In "Defining Moments," Joseph LeBlanc takes us on a journey through times and happenings in his life firm in the belief that so many of these moments have been lived by each of us in countless ways that are, in the end, so much the same. His words speak of hopes and fears and loss and pain and of the spirit that survives. He finds in these moments a common thread and finds it well. These are roads well-traveled as we make our way, sometimes halting, sometimes tentative, always in search of more meaning. There is much to savor that should not be missed. Rare will be the reader who is not found somewhere in these pages. Rarer still will be the one who is not moved to remembrance and reflection from having read this way.

"Oh Joe!" is a must read for anyone who has experienced grief and loss and struggles to survive. Other books have been written about the stages of grief. This one eloquently conveys in poem the complex feelings of the grieving process that others describe with clinical observation. There are no platitudes, no easy answers here. Joseph LeBlanc speaks from the heart about the anguish of loss and how it feels. It is a father's personal struggle to survive the loss of his son so piercing you will feel you are there and fall to your knees in thanks that you are not. He speaks to us of feelings of loss we all have in a way that cannot help but leave you touched. It is rare that a man would expose this much of himself. It is rarer still that he would write about it for all to read. We should be thankful for this glimpse into the recesses of soul within us all.

In "Defining Moments," Joseph LeBlanc takes us on a journey through times and happenings in his life firm in the belief that so many of these moments have been lived by each of us in countless ways that are, in the end, so much the same. His words speak of hopes and fears and loss and pain and of the spirit that survives. He finds in these moments a common thread and finds it well. These are roads well-traveled as we make our way, sometimes halting, sometimes tentative, always in search of more meaning. There is much to savor that should not be missed. Rare will be the reader who is not found somewhere in these pages. Rarer still will be the one who is not moved to remembrance and reflection from having read this way.

"Oh Joe!" is a must read for anyone who has experienced grief and loss and struggles to survive. Other books have been written about the stages of grief. This one eloquently conveys in poem the complex feelings of the grieving process that others describe with clinical observation. There are no platitudes, no easy answers here. Joseph LeBlanc speaks from the heart about the anguish of loss and how it feels. It is a father's personal struggle to survive the loss of his son so piercing you will feel you are there and fall to your knees in thanks that you are not. He speaks to us of feelings of loss we all have in a way that cannot help but leave you touched. It is rare that a man would expose this much of himself. It is rarer still that he would write about it for all to read. We should be thankful for this glimpse into the recesses of soul within us all.