CHARACTERS The Ultimate Gift
What would you do to inherit a million dollars? Would you be willing to change your life? Jason Stevens is about to find out in Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift.
Red Stevens has died, and the older members of his family receive their millions with greedy anticipation. But a different fate awaits young Jason, whom Stevens, his great-uncle, believes may be the last vestige of hope in the family.
Although to date your life seems to be a sorry excuse for anything I would call promising, there does seem to be a spark of something in you that I hope we can fan into a flame. For that reason, I am not making you an instant millionaire.
What Stevens does give Jason leads to The Ultimate Gift. Young and old will take this timeless tale to heart. The Ultimate Gift
I read this at the behest of my mom who was deeply touched by it.
I thought it was poorly written sappy drivel that unconsciously displayed some of the least attractive qualities of the baby boomer generation.
The author, in an attempt at profundity, clumsily sought to inspire the reader with a moral narrative that would be insightful only to the most ethically stunted of persons. The book, while about teaching a young man to be a morally responsible and well-rounded person, seemed really to address an older audience of a generation that valued money over community, money over the environment, and money over family. There is an undertone of remorse in this story, laid on top of an exhausting sermon about living a moral life.
I suspect a great many adults read this book wishing to pass the author's set of ethics down to a generation of kids who were raised by bad examples of it. 162 I found this book very contrived, emotionally manipulative, and lacking in any believability! After Red Stevens dies, he sends his great nephew Jason Stevens on a year long journey of self discovery. It was just too trite for me. The fact that Jason usually showed up on the last day of the month to discuss his experience then came back the next day to get his new instructions. It just bugged me - why didn't they give him the instructions the same day; the author didn't even seem to realize he kept coming two days in a row. I know it is silly but that is just one tiny reason this book is silly. I do not want to diminish the importance of the lessons Jason was being taught. I believe strongly in the importance of each lesson and I want to learn them more deeply myself and teach my children these important truths for life happiness. I just couldn't stomache the delivery!! I will admit to crying on several occassions but this was just a mark of the emotional manipulation of the story and not an indication of any realistic emotional learning experience. I was most touched by the gift on month eleven - the gift of a day. As I thought about maximizing each day; seeing it as the last time I can impact the world arround me - it strengthened my desire to use my daily moments to their fullest. Today is the only day little Andi will be this exact age. Today is the only day Craig will say these funny comments. Today is the only day Riley will want to talk about the things she wants to talk about. Every night when I go to sleep, I am saying goodbye to another day I will never get back. On the chapter heading page it says - Today is the day! That one sentence struck me with great force. Today is the day - why waste it with unimportant things, grumpiness, anger, or pettiness. Although I did feel a real prompting for me personally in that chapter and all the gifts re-inforced some important beliefs I hold - mostly, I found the book far too contrived and failed to feel genuine. I think all those lessons can be learned somewhere else - just listen to conference and you will hear all the gifts! 162 This book has the perfect title. My mother gave it to me last week and I had it finished in an hour and a half. Never before have I come across a book so powerful and profound, yet unbelievably simple that inspired me to address life in a different way. After putting it down I could not stop the thoughts going through my head about my life and the way it will affect and improve the lives of others going forward. We should all be grateful for the gift Jim Stoval has given us in these 150 odd pages. It is just as relevant to the maturing teenager as it is for a grandparent nearing the end of his life. On three separate occasions my eyes teared up. That’s difficult to do with a book.
The ultimate gift that Jim describes is one that all of us posses yet few of us take advantage of often enough. It has nothing to do with money or material things, which often carry too much emphasis, especially during the holidays. I wouldn’t dare take away the surprise from my readers since I know you would much rather hear it from Jim than me. I’d prefer to focus on what I took away from it. The gift that I received after finishing this book was that of a road map to a successful and meaningful life…meaningful describes it better than anything.
So many of us search for meaning in money, status and simply a bunch of things that most likely leave us disappointed and unfulfilled when we finally “get there”. Any of you who have tried to tell yourself that your lifes meaning can be achieved through a finite financial or material goal, have likely found that the problem is you never actually “get there”. When life is about material gifts and awards, you find that that desire to want more seems to always take over… and the emptiness continues.
