The Ultimate Gift

Mechanicsburg, PA: Executive Books, 1999. First Edition [stated]. Presumed first printing. Hardcover. Very good in very good dust jacket. Signed by author. Inscribed on special presentation page. Minor sticker residue on front of DJ. DJ has slight wear and soiling.. Billings, Dawn. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 124, [4] p. Illustrations. From Wikipedia: "Jim Stovall (born August 3, 1958) is an American writer best known for his bestselling novel The Ultimate Gift. The book was made into the movie The Ultimate Gift, distributed by 20th Century Fox. The Ultimate Gift has a sequel called The Ultimate Life. Stovall is blind and is an advocate on behalf of people with blindness. He worked to make television and movies accessible to the blind through as President of the Narrative Television Network, an organization that has received various award recognitions including an Emmy award, a Media Access Award and an International Film and Video Award. In the book, Forbes Great Success Stories: Twelve Tales of Victory Wrested from Defeat by Alan Farnham, Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes Jr., president and CEO of Forbes magazine, said "Jim Stovall is one of the most extraordinary men of our era."" From Wikipedia: "The Ultimate Gift is an American film based on the best selling novel by Jim Stovall released on March 9, 2007 in 816 theaters in the USA. The film s DVD sales were quite high in relation to its theatrical receipts and it continues to be a success in DVD sales and on television. When his rich grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens (portrayed by James Garner) died, Jason (Drew Fuller) thought he probably wasn't going to inherit a piece of the old man's multi-billion dollar estate. He strongly resents his grandfather because his father had died while working for him. There was an inheritance, in fact; but it came with a condition. Jason must complete 12 separate assignments within a year in order to get it. Each assignment is centered around a "gift". Gifts of work, money, friends and learning are among the dozen that Jason must perform before he is eligible for the mysterious "Ultimate Gift" his grandfather's will has for him. Throughout his trials and tribulations, the family attorney, Mr. Hamilton (Bill Cobbs), and his secretary Miss Hastings (Lee Meriwether) attempt to guide Jason along the path his grandfather wishes him to travel. But this is a hard task for the guides, because Jason is a spoiled under-achiever who never had to genuinely work. For instance, to carry out the first task he has to fly to Texas, and naturally assumes he has a first-class seat, and is annoyed when he discovers he has a coach class seat, complaining to the steward "Don't you know who I am? " On his return after completing the first task in Texas, everything he values is suddenly taken away from him-luxury apartment, his restored muscle car (a 1970 Dodge Coronet R/T), and all his money-and he is left homeless. His trendy girlfriend, Caitlin (Mircea Monroe), ditches him when he asks her if she could pay the bill. After his mother (Donna Cherry) tells her son she cannot help him as part of the agreement, he miserably wanders the city; for the first time truly alone. It is while sleeping in a park that he encounters a woman, Alexia (Ali Hillis), and her outspoken daughter Emily (Abigail Breslin). Jason befriends the two, but then tells them that he needs them to come to the attorney's office and confirm themselves as his "true friends" in order to pass the "gift of friends" assignment. But afterward, Jason walks away and ignores Emily's request to see him again, convincing Alexia and Emily that Jason is too self-centered to be a real friend. However, soon afterward Jason accidentally discovers that Emily is suffering from leukemia, and sees this family as a chance to develop a strong bond with someone. Indeed, the emergence of his "true" self is the key theme of the film. From that point onwards he tries as best he can to help Emily have a great life while it lasts. Emily also engineers and encourages a romance between Jason and her mother. After Jason has worked through the twelve gifts in twelve months, he finally comes to see his grandfather as more than a dead billionaire who he believes disliked him. One of.