A Quarter Inch from My Heart: A Memoir

This memoir interweaves stories from two pivotal experiences in the author's life. The first recounts a near-fatal encounter during a random stabbing on a Manhattan street, where the knife came "a quarter inch" from his heart. The second, and larger story, takes place several years later, when the author takes in a mysterious homeless stranger in an effort to help him— a journey that lasts more than two years.

Throughout the experience, the author wrestles with compassion and tough love, tru...