Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
    Unavailable
    Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
    Unavailable
    Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
    Audiobook3 hours

    Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together

    Written by Denver Moore, Ron Hall and Lynn Vincent

    Narrated by Barry Scott and Dan Butler

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Read the ebook instead

    About this audiobook

    A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.
    An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world
    of Armani and Chanel.
    A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.
    A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.


    It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana. . . and an East Texas honky-tonk . . .and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda . . . an upscale New York gallery . . . a downtown dumpster. . . a Texas ranch.

    Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, it also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.

    This incredible retelling now includes an interview with the authors and a reader’s guide that is perfect for individual or group study.

    The most inspirational and emotionally gripping story of faith, fortitude, and friendship I have ever read. A powerful example of the healing, restorative power of forgiveness and the transformational, life changing power of unconditional love.
    —Mark Clayman, Executive Producer for
    the Academy Award–nominated
    The Pursuit of Happyness

    Denver Moore and Ron Hall’s story is one that
    moved me to tears. The friendship that forms
    between these two men at a time when both were in
    great need is an inspiration to all of us to be more
    compassionate to everyone we come in contact with. This is truly a wonderful book!
    —Mrs. Barbara Bush
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson Audio
    Release dateJun 20, 2006
    ISBN9781418574109
    Author

    Denver Moore

    Denver Moore served as a volunteer at the Fort Worth Union Gospel Mission until his death in March 2012.

    Related to Same Kind of Different as Me

    Related audiobooks

    Biography & Memoir For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Tanaïs

      Dec 20, 2019

      We can’t afford ignorance, but we do still need spaces to dream, to reimagine the world, to counter erasures of stories we deserve and need to know. The post A Year in Reading: Tanaïs appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Lidia Yuknavitch

      Dec 5, 2017

      This last year has left me so depleted and on the cusp of despair, because TRUMP of course, because death culture, because planet and existence ending policies. And yet I have been astonished. Up against the gloom and grind of current events voices h

      2 min read

    • Article

      White Witchery

      Feb 14, 2019

      White Witchery
      11 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Letitia Montgomery-Rodgers

      Dec 21, 2018

      I've looked for the light of underground things burst open. I've reached for what dispelled my feelings of singularity, of arrested numbness. The post A Year in Reading: Letitia Montgomery-Rodgers appeared first on The Millions.

      5 min read

    • Article

      What We’re Reading: Writers And Readers On The Books They Enjoyed In October

      Oct 26, 2022

      In this series we ask authors, Guardian writers and readers to share what they have been reading recently. This month, recommendations include a feminist cookbook, a piercing memoir and revisited favourites. Tell us in the comments what you have been

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Venita Blackburn

      Dec 10, 2019

      Don’t play with dark spirts. Once you let them in, you might not be able to let them out. Starting a new book feels like sitting down to a tarot reading. The post A Year in Reading: Venita Blackburn appeared first on The Millions.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Dreda Say Mitchell: ‘I’m A Massive Historical Romance Fangirl’

      May 5, 2023

      My earliest reading memoryI don’t have an individual book; what I have is a whole building. I grew up on a council estate in the East End of London and one of my earliest memories of books was my mum sending me and my siblings off to Whitechapel Libr

      2 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Adrienne Celt

      Dec 11, 2018

      At some point in the middle of this year, I began worrying that my education was wearing off. Not that I was getting stupider, exactly, but that in the years-long absence of coursework, my reading was becoming less rigorous and my choices more predic

      4 min read

    • Article

      Librarians of the 21st Century: Worst Story Time Ever? (Or Best?)

      Mar 14, 2017

      Librarians, at cocktail parties and at work, are often asked whether anyone uses libraries anymore. This oblivious question has led many in the profession to insist, in marketing campaigns and in interviews, that libraries are “more than just books.”

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: C Pam Zhang

      Dec 11, 2019

      It was the last year of my third decade on this earth, and it seems with every passing year I grow increasingly alien to that earth, or it to me. The post A Year in Reading: C Pam Zhang appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Chelsea Bieker

      Dec 21, 2020

      I still needed to connect to other artists even though I could not see them in person. I needed to support local bookstores, and I needed language that was not my own in a desperate sort of way. The post A Year in Reading: Chelsea Bieker appeared fi

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Anisse Gross

      Dec 19, 2018

      I suspect many of us slipped in and out of fugue states in order to cope this year, but survival depends on getting out of it to fight the powers that be. The post A Year in Reading: Anisse Gross appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Maud Newton

      Dec 15, 2022

      Maud Newton reflects on 2022 through the books she read. The post A Year in Reading: Maud Newton appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Crystal Hana Kim

      Dec 6, 2018

      It’s easy to feel defeated these days. It takes more effort and conscious positivity to focus on the future, on the historic firsts. We elected a record number of women to the House this year, including 29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ilhan Oma

      3 min read

    • Article

      Two Poems by Phillip B. Williams

      Dec 15, 2017

      The masters are yet dead. Wanting to be human,I tried to rewrite The Waste Land. The canon’s reachcasts ruinous light. The masters’ pens breachthis page where, above, my own hand spectates. Babylonrisen, exorcism in reverse, whose nature upended now?

