Some people are born to lead and destined to teach by the example of living life to the fullest, and facing death with uncommon honesty and courage. Peter Barton was that kind of person.

Driven by the ideals that sparked a generation, he became an overachieving Everyman, a risk-taker who showed others what was possible. Then, in the prime of his life — hugely successful, happily married, and the father of three children — Peter faced the greatest of all challenges. Diagnosed with cancer, he began a journey that was not only frightening and appalling but also full of wonder and discovery.

With unflinching candor and even surprising humor, Not Fade Away finds meaning and solace in Peter’s confrontation with mortality. Celebrating life as it dares to stare down death, Peter's story addresses universal hopes and fears, and redefines the quietly heroic tasks of seeking clarity in the midst of pain, of breaking through to personal faith, and of achieving peace after bold and sincere questioning.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 37 reviews)

Does Success Ensure Confidence?

Laurence Shames and Peter Barton wrote a good book. I like that the authors traded off narrating chapters, which is an interesting spin on writing a memoir/biography. I especially like Barton's self-reflective honesty, honesty that's helped me out several times when my lack of confidence threatened to "give me away" to associates and clients.

Although Barton was famous as a pushy, brash, and successful businessman, few people knew he could also be unsure of himself. He says: "(There was) a truth that at the time I hid even from myself, but that now, with the bracing candor that comes with being close to death, I can readily admit: I had a lot of bluster but very little confidence."

He also says: "There's no surprise in a truly brave person acting brave; it's when the erstwhile coward rises to the occasion that we feel pride in our humanity. Similarly, it's not great accomplishment for a genuinely confident person to seem confident. But I had to work at it every time. I had to suck up fear over and over again. (This, by the way, is a trait I seem to share with many of the most successful people I have met in business.)"

Barton's thoughts make me feel more secure with my insecurity, and they reassure me I don't have to be confident to be successful.

October 24, 2008

A winner on all counts

I just finished reading "Not Fade Away" for the second time. The first time I read it a couple of years ago I remember taking it very slowly because I felt each word was so important. Usually a very fast reader, I would stop and go over sentences because I didn't want to miss anything. Impactful ideas were there in every sentence.

I just finished reading it again because I wanted to see how it stood up against "The Last Lecture." And it held up very well. The two books are by (and about) similarly energetic, optimistic men dying of cancer, but they tell very different tales in different styles. I'm glad to say that there's an honesty in this book that wears well with time. Re-reading it again made me very glad that I recommended it last year to a friend whose brother was dying of cancer. They say the best gifts come in small packages, and that's certainly true here. Powerful and enjoyable! Read it.
April 20, 2008

Survivor to Survivor

As a leukemia survivor, married to a wonderful spouse and with three young children, Peter's memoir rings almost too true to me. I actually met Peter a few times in the 80s through one of his dearest friends whom I dated for a short time. Peter was never so enthusiastic as he was when talking about Laura, his soon-to-be bride. You could tell that family devotion, and a strong conscience was deeply rooted in him from an early age.

The basic values given to him by his parents, particularly the sacrifices his mother made, were at the heart of this book. He sacrifices his own personal privacy and makes a gift to his children and others coping with cancer. He shows us what the process feels like. Knowledge, however sad, is somehow empowering.

As a cancer patient, I have plenty of time to reflect and read. If you don't, then I say read it. You won't regret it. This book is at times intoxicating and high-flying, philosophical and deadly real. It is about life, much more than it is about death.

Peter may have not thought that he was a survivor, but he was--every day he lived. Here's hoping that Peter's life, however brief, will never fade away in the hearts and minds of all he loved.
November 24, 2007

I randomly selected this book...and I'm glad I did

I happened upon an advance uncorrected proof of this book quite by accident. I read a few sentences and thought, "Why not give it a read?" Well, I have to say that the book - both the writing and the content - are absolutely wonderful. Laurence Shames gets all the emotion and humility and pride down flawlessly in the pages of this book. You can't help but wish you had known Peter Barton after reading this.
May 24, 2007

Indeed, a LIFE Well-Lived

Mr. Shames wrote a poignant and very real account of the disease that took his life at a very early age. I read this a couple years ago, and just re-read after hearing the story of a "younger" person stricken with cancer. This book will inspire, but will also force the reader to consider; "What would I do? Would I have that much grace and zest and enthusiasm?" The dirt-nap gets us all, this book demonstrates how one man dealt with his impending demise---and teaches valuable life-lessons that we could all use. Highly recommended.
March 03, 2007

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