This is much the case with the main character, Jason, in the Ultimate Gift. His very wealthy relative, Red, has recently passed away and left a fortune as his legacy. Unfortunately, all his heirs have turned into less than savory characters due to the unlimited access to money they have experienced in life. He saw Jason as the only hope for recovery, being just 24 years old. Instead of offering him a huge pile of money like Red does to the rest of his heirs, he offers Jason a year long journey where he’ll experience the twelve gifts of life. Since Red has passed away, his close friend will be guiding Jason via videos and letters provided in Red’s will. Jason’s inheritance, the ultimate gift, will only be received if he adequately makes it through each month.
Jason’s greedy self reluctantly accepts the offer, seeing the only redeeming thing being whatever has been left for him at the end of the year. Similar to his relatives, Jason has led a less than meaningful life up to this point. He lacks compassion for others, has never had to work for anything and has few if any real relationships. On top of that, he is grateful for nothing. Those of you who have strictly defined your success in terms of money up to this point, may have had similar experiences. The good news is it’s never too late to refocus.
Little does Jason know that he is about to embark on a subtle journey of life transformation and will come away with a reborn understanding of the true meaning of his life and those around him. The brilliant thing is the reader receives the
These monthly gifts touch on most things close to me and ReadingForYourSuccess. Here is a shortened list:
* The gift of work: Appreciation and satisfaction come from earning something. Leisure is only enjoyable when you earn it.
* The gift of friends: True loyal friends are hard to find so treat them that way. You never know when a new friendship is about to begin.
* The gift of learning: Have a burning desire and love for self education.
* The gift of problems: These prepare us for what’s ahead in life so embrace them and enjoy the accomplishment.
* The gift of family: Some are born with a wonderful family, others have to find and create one. Either way, it’s essential.
* The gift of dreams: See yourself accomplishing your goals and desires before you live through them. Dream until your last day.
* The gift of giving: Small gifts to you could be huge gifts for others. Give more than you take.
* The gift of love: The one required ingredient in every part of life. It makes each gift and experience worth living.
It’s hard for me to provide just a partial list but I hope this will wet your pallet. Jim’s explanation of each gift through Jason’s growth and understanding will surely give you at least a chill or two and leave you thinking differently. So I will leave the rest of the inspiration to him.
Jim is able to provide us all with a reminder and road map to creating genuine happiness and meaning. That’s what makes this book so far reaching. It covers just about every core topic of ReadingForYourSuccess and it applies to every possible reader. It doesn’t matter your age or place in life, either this will be a simple reminder or a much needed introduction to true meaning. Many books touch on a few of the gifts but few hit what I consider to be them all. Most of us know the power of a smile, a true friend or perhaps a loving family, but imagine if you could live all that Jim teaches each day of your life. I challenge you to incorporate these gifts in your ever-refining definition of success. You will find that the small speed bumps you come across, be it a job missed, not having quite enough money or an opportunity passed by, will be just that–small and manageable. They will not build up and pull your life down but instead will be diluted by a life whose core is based on the principles of love, giving and gratitude. A core so powerful that nothing will ever really be able to stand in its way.
Every one of these gifts is in our control and it is up to us to choose to make them our focus. Doing so makes the unconrollables much less significant. We often let these uncontrollables control our lives which leaves us with nothing to show for but added stress and disappointment. A simple refocus may be all you need to remove what’s keeping happiness out of you life. That refocus may be needed every day or maybe just every year. Either way, be sure it happens.
I am incredibly grateful that I have a family and friends that have brought me up living and believing these principles. But despite having learned them in the past, I felt reborn as I read through each gift and realized where I should be better spending my time and my thoughts. With how focused and busy we all get on our life’s success, it is so easy for us to forget what matters most. In running my investment fund I find myself consumed in things that I can’t do anything about and as a result, at times my stress levels rise and my enjoyment fades. So this was a much needed refocus that changed my state immediately to pure excitement and energy. It was an amazing feeling as I finished each chapter. What a powerful gift. After all, without things like dreams, love and relationships, nothing about your business, career or finances would make a difference. When in doubt, simply thinking outside of yourself is often all it takes to put your mind in the right place. That was all Red wished for Jason.