      6 min read

    • Article

      From Cantares Mexicanos

      Dec 1, 2023

      Last night I dreamt that I was employed as a suicide prevention specialist in ancient Mesoamerica. We had no phones then so no hotline to call or anything like that. I held these gatherings going place to place for people to tell me their stories and

      3 min read

    Reviews for Same Kind of Different as Me

    4/5

    591 ratings68 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Despite the heavy religious elements in this book, where you fall on the religious and political spectrums—I’m a liberal, feminist, non-practicing Methodist—really doesn’t matter because this is a book about two people who come together to do something amazing. They happen to believe they were brought together and bonded by God’s plan, but you don’t have to believe that in order to believe in the transformative power of their friendship (though I suspect that if you do share their beliefs, you’ll find this book even more powerful).Near the end of the book, people outside of Ron and Denver’s community start to hear about their story and ask them to give talks at churches and religious and community organizations. When asked how he should be introduced, Denver instructs someone,Just tell em I’m a nobody that’s tryin to tell everybody ’bout Somebody that can save anybody.Now that’s the kind of preacher I might be willing to listen to.Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog.
    • 4/5
      An alternate title: International Art Dealer Meets Homeless ManFunny how life works. When I was in the middle of this book, I happened to post a comment on a friend's blog explaining why I didn't watch the posted video. I shared that I was not in the mood for "being moved to tears," which is the behavior it was likely to provoke. Little did I know - it was coming around the corner whether I wanted it or not.Both Ron and Denver share their thoughts with raw honesty in alternating chapters. Most are short and move their story along quickly, but not without emotion. I found it to be a serious and interesting book. It is one that can bring about change in one's life, plant a seed, or at the very least - shed more light on the homeless. There are two topics that may be a stumbling block for some: Christianity and Cancer. Both are prevalent in the book and both - yes, moved me to tears. However, as much as they made a statement, I was enthralled with the homeless man's life prior to being homeless. Slavery has always been a topic that I have been drawn to.Ultimately, I am very glad I read it, but I am still a bit miffed that I had to endure weeping.Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy
    • 4/5
      It's a beautiful story about two men from different walks of life. Different racial background, different financial backgrounds, different outlooks on life. How is it possible that they could ever find common ground? But they did--Debbie. It takes a beautiful soul and a warm heart to put yourself out there and make a difference in the lives of those around you, but Debbie did just that.

      Her selflessness made Ron look like some pathetic rich man who was thinking too much about the physical/material side of life while she was focused on the spiritual. I've heard that sometimes you have to feed the body in order to feed the soul. She gave of her time and efforts regularly at the mission. She reached the lonely and the lost.

      Denver was a lucky man to have met her and known her. Most people would have walked on by and never paid him any attention. Or some would just give a hand out just to get them to go away. But Debbie saw a man in pain and a man who needed a hand UP. Together, she and Ron gave him what he needed most: friendship. And that friendship grew into a familial bond that lasted for years, even beyond her death.

