Beauty in the Broken Places
A Memoir of Love, Faith, and Resilience
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Narrated by:
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Allison Pataki
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Lee Woodruff - foreword
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David Levy - epilogue
About this listen
The harrowing but ultimately life-affirming story of a young woman, pregnant with her first child, who is on a plane with her 30-year old physician husband when he has a near fatal stoke.
On the flight to their "babymoon" in Hawaii before their first child arrived, Allison Pataki's husband turned to her to ask if his eye looked strange, and then suddenly lost consciousness. After making an emergency landing, they discovered that Dave, a lifelong, healthy athlete and orthopedic surgery resident at Rush Medical School in Chicago, had suffered a rare, and often fatal, stroke.
Dave was one of the lucky ones though, and he survived, but the man who woke up from his coma was not the same man Allison had fallen in love with at Yale, the man she had given a four leaf clover to the night they got engaged with the caption: "May we always remember how lucky we are."
In this stirring, deeply personal memoir, Pataki recounts the challenging year that followed: Dave's turbulent road to recovery; the joyous birth of their daughter; the struggle and isolation of being a caretaker; the support from family and loved ones; and her own reexamination of their future with the understanding of how fragile life is and how lucky we are to have the chance to live it.
©2018 Allison Pataki (P)2018 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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“Bold and commendable... A strength of this memoir is [Allison Pataki’s] scrupulous honesty.” (USA Today)
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Millions know Emily Maynard Johnson from her unprecedented double appearances on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Millions also know that neither of the relationships from those shows lasted much longer than a commercial break. Overcome with embarrassment following her nationally televised failures at romance, Emily finally committed her heart to the only one she knew would never leave her empty and alone. Abandoning her desire to be chosen by men and finding peace in the fact that she was already chosen by God, Emily found the joy she had been looking for in serving God.
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Interesting read for bachelor/bachelorette fans
- By Melanie on 03-31-16
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Fly a Little Higher
- How God Answered a Mom's Small Prayer in a Big Way
- By: Laura Sobiech
- Narrated by: Amber Quick
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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"Okay, Lord, you can have him. But if he must die, I want it to be for something big. I want someone’s life to be changed forever." This is what Laura Sobeich prayed when she found out her 17-year-old son had only one year to live. With this desperate prayer, she released her son to God’s will. At that point, Zach Sobiech was just another teenager battling cancer. When his mother told him to think about writing good-bye letters to family and friends, he decided instead to write songs. One of them, "Clouds", captured hearts and changed not one life but millions, making him an international sensation.
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What an emotional, inspirational read!
- By Daryl on 04-05-15
By: Laura Sobiech
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Not Fade Away
- A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found
- By: Rebecca Alexander, Sascha Alper
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Thirty-four-year-old Rebecca Alexander is a psychotherapist, a spin instructor, a volunteer, and an athlete. She is also almost completely blind, with significantly deteriorated hearing. Not Fade Away is a deeply moving exploration of the obstacles we all face-physical, psychological, and philosophical. Rebecca's story is an exquisite reminder to live each day to its fullest.
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Loved this!
- By Daryl on 11-24-14
By: Rebecca Alexander, and others
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Appointments with Heaven
- The True Story of a Country Doctor's Healing Encounters with the Hereafter
- By: Dr. Reggie Anderson, Jennifer Schuchmann
- Narrated by: Eric G. Dove
- Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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When a patient first asked Dr. Reggie Anderson to sit at her bedside as she passed from this life, something miraculous happened. As he held her hand, the veil between this world and the next parted…and he received an astonishing glimpse of what awaits us in heaven. Little did he know this was just a foretaste of what was to come - a lifetime of God-given "appointments with heaven." Join Reggie as he shares remarkable stories from his life and practice, including the personal tragedy that nearly drove him away from faith forever.
