Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

A character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years is about how the author, Don Miller, discovers the importance of living a good life, while working on the script for a film based on his book 'Blue like Jazz'. Before he started working on the script, his life was stalled and he was inclined to believe that there was no meaning to life. But things started changing when he meets couple of guys who want to make a film on his life. Through his interactions with these guys and thanks to a seminar that he attends on story writing, he learns the elements of a good story. Gradually, he starts experimenting with his own life by consciously applying the elements of a good story to his real life. As he puts himself through deliberate plots, such as hiking the Inca Trails, a bike trip across the United States and the Mentoring Project, it dawns upon him that the elements that make a good story are pretty much the same that make a good meaningful life. Eventually, ... let's keep the suspense :)

The book is honest, daring, inspiring, creative, brilliant, interesting, amusing, thought-provoking and sometimes provocative. However, it's also boring and repetitive, with some personal ramblings, in the beginning where Don describes the "boring" part of his life. Maybe it's to his credit that he made me feel bored by describing how boring his life was. I almost lost interest in the book after reading the first few pages. I'm so glad I didn't give up on it. The book really catches on from Part 3 where Don actually starts living a 'good story'. That's where it turns from an average book to a great book.

The book has lots of interesting stories, especially the amazing story of his friend Bob. The part where he describes his emotions on the way to meeting his father and the description of the actual meeting, were really touching.

I liked the message in the book and can relate some elements of my life to Don's at times. The idea of living a good story really challenges me. It makes me think about my own life and compels me to live a good story - a story that's worth sharing, a story that has a meaning. I'm sure it'll continue to haunt me for days to come and might actually prompt me to take some real actions.

This is the first Don Miller book that I've read. Though it's not the best book I've read, Don's brilliance has shone through it and made me wanting to read his other books as well as the movie.

Thanks Don, for sharing a wonderful story.

P.S.: I received this book free of cost from Thomas Nelson Inc. under their Book Review Bloggers program. I would like to thank them for offering me the opportunity to review this wonderful book.