      A beautiful story that is worth re-reading!
    • 5/5
      What a great and inspiring book. Sad though. It was the read one year for incoming freshmen at
      Appalachian State one year.
    • 4/5
      A quick inspiring read about two men with nothing in common, finding, they do in fact have things in common. Denver is an illiterate, black, homeless man who grew up as a modern day slave working for the man in Louisiana. Ron is a famed international art dealer with more money then he knows what to do with. When Ron's wife feels called by God to start helping others, Ron goes along for the ride. He begrudgingly starts handing out meals at a local mission. While there he encounters Denver, but Denver wants nothing to do with him. The streets have made him hard and he doesn't have time for rich people trying to make themselves feel better by helping the homeless. Slowly though, Ron's wife pushes the two of them together and they realize that they have more in common then they ever thought possible and start to genuinely appreciate each other's perspectives on life. A little hokey, but I'm probably just a jaded cynic.
    • 5/5
      Great, inspiring story.
    • 4/5
      True story about a self-absorbed art dealer whose spiritual wife encourages him to volunteer at a homeless shelter. She has had a dream and is sure that something significant is supposed to happen there. The art dealer (Ron Moore) and his wife meet a reclusive homeless man named Denver at the shelter--though it takes them quite a while to even learn his name. Ron -at the insistence of his wife -tries to befriend Denver. Eventually Denver starts to let him into his world and his story - which is truly amazing comes out. He grew up as a sharecropper in the south and was basically treated as a slave. Some of the horrible things he went through are hard to read, but they are also some of the most interesting parts of the book. Ron's story, on the other hand, was harder to get into as he was so self-absorbed before he got involved with Denver. It was intriguing to see the way that their relationship changed each of them, and how they rallied around the wife - Deborah - during her illness and death. A powerful story, some parts of it may seem preachy to some and the writing a bit uneven but it did generate a good discussion with the group that I read it with.
    • 3/5
      Take one older black homeless man, toss in a middle-aged affluent art dealer and add one religious, very selfless woman, mix well and you got a recipe for this story. "The Same Kind of Different As Me" is an autobiography of sorts. It tells the heroric saga of a middle-aged Christian woman, selflessly helping the homeless find God and her battle with cancer. The story is narrated from her husband and a black homeless man's point of view. Taking the reader on a jouney the book explores many deep subjects such as death, forgiveness, faith, pain and suffering and prejudice. The book does have plenty of religious undertones and at times may be just a bit over the top for those non-christian readers. However, if you do chose to read it cover to cover it will leave you with a quite a few life lessons and a lot to really think about, "cause ever person that looks like a enemy on the outside ain't necessarily one on the inside".
    • 2/5
      I read the Same Kind of Different as Me a while ago but am just now reviewing it. It is the story of an art dealer with a zealous wife that had her life dramatically altered by helping out with the homeless through their church. Along the way, he meets Denver who was a former slave but was now a runaway after various issues he encountered earlier in life. Ron's wife Deborah was the one to really initiate the beginning of the family's relationship with Denver and it ended up being one where they were able to bless each other in different ways. Eventually, Deborah gets extremely sick and ends up dying yet the relationship with Ron and Denver goes on.In general, the book tended to carry with it a fairly sappy tone that was fairly hard to shake throughout reading it which was unfortunate because this truly was an incredible story of two polar opposites(seemingly in every way) forming an incredible friendship. I think part of this stems from it being responsive to the death of Deborah because she is made out to be a little too perfect, which is understandable given the relationship they each had with her, but it detracts from the title(and hence, purpose) of the book. I think the biggest thing to take from this was that we have the ability to learn so much from our interactions with people of all different kinds. Our shared humanity with others is enough to not simply write them off or assume who/what they are but to fully seek to reach out to others. This is a crucial takeaway from this book that hopefully encourages many people to look into strangers eyes and look beyond their exterior.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
    • 4/5
      Such a lovely, tear jerking story of friendship with no bounds- just shared love.
    • 3/5
      Lovely reminder of what life could be like if we looked past others' "cover."
    • 5/5
      Excellent!
    • 2/5
      This book started off extremely well, telling of the lives of two very different men: 1) Ron Hall - an egocentric, wealthy, shallow art dealer; and 2) Denver Moore - a homeless man who grew up in severe poverty and for most of his life, was homeless. Denver's story is interesting and very, very sad, being pitched as a "modern-day slave" life (which I only partially agree with), he never had any schooling or real housing, and worked most of his life without real pay. It's a scary look at how so many people can and do fall through the cracks in today's "modern" world. The two men meet through Ron's wife, Deborah, who is a Christian missionary in downtown, downtrodden Fort Worth, TX. But beyond that, she is truly an incredible woman and the real light behind this story. She "forces" shallow Ron to befriend the angry, silent, maybe dangerous Denver and the two men become friends. About 1/4 of the way in, I had