All of us deserve to live a meaningful and happy life so we must be sure to spend our time and focus our mind, time and energy in the right way to do so. As we move into the holiday seasons, or any season for that matter, keep close in mind that at the end of the day (and at the end of your life), your success, meaning and fulfillment will be measured much more by the number of lives you truly made better, than by anything you accumulate or consume. I encourage you to live accordingly and treat this as a gift to those you wish to do the same. Make this your gift to life and to you this year. Step outside of yourself and have a look around. Others may need you more than you think. Often the best gifts don’t cost even a dime. Happy holidays!
-Reading for Your Success 162 I'll admit it: I did not like this book. It's the current selection in our Relief Society book group, which I'm in charge of, although I don't pick the books. If anyone read it and loved it (as I know many people have and do), I know you'll be quick to dismiss me as being sad and cold-hearted, but after much reflection I've decided that is not the case.
Basically, the book centers around a young man whose great uncle bequeathed him a large fortune, but before he can have access to the money he has to go learn about a series of 12 gifts (one every month for a year). The gifts include things like the gift of work, the gift of friendship, the gift of money, etc. The young man, by discovering these gifts for himself, overcomes a lifetime habit of selfishness wrought from having everything provided for him.
In principle, this is a great idea, and a lot of the gifts in the book ring true (even though the overall premise seemed a bit simplistic to me personally, since I have long since accepted and believed that there are things far more important than money). But in execution, I really found this book wanting. There is almost no character development, no real description of what the young man goes through and how it changes him. Each chapter starts with a meeting with the lawyer (through whose perspective the book is told) where the new gift is introduced; after a paragraph break, the month is over and the young man reports on what he learned. I really wanted to see more of his experiences and what happened to him--in a show not tell kind of narrative. 162 This book was an unnecessary waste of words. I bought it because it was a Kindle $1.00 deal and I admit I like the occasional sappy inspirational book. Its only redeeming value is that I read it to my son and it held his interest ok.
The book is of the type that uses a simple narrative to communicate life values or lessons (called gifts in the book). In this case the story is of a millionaire who dies and makes a spoiled nephew go through a series of monthly tests in order to receive his inheritance. Each month his learns a lesson or value.
The thing is, each lesson is so dang simple. Here are the gifts:
1. The gift of work
2. The gift of money
3. The gift of friends
4. The gift of learning
5. The gift of problems
6. The gift of family
7. The gift of laughter
8. The gift of dreams
9. The gift of giving
10. The gift of gratitude
11. The gift of a day
12. The gift of love
By reading this list you can pretty much get out of the book what you need. I expected there to be some additional insight to these gifts but in the end it just felt flat and obvious. Take the first gift, the gift of work. The point here is that work is actually a gift. Work is good. Work builds character. Ok...that is fairly self evident to me. I don't really need to read a long-winded story to get that point.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that all books in this genre are just long winded stories that try to teach principles. I guess I just hoped that at least the story telling would be interesting and that there would be one or two a-ha moments that helped me think about a principle in a new or fresh way. No luck here.
At least I only wasted a dollar on this book and at least I spent some quality time with my son reading it to him. 162
This is the elaborated written review.
Rating - 4/5
This is a book about a young 24-year-old lad Jason who is not very enlightened about the various gifts of life and so, Red Stevens, his great-uncle is trying to enlighten him along with the help of his beloved friend Theodore Hamilton.
It is a mix of Fiction and Non-Fiction beacuse of which at a few places the story gets a little exaggerated.
This book is not just a book but an amazing journey for every reader. It has an amazing story which blends with the lessons we all need in life. It's not a lengthy book, 127 pages only. The language is simple and can be comprehended easily. A few words may seem new to you im the beginning but that becomes just fine as you go on with book.
