Some Things Are Unbreakable Paperback – February 8, 2007

I was planning to sail to Beaver Island last summer and was looking for a book to take with me when I stumbled upon 'Some Things Are Unbreakable' by Kate Willette. Now, a story about a guy recovering from a sking accident might not sound all that good...But it is!The book opens in Kate's kitchen on a routine evening when the phone rings and she is told that Bruce, her husband and father of their two school age children, has been seriously injured in a sking accident. At the hospital Kate learns that Bruce is paralized and the outlook is uncertain. So begins the story of recovery; not just for Bruce, but for the family. The story is told from the perspective of a wife and mother with compassion and unflinching honesty. I found "Some Things Are Unbreakable" hard to put down and very inspiring.

Our "Bruce" (his name really is Bruce) had a spinal cord injury in April 2014. I am his mother in law. This book made me sob over and over as the details of those early days came back so vividly. We are truly blessed to have had an "incomplete" paralysis. Now 16 months out from the injury most of the initial side effects have subsided and he is walking with leg braces. His paralysis remains below his knees but we remain hopeful for a full recovery. He was lucky to have Craig Hospital in Denver nearby and family, friends and even strangers step up to help his wife and daughters during this time of need. Our Bruce was also able to return to work fairly quickly and is working on becoming the active person that he was prior to his accident. I say all of this because the book parallels his story in so many ways. I picked up this book and read it straight through! It is well written and definitely engaging. I am passing it on to friends.

Words like "inspiring," "moving" "riveting," and "reads like a novel" could all be applied to this book, but those words, while true, would make it seem like a cliche. Which it is definitely not. This journal-memoir by Kate Willette of a year in her life and that of her family is extraordinary. It is gripping from the opening pages when Kate found out about her husband Bruce's skiing accident all the way through the incredible nightmarish year that followed.What makes the book so readable and takes it many notches above other inspirational heartwrending stories of tragedy is the humor and downright irreverence with which the author treats all subjects. In other hands such a story might come off as only gutwrenching and sad or phonily upbeat. In this author's hands, it is by turns touching, melancholy, sweet, bitter, sarcastic, and angry. In other words it is real and it is human.I won't tell more details of the book as some reviewers have already done. Read it for yourself to see what happens. I promise you will be moved and riveted and inspired and all those other words I started out with.

This is a rich and compelling story. Kate Willette talks about the months following her husband's near-fatal accident that left him with a C5-C6 spinal cord injury. It really illustrates the strength of love and family in the face of adversity. Her writing is such that, as the story unfolds, it's almost like reading about people you know. This is a great read for anyone, whether or not they know someone with SCI. If you do know someone with SCI or their family, this story can give you some insight into their situation you might not otherwise have the opportunity to gain. Highly recommended.

great book. very sad, honest, uplifting. I like how the author was very honest about her frustrations dealing with her husband's spinal cord injury. It was also interesting to see how it affected the children. very detailed and informative too.

A real life story of how an accident can change your life but how you learn to deal with it day by day, through all the hard parts, and gain strength to keep going. After reading this book I learned how to look at life for what it is. A roller coaster of not knowing what's around the corner. Enjoy it and no matter what jeering turn whips you, take a deep breath and regain your strength by looking ahead for the next turn.

The Sparrow I was just starting a book tour for Dreamers of the Day when Kate Willette came to one of my readings and handed me her book. I simply glanced at the first page and was instantly drawn in. This book did not let me go -- I read it over the space of two days while touring. If you have read my novel The Sparrow, then know that this book will take you to similar places in the soul, and it does so with the added gut-punch of non-fiction.Kate Willette is a clear, powerful, unflinching writer. Her clinical descriptions are gripping; her emotional insight extraordinary; her humor and honesty admirable. I am so grateful to her for writing this book and allowing us to share her family's story.On a personal note: I have a nephew in the Marine Corps, serving in Iraq. If Tim is hurt, Kate's book is what I will send his wife. She'd need to know what Kate has learned.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. I couldn't put it down - I wanted to know what was going to happen at every turn. Not only is it a well-crafted story, it's both true and amazing.Written in journal form, Kate Willette recalls how she and her family dealt with accidental tragedy and weaves a positive, uplifting tale. The author's personal emotional journey encompassed unbelievable sadness and overwhelming joy, but she writes with such skill that she drew me in, made me feel as if I was there, knew the people and was involved in the experience.The book also provides an eye-opening view into how the medical profession deals with spinal cord injury, as well as the politics of stem cell research. Fascinating stuff.I highly recommend it!