5.0 out of 5 stars by Scott Masterton (Blaine, MN USA)
"An Obese White Gentleman in No Apparent Distress" is the fictionalized version of Aikido Sensei Terry Dobsons life. It is a life that can only be described as paradoxical; filled with mirth, madnes and of course boundless love. Max (Dobson's fictional doppelganger) proudly wears his flaws like ketchup stains on his heavy white Gi; he drinks too much, takes too many drugs, eats to much red meat, while at the same time teaches conflict resolution via the Aikido principles of love and blending. He poo-poos tradition while at the same time shows a deep reverence for all things historical from both the East and the West. "What saved me was what saves all Martial men: martial men are filled with love". Dobson's undying love for Lena (Moss' doppelganger) drips from these pages. His life partner Riki Moss writes with a simple and yet profound style that instantly pulls the reader into the story; her spiritual insights into the life of her man and her own life are inspiring. There is what can only be described as a brutal honesty to this book as Moss shows no compunctions about exposing this man and herself as flawed and so very human. Most of us spend our lives switching masks, only rarely allowing our real image to be revealed and even then only for brief glances before we snap them back into place. Rarely do we take them off and let the world look upon our naked souls. Riki Moss does that in this book with unabashed courage. Bravo. There are lots of books that are entertaining, but only a few that have the power to turn our perceptions inward; few that encourage us to look at ourselves, warts and all. This is one of those books. A definite must read for anyone not afraid to look at their own diabolical nature to fully see the light that shines within. This is a great book that has the potential to shift the way you see the world.Pick this one up...you won't regret it.
5.0 out of 5 stars: January 23, 2009, by Freebs (Portland, OR)
What a big wild hairy book! Funny, touching and wise. If you didn't know Terry Dobson, or the capacious Riki Moss, this book is the next best thing. It is like the most entertaining dinner conversation, where you stagger away at 3 in the morning and lay awake in the dark smiling. ~
5.0 out of 5 stars: Characters and a story you'll never forget, February 7, 2009, by Deborah Barlow
The title should be a clue: This is a work of extreme creativity, humor and deep human connection. Moss has done something very difficult--sidestepped the flawed and overwrought memoir genre and moved the story of extraordinary lives in an extraordinary time into a work of fiction. It is a credit to Moss' gifts (Is this really her first novel? She's just way too good to be a rookie) that she can merge fiction and "real life" with such skill that the reader does not feel manipulated or maligned in the process. And these characters. You care about them immediately, and you want to find out what happens to them. This will be a book you will want to finish and will find hard to put down. The warmth, the comic turns, the engaging dialogue and commentary are all part of what makes this an unforgettable read.