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More about Christianity than the Hereafter
- By Karen on 11-25-14
By: Dr. Reggie Anderson, and others
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One Call Away
- Answering Life's Challenges with Unshakable Faith
- By: Brenda Warner, Jennifer Schuchmann
- Narrated by: Christie King
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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What can you do when your well-laid plans fall apart and life takes an unexpected turn? Brenda Warner is best known as the outspoken wife of NFL superstar and Dancing with the Stars alum Kurt Warner. But years earlier, she found herself living through any woman’s nightmare: a healthy baby tragically injured in the bathtub; a sudden end to a career she loved; betrayal and divorce; poverty; public humiliation; a deadly natural disaster that destroyed her foundation and shook her to her core. One shattering phone call at a time, Brenda Warner’s life came to resemble little of her dream.
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Page turner and worth a thousand credits !
- By Marian on 10-27-14
By: Brenda Warner, and others
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Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories of Faith
- Inspirational Stories of Hope, Devotion, Faith, and Miracles
- By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark - editor
- Narrated by: Sandra Burr, Tom Parks
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the first Chicken Soup audiobook to focus specifically on stories of faith, including 101 of the best stories from Chicken Soup’s library on faith, hope, miracles, and devotion. These true stories written by regular people tell of prayers answered miraculously, amazing coincidences, rediscovered faith, and the serenity that comes from believing in a greater power, appealing to Christians and those of other faiths, and everyone who seeks enlightenment and inspiration through a good story.
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good read
- By Amazon Customer on 07-29-16
By: Jack Canfield, and others
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Bloom
- Finding Beauty in the Unexpected - A Memoir
- By: Kelle Hampton
- Narrated by: Kelle Hampton
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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When Kelle Hampton's new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, she knew instantly that something was wrong. As her friends and family celebrated, a terrified Kelle was certain that Nella had Down syndrome - a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed. Yet gradually Kelle embraced the realization that she had been chosen to experience an extraordinary and special gift. With lyrical prose and gorgeous photography, Bloom takes listeners on a wondrous journey through Nella's first year of life.
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Beautiful Story
- By Janelle on 03-10-24
By: Kelle Hampton
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Modern Loss
- Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome.
- By: Rebecca Soffer, Gabrielle Birkner
- Narrated by: Meredith Mitchell, Josh Bloomberg
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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At a time when we mourn public figures and national tragedies with hashtags, where intimate posts about loss go viral and we receive automated birthday reminders for dead friends, it's clear we are navigating new terrain without a road map. Let's face it: Most of us have always had a difficult time talking about death and sharing our grief. We're awkward and uncertain; we avoid, ignore, or even deny feelings of sadness; we offer platitudes; we send sympathy bouquets whittled out of fruit.
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Not What I Was Expecting
- By Bessie Mae on 03-01-23
By: Rebecca Soffer, and others
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Little Matches
- A Memoir of Finding Light in the Dark
- By: Maryanne O'Hara
- Narrated by: Maryanne O'Hara
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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When their only child was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at the age of two, Maryanne O'Hara and her husband were told that Caitlin could live a long life or be dead in a matter of months. Thirty-one years later, Caitlin lost her battle with this devastating disease following an excruciating two-year wait on the transplant list and a last-minute race to locate a pair of healthy lungs. The sudden spiral of events left Maryanne in an existential crisis, searching to find an answer to the eternal question: Why we are here?
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I don't know who needs to read it...
- By H. Hill on 04-18-23
By: Maryanne O'Hara
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Chicken Soup for the Soul - Messages from Heaven
- 101 Miraculous Stories of Signs from Beyond, Amazing Connections, and Love That Doesn't Die
- By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
- Narrated by: Reay Kaplan
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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When our loved ones leave this world, our connection with them does not end and we often receive signs from the other side. These true and touching stories of will amaze and support all readers - religious or secular. The 101 true and miraculous stories in this book of signs and messages from beyond show that death may take away the physical presence of our loved ones, but not their spirit. This book is for everyone, religious or secular, as regular people share their amazing experiences with the other side.
