Double Take

Double Take: A Memoir

Kevin Michael Connolly is a twenty-three-year-old who has seen the world in a way most of us never will. Whether swarmed by Japanese tourists at Epcot Center as a child or holding court at the X Games on his mono-ski as a teenager, Kevin has been an object of curiosity since the day he was born without legs. Growing up in rural Montana, he was raised him like any other kid (except, that is, for his father's MacGyver-like contraptions such as the "butt boot"). As a college student, Kevin traveled to seventeen countries on his skateboard and, in an attempt to capture the stares of others, he took more than 30,000 photographs of people staring at him. In this dazzling memoir, Connolly casts the lens inward to explore how we view ourselves and what it is to truly see another person. We also get to know his quirky and unflappable parents and his spunky girlfriend. From the home of his family in Helena, Montana to the streets of Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, Connolly's remarkable journey will change the way you look at others, and the way you see yourself.

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Praise for Double Take: A Memoir

“A courageous, immensely rewarding chronicle expressed in arresting words and pictures.”

- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Life's most successful survivors meet adversity head on, with an unflinching eye, candor and with humor. Kevin Connolly has such an eye and weaves a rich memoir from the gut about his amazing journey through life."

- Lee Woodruff, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of In an Instant

"Kevin Connolly has used an unusual physical circumstance to create a gripping work of art. This deeply affecting memoir will place him in the company of Jeanette Walls and Augusten Burroughs."

- Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants

 

Leave a Review

  • dot

    Great book. Kevin has remarkable courage, intellect and the support of a wonderful family. I wish you every good thing life has to offer.

  • Cathy Yetter

    I read the book straight through, only stopping to sleep and snack. Kevin Connolly's book "Double Take" gave me the feeling of sitting by a campfire with intimate friends just back from distant parts unknown, listening to thier adventure tales that you know are true but hard to believe none the less. I seemed to go back and forth between laugh out loud moments to "oh my gosh...I can't believe he had the guts to do that...go there....expose himself in that way. Kevin has a gift of storytelling that makes you feel as if you were there with him....being stared at....wrestling with the angst, humor, curiosity, adventure, love lost. This book also made me ponder people and events that I have only explored at a surface level before. It was really thought provoking to rethink what it means to be "disabled". How, why, and who decides. His willingness to share and articulate experiences that so many people struggle with on some level who don't fit the norm may be cathartic not only for him but for many who don't have his ability to give voice to the good, the bad and the ugly of being physically different than the masses. Kevin Connolly may not be able to dance with feet but he can sure dance with words and proves that in his book "Double Take". This is a great read!!!

  • Barbara Benson

    When most able bodied 23 year olds are trying to find a job that won't interfere with their partying, this young writer has captured the essence of "perception" so succinctly, and we are taken along on the ride of his discovery. He has lived more without legs in his short life than most have even dreamed. I was fascinated by the story, surprised I had not heard of him before and certainly look forward to hearing more from him in the future. Please do yourself the favor of reading this book, and then stand up and change something for the better yourself.

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