I Beat the Odds by Michael Oher

So far, in the first four chapters of the book, the reader experiences Michael Oher explaining his childhood.  Oher and his eight siblings had an extremely hard childhood living in the inner-city ghettos of Memphis, TN.  He called where he lived "hurt village" because, as he describes in the book, everything and everyone seems to be hurt.  He didn't have a stable home; his mother was a drug addict, and his family was very poor.  During this time, his family was the most precious thing to him.  No matter what the circumstances, all of the Oher children would look out for each other.  What he feared the most was losing his family.  As a result, he thought his biggest enemy was the Tennessee Department of Childcare Services.  He always had one thing in the back of his mind, leaving the ghetto and entering a world of opportunity.
     Immediately, when I started reading this book, I felt very connected.  As I read about Michael Oher and his childhood, it made me think about the way I am growing up and the house I live in.  It made me think about how wonderful my life is and how much I have.  It reminds me that I have the opportunity to go and do things that are great.  So far, I have gotten so much out of this book, and I've learned so much about the world that I'm not accustomed to.