to roll my eyes at the constant, oppressive Christian blather, and it follows through, bonking the unknowing reader on the head mercilessly, until the end of the book. At times, it's hard to swallow and if you are not of the same religious bent, it actually becomes quite boring. But due to the high accolades, I did read it through to the end. Ultimately, I am glad I did. Religion aside, the real gem in here is how one person can make a difference to so many; and also, in one individual's life. If each of us helped just one person to this degree, what a world it would be. To watch as Deborah goes to some of the roughest parts of Fort Worth and simply befriends the homeless people is what kindness is all about. She never judged, just listened ... and helped. So it is inspiring as to the acts of the people involved. I see now this book is being hyped as a Christian/inspirational book (and the book discussion questions that follow are all religious), so I think that is likely this book's target audience. But it's worth picking up for the small lessons and to learn about the lives of Deborah Hall and Denver Moore.
    • 3/5
      A moving story, but it tries a little too hard and doesn't fully flesh out Ron Hall's personal transformation or really make clear the actual work that's been achieved because of his friendship with Denver Moore. How many people are being helped by the ministry and services? How expansive are their efforts? How effective? I mean, it's lovely that they've got this friendship, but what have they accomplished, really?
    • 5/5
      very interesting and inspirational
    • 5/5
      Great book! A must read for everyone.
    • 3/5
      I was really engrossed in this book until about halfway through, and then it got very "preachy." I understand that God and religion had a huge influence in the author's life, but honestly, it got repetitive.
    • 4/5
      Denver was raised a black youth in abject poverty in the heart of Louisiana's sharecropping community, growing himself into a sharecropper as a young man, as he knew nothing else, before one day escaping into homelessness and what he surprisingly views as a better life than what he's previously known, because at least he is free and no longer a "modern day slave".Ron is a successful art dealer living the American dream with a beautiful wife who has a heart of gold. While Ron and his wife Debbie are volunteering at a homeless shelter, Debbie determines that Ron needs to befriend the irascible and anti-social Denver. It takes some time, but eventually a friendship is born, shortly before heartbreak befalls them all.Debbie is portrayed in the book nothing short of a saint. She is selfless, God-fearing (and God-loving), patient, compassionate and kind. Based on a dream she had (and which she views as a vision from God), she pushes Ron to befriend Denver. Once Ron begins to build a relationship with Denver, he finally broaches the idea of he and Denver becoming "friends", to which follows a lovely moment when Denver shares his concerns over how white people practice "catch and release" when they go fishing, and he doesn't wish to be "caught and released" like one of those fish. Ron commits to keep Denver if he can catch him, and over the years their friendship grows into brotherhood.As their friendship builds, Ron is repeatedly struck by the small town wisdom of this illiterate sharecropper/homeless man.This book is 235 pages and 67 short chapters, which is how I prefer it. I only get to read is bursts, and I always appreciate having a good stopping point every few to a dozen pages. It also includes a Readers Guide, an Interview with the Authors, and a few pages of pictures.My final word: This book was moving and inspiring. It goes beyond the trappings of life to the heart of the matter, and is proof that two people can move beyond societal lines to forge a lasting friendship that can weather any storm. And behind it all is a humble woman small of frame and great of spirit.
    • 4/5
      This is a book I read for a non-fiction reading group. I found it a compelling story, despite the fact that I'm not a believer in visitations by angels or dead people, both of which feature into the story. A deeply religious and wealthy couple from Fort Worth befriends a taciturn homeless ex-con. It's an unlikely friendship, but one that rings true, and it's written in the voices of the two men. I found Denver Moore's story at first sad but ultimately inspiring -- it's difficult coming to terms with the kind of poverty that is as deep as that in which he grew up. An amazing story, highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Amazing story. First part was hard to read, but I persisted and I'm glad I did. An unlikely friendship that I won't forget.
    • 5/5
      The true story of how an unlikely friendship between two extraordinary men, one a succesful art dealer, the other homeless and bitter were drawn together because of the life of an even more extraordinary woman. Wonderful example of a totally unselfish life. Will be one of my all-time favorites.
    • 3/5
      It's hard to argue with a book that has such a cheery outlook on life. "The Same Kind of Different" tells the story of two very different men - one rich, one poor - who end up becoming friends and working together to create a better world for the homeless.On the one hand, this book presents Christianity in a good light. Nowadays, that's not always an easy task. And if Christians acted half as loving and generous as the ones in this book, I think the religion would certainly be better for it. The stories in this book are compelling, and the narrators are humble which makes much of the God talk easier to bear.On the other hand, it is a very Pollyanna-ish story, and one that I personally found difficult to fully believe. I can't help but wonder if the facts bear up to the legend. As a natural-born cynic, I'm putting this book in the 'things too good to be true' category.But if you enjoy uplifting stories, and you can appreciate the fact that maybe God really does work in the lives of ordinary men and women, then you will probably enjoy this book.
