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You Changed My Life (2012)

by Abdel Sellou(Favorite Author)

3.67 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

160286182X (ISBN13: 9781602861824)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Weinstein Books

review 1: This is the memoir of by the real life Driss in the hit French movie, The Intouchables, the true story about a very wealthy French aristocrat/businessman who becomes paralyzed from the neck down in a paragliding accident. Abdel (named Driss,a tall black African Muslim in the movie) is a short Arab Muslim, a very street wise small-time crook, who applies to work as the injured man's caretaker, initially so he can prove to the French equivalent of the Employment Security Department that he's trying to find work so that he can continue to collect unemployment. Much to his surprise, he's hired. Each man ends up changing the other's life. Abdel is strong enough so that he can lift Phillipe and place him into the passenger seat of a regular passenger car--no more need for a van... more for a passenger in a wheelchair. Because of Abdel, Philippe finds new freedom in being able to go out more and to do things he hadn't dreamed of doing before. Abdel finds that he doesn't have to be a crook anymore and that helping Philippe gives meaning to his life. Abdel's writing is, as might be imagined, very colloquial but remains informative and entertaining. Philippe has written a truly elegant forward to the book. I recommend seeing the movie first and then reading the book, which I'd rate a 3.5 if we could give half stars.
review 2: I loved the movie the Intouchables, and immediately sought out the book. It is such an interesting and random pairing of two very different people, and the fact that it is a true story makes even more amazing. The book dives more into Abdel's (Driss's character) background which is a little more complex than what is in the movie. Over the course of the book, you see him grow up, but also feel himself growing up. He doesn't romanticize his story, but rather tries to figure out what led him down that path and is pretty honest about who he is then and now. The friendship that the movie is based on isn't really discussed until the 2nd half of the book but by then it makes sense. Sometimes a interesting story is just about finding out that you are capable of more than you ever thought you could do or be regardless of what that ends up being. Abdel never had any expectations for himself or from others, so it is interesting to see his transformation when he is put in the position of being needed and wanting to be needed. less

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