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Published by SparkPress
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
Relative Distance is a powerful memoir of resilience and faith. While it’s an unflinching look at brothers being raised by a violent, abusive father and a detached, mentally ill mother, it’s also an inspiring account of two distinctive life journeys and an examination of the role played by family and society in individual homelessness.
After surviving his tumultuous upbringing, David Pruitt rises to become a CEO in Corporate America, while his brother, Danny, becomes a long-time homeless traveler. As David helps to grow a fledgling North Carolina business into what is at the time the largest specialty bicycle retailer in the United States, Danny sleeps under overpasses, jumps passing freight cars, lives in and out of shelters, faces death more than once—and encounters the best and worst of America in a restless search to find a better place in the world. Yet, despite their differences, a common thread runs through the distinct trajectories of the brothers’ lives: each of them struggles with difficult psychological issues stemming from their troubled past.
This deeply moving memoir examines the lifelong challenges that often come for those raised in an abusive home, along with the limitless possibilities we open ourselves to when we allow faith and determination to overcome judgment and fear.
After surviving his tumultuous upbringing, David Pruitt rises to become a CEO in Corporate America, while his brother, Danny, becomes a long-time homeless traveler. As David helps to grow a fledgling North Carolina business into what is at the time the largest specialty bicycle retailer in the United States, Danny sleeps under overpasses, jumps passing freight cars, lives in and out of shelters, faces death more than once—and encounters the best and worst of America in a restless search to find a better place in the world. Yet, despite their differences, a common thread runs through the distinct trajectories of the brothers’ lives: each of them struggles with difficult psychological issues stemming from their troubled past.
This deeply moving memoir examines the lifelong challenges that often come for those raised in an abusive home, along with the limitless possibilities we open ourselves to when we allow faith and determination to overcome judgment and fear.
Product Details
- Publisher: SparkPress (October 4, 2022)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9781684631704
Raves and Reviews
“Uplifting memoir… Pruitt’s bootstrapping mentality should appeal to fellow boomers, particularly those of faith.”
—Publishers Weekly
“An incredible human and sympathetic look at homelessness as seen through a brother’s eyes, and a brilliant look at how determination, faith and gumption can overcome fear and the limitations of the world we are born into.”
—Lee Woodruff, New York Times best-selling author, speaker and executive media trainer
“David Pruitt’s brave and beautiful memoir Relative Distance teaches us about the miraculous resilience of the human spirit. But it's the book's generous compassion that makes it singular, offering something to each of us, no matter our circumstances.”
—Aran Shetterly, author of The Americano and the forthcoming book Morningside
“With hundreds of books published each year intending to show its’ readers a path to 'self-help,' first-time author David Pruitt’s remarkable memoir Relative Distance provides a well-marked alternative passage to personal discovery and growth. Everyone, no matter where they are along life’s journey, will find within this superbly crafted narrative, something enlightening and uniquely relevant to their lives—while being touched in ways that are totally unexpected but deeply resonant.”
—Tom Tolworthy, former President of Barnes and Noble and former CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe
“First-time author David Pruitt has crafted a stunning memoir that is at once beautifully written, insightful, and thought-provoking. It is storytelling at its very best and a message of hope for all who have traveled a difficult road.”
—Trish Lockard, co-author of Make a Difference with Mental Health Activism, certified instructor for Family-to-Family, the flagship program of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), memoir editor, and writing coach
“This is both a memoir and an instructional journey about overcoming abuse, building courage, developing determination, finding mentorship in life, and uplifting yourself out of darkness through faith. Written by the CEO of a large bicycle retailer, Pruitt’s trade is a fitting metaphor for this compelling story: he develops his personal protective gear, adjusts his speed when approaching bumps in the road, and finally breaks the cycle of abuse while taking the reader on a safe ride towards hope.”
—Sara O’Meara, Childhelp Co-founder & CEO, and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp Co-Founder & President
“Powerful! Buy it. Read it. Understand the real roots of homelessness!”
—Judith Knotts, author of You Are My Brother, Lessons Learned Embracing a Homeless Community
“One man’s journey of faith and restorative resilience…By the time you finish the final chapter, you will admire the author’s courage in sharing this narrative; it is a message of hope for all those struggling to overcome the circumstances of their lives.”
—The Epoch Times
“Vivid images and incisive observations interweave and deepen this memoir….the gripping power of this book is the way Pruitt begins to break the cycle of abuse even as a beaten-down child.”
—Southern Literary Review
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