    • 5/5
      Incredible is just one way to describe this book. Other ways to describe this memoir would be emotional, heart-wrenching, hopeful, gripping, and inspiring. This was our book club pick for the month, but had been on my To-Read list ever since my Sister-in-law, Julie, told me about this book a year or so ago. My Sister-in-law works at the Mission of Hope, a place for homeless people to go and feel loved by God, to get a meal, a prayer, or just a place to rest. Their mission is to meet basic needs, change hearts, disciple people and teach the church. No one is turned away. For more on their services and needs visit Mission of Hope. The needs there are great and the love is overflowing. So, as I read this book, I thought about Julie and her work a lot. 13 years ago, I also used to run a homeless shelter for women and children. This story took me back to those days as well. No matter where you live, there are homeless people. They may be staying with families or friends or bouncing from house to house rather than living on park benches or under interstates, but they are homeless just the same. I was drawn into the story immediately. The chapters are short and flip back and forth from Ron's, (the art dealer) story to Denver's (the homeless man). The horrors of Denver's life were tough to read, but his strength and faith helped you move through each chapter, hoping for Ron and his wife Deborah to break his shell. The marriage of Ron and Deborah also imparted lessons of faith and forgiveness that couldn't be ignored.I became deeply emotional throughout the story and once I got into it, I could not put it down. Thankfully, it was a quick read. I appreciated the pictures included in the back of the book. It put faces to names and gave photos of Denver's past life. As a Christian, I wasn't shocked by the expressions of faith in the story as others might be. But, I did find that I was moved and changed by Denver and Ron's story. I recommend this to Christians as well as non-believers, book clubs, church groups/Bible studies, and anyone looking for an inspirational life-story.
    • 5/5
      Oh my, this brought tears to my eyes and made me think about relationships. Yet was a fast read. A great book.
    • 4/5
      Ron is a successful rich white man, an art dealer in Fort Worth, Texas, and Denver is a Black homeless man, enslaved in the tenant farmer system of the South a generation ago. These two lives came together in a wondrous way to become a deep friendship based on strong faith and the love and guidance of Deborah, Ron's wife.
    • 3/5
      Well written account of the interactions between a wealthy Texas family and a homeless man. Many readers will, I'm sure, find this an inspiring story and will value it because of the emphasis on Christianity. Others will scorn it because, in spite of the obvious sincerity of the author, the account comes across as patronizing and, to some extent, self-serving. It reveals far more of life among the affluent than it does of life on the streets. Recommended for those who enjoy Christian "testimony."
    • 5/5
      I love to read books about relationships that inspire me and somehow after finishing the story I feel changed for the good, you know, from within. Almost instantly I could tell I was going to like the three main characters in the book because the details of their characters was so believable and embraceable.When it comes to the meaning of friendship, I think Denver's line in the story is most accurate and complete. "But if you is lookin' for a real friend, then I'll be one forever." So what does an art dealer, a Christian wife with the heart of the servant and an uneducated, homeless black man have in common? The one thing, the main thing is that they made a difference in each others lives. It was not by chance that they found strength in their purpose together. I have learned to be more compassionate towards everyone I meet now and as I get to know them, remember the element of surprise can be your friend. I have no doubt that you will be inspired with a renewed perspective in faith and relationships with this remarkable, true and unforgettable story. ***** stars. Highly recommend this quality book!
    • 3/5
      Uplifting and inspiring. I think this would make a better movie.
    • 5/5
      This is such an honest and touching story, "The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or somethin in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So, in a way, we is all homeless -- just workin our way toward home." Denver Moore AMEN!
    • 4/5
      I really wanted to love this book that was supposed to be about helping a homeless man make something of his life. In reality, Denver Moore, the man who grew up as a Louisiana sharecropper and ended up on the streets of Ft. Worth, gave far more than he received. His story is inspirational and believable. He has retained his humility despite the success that his transformation earned him.Unfortunately, his liberator doesn't come off as well in the book, at least in the beginning. I would have stopped reading this if it hadn't been for a book group because it's difficult for me to trust a narrator with a puffed-up ego as big as the state of Texas! I hate to say it, but Ron Hall's transformation came at the expense of his wife, who was portrayed as an angel on earth. It's hard to know if this is true because she doesn't get to tell her story. She did get to deliver one of the book's best lines when Ron was rambling on about his Armani suits and his new Rolls-Royce. She asked him if that Rolls had a rearview mirror - and did he see a rock star when he looked in it. Loved it.This did turn out to be an inspiring story about prejudice, homelessness, forgiveness, suffering, and faith. With all of these worthy topics, it is understandable that the book is a little heavyhanded on the spiritual overtones. I wish the writing had been better and that it didn't focus so much on the tragedy that cemented the friendship. Still, it left me with a feeling of hope and that is certainly worth the price of a book.