David Matthews (3) (1967–)

The synopsis above pretty much says it all. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls is a memoir of sorts, following Stefan's crazy and slightly unbelievable life. The twist is, that it is written from his friend, David Matthew's point of view, as he is being told the story. I guess that would make it more of a biography? Not certain, but it was categorized under memoir when I researched it so that is what I labeled it! Semantics, eh?

I can't even begin to express my feelings properly for this book. Stefan's life is nothing like I've ever seen before. From the inner city of Baltimore, to a castle in France, to the wilds of Africa, and back to a tiny one bedroom apartment, Stefan is literally everywhere. His travels alone were mind boggling and fascinating. Ferried back and forth between two very different parents, from a very young age Stefan was a world traveler. He went wherever his life happened to take him. Reading about him being 8 years old and travelling through Norway was utterly engrossing to me. At the age of 13 he was in France and quite a playboy. Are you seeing what I mean? It's almost unbelievable how rich this man's life was with travel.

If that isn't enough to draw you in, take a look at the darker side of Stefan's life above. He was a boy growing up in Baltimore and learning to protect himself from the violence around him. A master at martial arts at a very young age. Deeply stoic before he understood what it meant to be stoic. Then he spiraled out into all sorts of different endeavors, including ones that were illegal. Watching Stefan float through his life from job to job, heist to heist, city to city, became a bit unnerving after a while. He never actually finished anything. Every time he got close to making something of himself he was drawn on to something more exciting, and often more sinister. David Matthew's shows us that this man was extremely multi-faceted.

I know I'm rambling. As I said it's hard for me to explain exactly how intense this book is. Stefan's life is colorful. It's vivid, and dark, and gritty. There is no room for fluff here because the way his story is told is no-nonsense, just like his personality. What is built for the reader is the lifetime of a strong person who lets himself be lead astray. By the time I reached the end of the book and saw Stefan slowly start to figure out a path to retribution, I was emotionally exhausted and yet still intrigued.

I'm not sure what else I can say! If you are a fan of memoirs, or biographies as the case may be, you need to give Kicking Ass and Saving Souls a read. It's most definitely not a light read, but it's utterly engrossing nonetheless.… (altro)

I would be lying if I said the story of Stefan Templeton didn’t grab me from the start. He is a human being just like the rest of us, but he has lived an extraordinary life. Things that the general population can only dream of were seen and done by Stefan by the time he became an adult. Deep sea diving, traveling over several continents, a run in with a member of the Yakuza, walking through crime ridden neighborhoods in the dead of night for an adrenaline fix as a teenager, and helping people in need all over the world – this is only a sampling of the things Stefan Templeton has experienced.

At times, this man’s story seems almost unrealistic and you can’t help but think, ‘Really, one person has done all of this?’ Yet there is one about the book that makes you realize, yes this is true, this is the extraordinary story of a real person, and that is seeing the change in Stefan as he goes through life.

The changes Stefan goes through from the time he was a child through his adulthood is my favorite part of Kicking Ass and Saving Souls. The book paints a picture of Stefan’s life and the many good and not-so-good things he’s done. Seeing that he had made both good choices and some mistakes gives him a human quality. This isn’t just some unrealistic story, but it’s the life of a living and breathing person. A father, a son, a friend, a lover.

Stefan Templeton has done some amazing things during his life. He’s seen the most beautiful parts of the world and the ugliest. His story, told by his good friend David Matthews, is absolutely worth reading.

**I received a copy of this book as a part of TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own and have not been influenced in anyway.… (altro)

We all have choices in this life, many of them involving risk-taking and a determination in the moment of how much risk we're willing to take. Risk-taking tends to run on a bell curve with some falling on one end or another and most falling in the middle. I have always been a risk-taker. I have an aversion to the thought that I might get hit by a bus at any moment and my last thought would be, "Damn it, I wish I had ..." If there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that death can come quickly and when you least expect it.

There are consequences to choosing risk. Your life tends to be unconventional with unconventional career choices and a general lack of stability. Risk takers, in general, don't end up with the requisite number of square feet in their house and the recommended number of children, dogs, and spouses. Their lives tend to be more colorful, to seem at the surface purely self-destructive and self-indulgent - they make people impatient and those people then call them "adrenalin junkies (meant as a pejorative)."

People who take risks also have experiences that can't be compared - to see things and meet people who change their world views. Sometimes this leads to more risk taking because, what the hell, see how bad it gets? Why bother? And sometimes this leads almost inevitably to action - to political activism or charity work, to writing and reporting, to working hard to try to change the things that have been witnessed and must be remedied. This is the path that Stefan Templeton has followed.

There is no denying that he's lived unconventionally and made unconventional choices that have put him in various kinds of danger, but there's also no denying that these choices have made him who he is, have led him to the humanitarian work he does today. Written as only a best friend could write it, Kicking Ass and Saving Souls tells the remarkable and true life of a man who has lived and is doing something with his life based on his living. I find that altogether admirable and cheered for Stefan all the way. A great read for my fellow adrenaline junkies, for those who love us and despair of us, and for those who need a little push to step outside their comfort zone. Bravo.… (altro)