Eyes to the Wind

A Memoir of Love and Death, Hope and Resistance

De: Ady Barkan, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - introduction

Narrado por: Bradley Whitford

In this “gripping story of resistance and the triumph of human will” (Senator Elizabeth Warren), activist and subject of the documentary Not Going Quietly Ady Barkan explores his life with ALS and how his diagnosis gave him a profound new understanding of his commitment to social justice for all.

Ady Barkan loved taking afternoon runs on the California coast and holding his newborn son, Carl. But one day, he noticed a troubling weakness in his hand. At first, he brushed it off as carpal tunnel syndrome, but after a week of neurological exams and two MRIs, he learned the cause of the problem: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. At age thirty-two, Ady was given just three to four years to live. Yet despite the devastating diagnosis, he refused to let his remaining days go to waste.

Eyes to the Wind is a rousing memoir featuring intertwining storylines about determination, perseverance, and how to live a life filled with purpose and intention. The first traces Ady’s battle with ALS: how he turned the initial shock and panic from his diagnosis into a renewed commitment to social justice—not despite his disability but because of it. The second, told in flashbacks, illustrates Ady’s journey from a goofy political nerd to a prominent figure in the enduring fight for equity and justice whose “selfless activism fighting to make health care a right should be an inspiration to us all” (Senator Bernie Sanders).

From one of the most vocal advocates for social justice, Eyes to the Wind’s “primary question is existential: how to live when you are dying? Barkan’s answer is to share, open up, act, and capital-R Resist, and his memoir, clearly and candidly written, establishes a legacy” (Booklist).

Includes an excerpt from the song “Eyes to the Wind” by The War on Drugs!

Inspirational and beautiful Memoir

Being a RN in California and part of NNU has kept me active in the Medicare for All struggle for many years. Ady is the most inspirational warrior in this fight and I’m grateful he has shared his personal life story with the world to motivate us to continue fighting for a Single Payer Universal health system in America!

Incredible

Eyes to the Wind is an incredible story that will leave you inspired, laughing, and crying. I’m so grateful to Ady for taking his precious time and attention to write this book.

The narration by Whitford is moving and powerful. Five stars to both the story and the narration.

Everyone should read/listen to this book

Ady’s story is both sad and joyous. The diagnosis of ALS focuses his fight for equality in ways one wonders would happen without it. A brilliant mind in a deteriorating body, Ady turns his advocacy for justice issues into a specific fight for healthcare. His story is empowering in the face of tragedy and I found myself crying at the unfairness yet inspired by his continued fight for his fellow humans.

Inspiring!

This is well narrated by Bradley Whitford. I absolutely recommend this. I’ve listened the past 2 days on a solo road trip. I have teared up a few times, but it’s mostly inspiring. It’s reinforced a lot of what I’ve recently been grappling with regarding civic action and political resistance as well as humanity in general.

Stop whatever you are doing and read this now

A heartfelt and humbling reminder that if you are unhappy with the current US administration and its absurdities, you must do everything in your power to work to save our democracy. If you don’t have kids, do it for Ady’s son, Carl. Thank you, Ady, for your amazing work — pre & post-ALS.

Inspirational!

Ady-Your memoir was touching, candid and inspirational! Thank you for sharing your passion for human rights and democracy and for sharing the tribulations you face with ALS. You have touched me forever.

Father's beware

This is a story about a father's personal actionamd conviction, in the face of a gut-wrenchingly early disease, while he aims to leave a legacy for his newborn son.

Best Book of the Year!

Ady encouraged me to keep up my personal resistance and the national resistance! Keep fighting, Comrade.

Narration could have been better

I really like Bradley Whitford as an actor, and was excited to listen to his reading of Ady's memoir. My disappointment surprised me. I've heard Ady on video, pre-ALS, and what has always been striking about him is his relentless energy. Whitford doesn't convey that; rather, he sounds fatigued. Bradley Whitford shines as an actor when he performs fast-paced dialogue like Aaron Sorkin's West Wing banter; but it seems as if the back-and-forth with his scene partners is what energizes him. When reading on his own, he sounds as if getting through the sentences exhausts him. Given the subject matter, this raises the level of pathos to a degree that, IMHO, detracts from the drive and passion of Ady's message. I understand why Ady and his publisher couldn't pass up a celebrity narrator who is also a personal friend, but I feel as if a voice actor with more strength in this genre could have given the reading a lot more energy.

That said, I'm very glad to have read the book - it strikes a great balance between recounting Ady's personal story, and delivering a real education in progressive organizing and activism. I just think that I might have gotten a truer sense of Ady's tone and energy by reading the Kindle book rather than listening to the Audible edition. Of course, Ady himself is the one to judge whether Whitford captures his intent - perhaps he feels the performance is perfect. I just felt like it came off a bit more listless than Ady's driven activism deserves.

Inspirational, sad, ultimately uplifting

A compelling story about facing life's biggest challenges with courage, integrity, grace, and even humor. Ady's passion for life and for democracy shine through.