The book completely goes with the title and we as readers too, get an ultimate gift at the end of the book.
I recommend this book to literally everyone because this book has lessons that everybody needs. But specifically, if you want to get knowledge of how to live your life to the fullest in simple and fun words this book is meant for you.
Follow @libroreview on instagram for video reviews of this and many other books. 162 czuje, że ta książka powinna mi się bardziej spodobać..
po pierwsze autor nie rozwijał swoich myśli tylko w punkcie kulminacyjnym bardzo je spłycał, zachowania bohaterów były bardzo przerysowane (wiem że chodzi o przekaz) ale no uważam że pomysł fajny z kasetą, darami, miesiącami itp ale można było to lepiej zrobić przynajmniej w moim odczuciu
no nie wiem nie porwała mnie, może to zależy od mojej osoby bo po prostu nie była dla mnie wzruszająca, taka bardzo poprawna, fajna na jeden wieczor, ale nie dla mnie🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️ myślę, ze jakbym była młodsza to bardziej by mi się spodobała i bardziej bym ją doceniła 162 The concept of the book was very simple. Many of the nitty, gritty parts of the young man's journey to find values, goals, morals, and a purpose in life were left out. One only gets a report and not the pleasure or the involvement of the journey. As a long term educator and one whose specialties are literature and writing, there is a loftier goal here. I see this as a thought provoking book for an entitlement generation of parents to use as a guideline to help them find a way to guide their entitlement engorged off spring back toward some semblance of happiness and self-fulfillment. It's purpose is to make all of us think. It's purpose is to intrigue those whose education and abilities of understanding allow them to use their gifts of perception, intuitive thinking, and imagination to devise plans using these strong moral foundations to create parenting that produces viable, and productive and morally consciously children. For those less able to glen the deeper lessons, there is still a simple plan in the story where one cane understand how to use the techniques in even the same simple manners as the author has and change the entitlement attitudes of so many who live there in this young generation. As the author said we rob people of their God given gifts and their safety net and their joy without stepping back and allowing kids to all on their noses so the they can learn about the world and find their own joy. I found it an invaluable tool for anyone who wants an arsenal of behavior modification actions techniques or ways to help with redirecting our youth. My prayers are with young families trying to teach these things in a world which values idleness and rewards entitlement. I highly recommended it to parents raising children. It is a good guide to give children stability. 162 The Ultimate GIft
Jim Stovall
Realistic FIction
162 pg.
The Ultimate Gift is a fictional story, but it teaches a lesson that is very real. It begins with the main character Jason. He is attending the reading of his great Uncle’s will. Jason is a rude, spoiled, brat. He has gotten everything he has from his millionaire uncle. The whole family leaves the reading an instant millionaire. Jason is the last one. Being the impatient brat he is, he complains but he will find out his uncle has much more for Jason. He has planned for Jason the ultimate gift. The gift will be given after Jason completes 12 tasks and receives 12 gifts, on e per month. The rules are that if Jason does not show proper attitude or does not complete the task he will not be given the ultimate gift. Over the course of the next twelve months Jason, Uncle Red’s trusted lawyer and friend Mr. Hamilton, and his secretary Mrs. Hamilton, will learn about life’s gifts. They explore friends, money, laughter, and a good person. When the time for the ultimate gift comes, Jason learns that the gift was all of the experiences. He also receives Red’s charitable trust fund of one billion dollars so he may share the gifts with everyone.
This book was fabulous! It teaches a very meaningful lesson. It is a good wholesome book wit a lesson to be learned: like the lesson that if you can look at life with laughter things get easier. The story kept me hanging. I wanted to read just to know what the ultimate gift is. In a way, I became kind of like Jason, greedy for the result. This is the kind of book where the characters are relatable and you get pulled into the story. I loved this book and give it two thumbs up!
162 Eine sehr schöne Geschichte, die kurz und knapp darlegt was uns im Leben glücklich macht. Ich freue mich darauf den Film zu sehen! 162