”
Annette
Riggs
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| “Awesome! I read the
whole four hundred and fifteen pages in less than twenty-four
hours.”
Bob
Wampler
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| “I loved this story.
I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. It's an
inspiring journey about the magic that follows when we have the
courage to live our truth.”
Hajjar
Gibran
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“This book
transported me to the gateway of life and death and gave me a
renewed sense of how precious life really is.”
Michelle
Johnson
|
| “Imagine reading a
book about an American soldier who comes back from Vietnam
healthier and happier! A lone soldier who stands up against the
wrongs of war; who refuses to the see the enemy as objects, but
rather as people, while finding his own spirituality in the heat
of battle. May we all encounter our demons as successfully and
help to create a more enlightened society in the process!”
David
Crowder
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|
“For someone who grew up in the
Vietnam era and went to antiwar protests and the like, I really
had no idea of what went on in Vietnam. This book took me there in
an incredibly real way, I could connect to the place and feel as
if I had been there. Karlson's style of writing makes the book
hard to put down from the very first page.
“I think this book will/should become one of the popular books
on enlightenment and developing spirituality. It certainly should
be read by all who have met with adversity and are looking for a
way out. One of the best books I have read in long time.”
Joyce C.
Harman
|
| “Eric Karlson's
story is both a very raw and real depiction of life for a young GI
in Vietnam and an outrageous story of redemption and spiritual
transformation occurring under some of the most terrifying
circumstances imaginable. For anyone who wants to see the power of
spiritual experience, under any circumstances, this book is a
fantastic read. My dad doesn't read books, but when I gave him Fall
to Grace he couldn't put it down.”
Jeffrey
Carreira
|
| “Fall to Grace
is so honestly written that I was compelled to read every last
word in just a few days. While reading this book I felt a profound
empathy for the Vietnamese peasants and a visceral connection to
the events and author's spiritual awakening.”
Chrissy
Smiley
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| “Two weeks ago, as
our nation was poised on the cusp of 'something like war' and most
of us were still trying to sort out our confused feelings about
the terrorist attacks, fate presented me with a copy of this book.
The timing was brilliant. Within several days I had finished it
and have immediately delivered the book to the home of my best
friend who is reading it now. Viet Nam. How well I remember. But
now, 30 years later, as I read this book, I realized that while I
retain many of the factual details, I had forgotten much of the
intensity and emotion of those days. It all came flooding back. I
kept having to remind myself to breathe, and that 'it's only a
book, it's only a book.' I greatly admire the courage it took to
write this book. The author takes you inside his head back then
and leaves you with dilemma after dilemma to ponder. How would I
have responded? How would I have even survived these
circumstances? Frankly, as I read along, I could not quite imagine
how the author would survive both his inner demons as well as the
demonic malestrom that he was caught in, especially since both
decks stacked against him. A long journey with a surprising
ending. It is nothing short of a miracle for a human to survive
such an ordeal and it is nothing short of a gift that we get to
share the story. This is a book I will remember for a long time.
This is a book to read for anyone concerned with our current
events. By learning from our past, perhaps human beings can become
wiser. Thank you Eric Karlson for telling your story.”
Will
Winter
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