Josh Sundquist grew up in Virginia with two brothers and his parents. They lived a relatively simple life just like many other families and everything seemed normal. Josh was nine years old when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of cancer that affects bones in children, and had to have his left leg amputated.
Just Don’t Fall is an autobiography of Josh Sundquist’s life from taking place just before his diagnosis to going to Turin, Italy for the Paralympics.
Sundquist brilliantly weaves his story into a funny, witty, and highly motivational novel, even though it’s very sad at the beginning. The story itself starts out in physical therapy with Sundquist as a child. Fortunately, he lightens the mood with comedy and the mood lightens as he gets older.
Even though the novel is very humorous, it can be a bit difficult to understand at the beginning because of how young the narrator is at that current time. His naivety about high school or cancer can be viewed as either annoying or cute. He believed that high schools were full of drug dealers or that the best part of being in a soccer team was the uniform.
The writing style of the book is very clear and to the point, and less narrative of the author’s surroundings and more about what Sundquist had or may have thought at that current point of time. The book includes many analogies and exaggerations.
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. The book is a must read! It may be just a little too childish in the beginning, but it is still a wonderful feel-good motivational book.