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Tear Jerker
- By rdelacruz on 11-16-15
By: Jack Canfield, and others
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Love, InshAllah
- The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women
- By: Ayesha Mattu, Nura Maznavi
- Narrated by: Lameece Issaq, Piper Goodeve, Lauren Fortgang, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Romance, dating, sex and - Muslim women? In this groundbreaking collection, 25 American Muslim writers sweep aside stereotypes to share their search for love openly for the first time, showing just how varied the search for love can be - from singles' events and online dating, to college flirtations and arranged marriages, all with a uniquely Muslim twist. These compelling stories of love and romance create an irresistible balance of heart-warming and tantalizing, always revealing and deeply relatable.
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Sex, Love, & Feminism, in the Muslim Women's World
- By Susie on 03-06-13
By: Ayesha Mattu, and others
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A Journal for Jordan (Movie Tie-In)
- A Story of Love and Honor
- By: Dana Canedy
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin, Mirron Willis
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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In 2005, Dana Canedy’s fiancé, First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, began to write what would become a 200-page journal for his son in case he did not make it home from the war in Iraq. He was killed by a roadside bomb on October 14, 2006. His son, Jordan, was seven months old. Inspired by his example, Dana was determined to preserve his memory for their son. A Journal for Jordan is a mother’s fiercely honest letter to her child about the parent he lost before he could even speak. It is also a father’s advice and prayers for the son he will never know.
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SAD
- By valerie on 12-12-21
By: Dana Canedy
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An enjoyable listen
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What listeners say about Beauty in the Broken Places
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-02-18
Incredible story of understanding & marriage
Loved it. Outstanding insight from the story & deeply moving narration. Couldn't wait to read.
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- gail stennis
- 12-20-23
Wow!
Such an honest, raw, and transparent expression of love that ends in a feel good experience!!
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- lyelichek
- 03-01-19
Simply incredible
What an incredibly honest and moving story of love, heartache and healing. Thank you for putting yourselves out there.
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- Wayne Oldroyd
- 07-17-18
Makes you believe in marriage vows again!
As a stroke survivor, I have a biased connection with the story. I would buy a copy for all of those taking care of a spouse who has suffered a stroke. It is a poignant story told in plain and simple language that equates to a conversation with the author. Very special book written by a caregiver surviving emotional and physical challenges of coping with the aftermath of a stroke.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Heidi
- 06-19-18
A Most Remarkable and Inspirational Story
I loved the audible presentation of Beauty in the Broken Places! Alison Pataki narrates her own book in such a warm and comfortable, familiar style that it seems like she's telling me the story over a cup of coffee on the backyard porch. This book was particularly meaningful to me as my wife and I are starting down the frightening path of treatment for my recently diagnosed cancer. While I know TBI and cancer are very different and present their own unique challenges, Allison's story gives me hope and comfort, and the courage to face my upcoming cancer treatment. Her story makes me even more grateful for the blessings of my own family and friends, especially my wife of 33 years and our seven children and six grandchildren. Thank you for sharing your journey.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Michelene M. Krueger
- 07-15-18
Touching Story of Love and Commitment
Sweet story I survival and thriving in the face of adversity. Loved this tender book.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 03-29-21
A Memoir of Reality, Resilience, and Love
In a year in which I’ve been grappling with so much sadness and loss (the death of my father and the serious illness of my mother), this memoir truly resonated for me. Filled with honesty about what it’s like to partner someone through a traumatic brain injury, Allison’s story is also brimming with love and her growing realization of what a “living a full life” really means. I highly recommend this book!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Tiffany Graven
- 09-14-23
Wonderful Book
Wonderful book and beautiful story of life, love, struggle, and the power of prayer! God is good!
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- L Scott Eaton
- 05-08-21
Grateful
This beautiful and candid story helped my family find it’s beauty in it’s broken places. I am very grateful to the author for having courage and the grace to write this.
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- Meg
- 02-24-24
beautiful reminder of life
A wonderfully written story of one couples experience of horrible medical tragedy. I only wish it could have continued to more present day to hear how they overcome struggle as things truly settled into routine. but that's what the internet is for!
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