"Same Kind of Different as Me" Book Review

Over the past several months, a book title kept coming up amongst friends: “Same Kind of Different as Me” by Ron Hall & Denver Moore. Initially I wasn’t that intrigued by it, but the more I heard, the more curious I became. Most of the story takes place in Fort Worth, Texas and knowing my friends and the types of books they read, I decided to go ahead and read it. So I borrowed it from the Family Pastor at church (the one I’m interning for.)

I got the book on a Tuesday afternoon, and I finished the book by Saturday morning. Yes, that’s how good it was!

Each chapter alternates authors. In one chapter, Ron Hall will be telling the story from his perspective. In the next, Denver writes his point of view. Ron Hall grows up in a fairly average American home, but as an adult, becomes a very wealthy art dealer. Meanwhile, Denver grows up as a modern-day slave on a share-cropping plantation in Louisiana.

The book shows their back stories, and how one woman—Deborah Hall (Ron’s wife)—brings them both together. Ron and Denver are perfect opposites; yet God drew them together in an amazing way and used them to change a city.

This book has you laughing one minute, and nearly in tears the next. It’s a story that reads almost like a novel. It’s that incredible!

One of the reasons I really enjoyed this book, was for the inspiration it gave me. Denver and Ron’s relationship is an incredible example to me. My natural inclination would be to overlook people like Denver (i.e. homeless, elderly, criminal background, etc.) But I need to look at people the way God does! I need to love them, reach out to them, pray for them, and commit to having a relationship with them.

I would highly recommend this book for ages 16 and older. Some of the themes in the book, as well as some negative racial language, make this book too mature for anyone younger. But I would highly recommend it for adults! It’s a fairly easy read (you just get drawn into the story!) and has so much food for thought!