The Ultimate Gift

The ultimate gift

The Ultimate Gift is the moving story of Jason, Red Steven's nephew. Red dies and leaves a series of tasks for Jason to complete in order to receive his inheritance. It is very moving and makes an excellent gift. Our small group studied the book and grew because of it.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Good Values & uplifting

This was excellent family material but rather predictable - nothing bad, just' a bit slow. Perhaps the fact that I saw the movie on tv midway through my reading alters my review. The movie was more enjoyable for me. People who most NEED this book won't likely be the ones picking it up! Ultimately it did give the reader some thoughtprovoking ideas. I will keep my copy or share with someone else next. It was purchased for a discussion in a club (not specifically a book club, just for a different monthly activity).

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Loved It!!!!!

This is like the best book ever, well it is one of the best.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Had to buy for school, finally i am thanking school!

It is a very good story, i like it alot! I only wish it was cheaper, to me its a little steepnfor only 85 pages

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Ultimate Gift

This story was ahmazing. Our class just read this and it was a heartbreaking, touching story. I couldn't recommend a better book than this one. Also, we watched the movie it's beautiful. Everyone has to watch it, it is similar to the book. It started out great, ended great and I cried at the end. Love IT.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Changing my life

I recently visited my best friend from my childhood. She is currently in Arizona. I lost my husband and one of my dogs in a house fire in May of 07'. She recommended that I read this book and gave me her copy to read while I was visiting. I finished it in two days. I can't wait to start applying the 'gifts' to my own life. This is a definite read!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good book!

This is a good book. I liked it a lot. It is great the ending is great and a little sad but still very good. I am 11 but it is also good for growv-pus too. The movie is't that much like the book. It was good also. I liked the part where he named the kids home after Emily, and he spent all his money on the home, and got 1 or 3 billion dollars

Not bad at all.

I enjoyed the book but it took so long to get to me.......

however, service was good. Follow ups good. At least

I knew what to expect...and when .

Ultimately Great

Onre of the best books I have ever read! It taught me a lesson.

Good short story

Great book just not worth the 9.99 charged foe 84 pages

A story to make you think.

I really liked this book, it was a great story that will make you think and examine your own life. This should be required reading of every high school kid. About selfishness, that everyone can learn from. This is the story of Jason who had a billionaire grandfather. When the grandfather dies, Jason expects an inheritance. Instead, Jason is given an ultimatum, a series of twelve tests or gifts (depending on how you look at them). If he fails, he looses everything. It makes you think about what is really important in life. The movie was good too-

Interesting...

tHE MOST ORIGINAL insight in this book is the power of money to solve problems that would otherwise overwhelm people.

But the part about the blind man representing people with disaabilitjies was disingenuous. Sure! People with blindness have no problem socializing with sighted people. Because they can HEAR and SPEAK! A peson with deafnesss can only solcialize with peoople who know Sign Language. Unless they can lip-read, interacting with people with normal hearing is, at best, frusstrating. So, using a blind man iin that chapter was an easay choice. But, can Stovall empathize with a person with deafness?? I'd like to see him stretch himself in his next book. Can you do that, Jim?

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

I loved this story

This was a great story about how we put to much importance on things that don't matter and don't make us happy no matter how much money we have. I loved this book so much that I am giving it to everyone for Christmas. It is good to remember what is important in life.

Provides great lessons for everyone's life

This is a book that adults of every age can read, enjoy, and learn a valuable lesson. It makes one realize that money is not the greatest gift but so many other things are of greater importance.

A must read (or listen)

This is an excellent story! I read it when it first came out and now I've listened to the audio version. This is a book that should be on everyone's bookshelf to read (or listen to)! Tom Bosley did an excellent job of narrating.

A reviewer

One of the most inspirational books I have read. We often forget what is truely important in life. It is easy to be distracted by one's selfishness and obstacles we run into. This story will help you realize the beauty of life.

A book for everyone.

This is one of those 'feel good' books that everyone should read. It doesn't matter what is going on in your life, you will get some sort of benefit from it. Whether you are rich or you are poor, whether you are grieving or are a new parent, whether you are happy or sad, you will be a better person for having read The Ultimate Gift. I sat down today to read this wonderful tale and I ended up reading it straight through in one sitting. It spoke to me, it spoke directly to my soul and it gave me what I needed that day.

The Ultimate Gift

When billionaire cattle and oilman Red Steven¿s passes away his relatives cannot wait to get their hands on his money. As his last will and testament is read they each receive just what they wanted his money. One by one, their inheritance is read and they are escorted out of the room. Soon the only one left is Red¿s great-nephew Jason. Jason soon realizes that his inheritance is very different from every one else¿s. His spoiled selfish angry slacker lifestyle is about change for the better. Instead of giving him money, Red lets Jason know he¿s giving him the ultimate gift. With the help of his lawyer and longtime friend Ted Hamilton, Red (through use of pre-recorded video tapes) takes Jason on a yearlong journey to discover what life is really about. Jim Stovall is very accomplished man. Not only has he written several books, he was also once an Olympic weightlifter, before being forced to retire from the sports due to failing eyesight. Now blind he is a motivational speaker. In 2000, he received the International Humanitarian of the Year award. He is also the co-founder and President of the Narrative Television Network. The network helps make television and movies accessible to blind and visually impaired people. He also recently developed The Ultimate Gift Institute, which is based off this book. This book first caught my eye as I was walking through the Barnes & Noble in Denton, TX. As I picked it up and read the back cover I realized that it was very similar to an idea that I had for a book. In fact they were almost the exact same book. I decided to get it to check out the competition. The story in the book is very endearing and touching. Its Christian themes are not overwhelming. In fact, to be a Christian book they are almost underwhelming. This fact is probably the best part of the book because it allows anyone to read it. While it is not the most well-written or fully developed story I¿ve ever read, it gets its message across. The twelve gifts really are gifts that are taken for granted by people every day. I know it inspired me to look at my life and the simple things that I take for granted. It is a very fast read. I could not put it down. When I finally finished it, I was glad that I bought it. It is a story that families should go through and read together. This book will, if you let it, change the way you look at life. If you are looking for the great American novel, you are not going to find it in this book. It does not go into a lot of description or detail. There are 12 gifts but only 154 pages. It keeps everything very basic even the sentence structure. Therefore, if you want to read a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, this isn¿t for you. The Ultimate Gift is an amazingly simple book but you would be surprised how its simple themes will touch your heart and show you everything you take for granted in the world, which is a lot. With a simple theme of money does not buy you happiness, The Ultimate Gift reveals what true happiness and true living is all about. I can only hope that when I finish my novel it will do the same.

Outstanding- Highly recommended

This is one of those books that makes a real impact in your life. I honestly can say that it helped cause a turning point in my own life and in the life of my company's business. I've since passed it on to many friends and came online today to order another copy to send to a friend as a gift. If you get just one book today, you need to order this one!

A Great Story

A really great story, I can't wait to read it to my children. I listened to the audiobook and I will say Tom Bosley'Happy Days Dad' does an excellent job.