Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul

As someone who has only read one Chicken Soup book, and at that I was pretty young, I did not quite know what to expect. What I got out of these short stories was dynamic. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I felt joy.  For people who did not get hooked to the show by seeing it on television, reading this was sure to do the trick!

I cannot even begin to appropriately describe how wonderful each and every one of these stories was.  One that touched my heart a little more than the rest was of a teenage girl who wrote about seeing Clay Aiken’s music video “invisible”.  The movie did not have much of a message according to Clay, but this young girl saw him standing on stage in his video singing with an ‘average’ looking girl who was not ‘model thin’.  This opened up her eyes and what she saw was an American Idol who was happy to be in the presence of a normal, average girl.  It changed her whole perception on life, and when she finally got the opportunity to tell him, he made it so that in each of his videos he only allowed ‘average’ girls and ‘average’ boys to be in it. He would always let the heavy man win the model girl, and vice versa. Such a small gesture has changed the perception of so many people.

Another, more tear jerker story that stuck in my mind was a three year old little girl who was battling leukemia and was told she was going to die. Her favorite American idol was Ace Young. He heard of the little girl, Mackenzie, and not only invited her backstage when she saw one of his concerts, but he also showed up to visit her while she was in the hospital battling another relapse.  He not only was an amazing singer, but he used his status to help and inspire people. He made dreams come true.

All of these stories are no more than 2-4 pages long, but pack such a punch.  They are simple words that come from simple human beings.  It’s easy to see them as just like you or I when we are reading their stories.  They all have had problems just as bad, if not as bad as ours. For me, it made me want to watch them on television and to watch them all succeed.  I no longer see them in a different light than anyone else; they are just as vulnerable as you or I, they just have the opportunity to use their gift and make a huge difference, and for that, they are blessed. 

Whether you are looking to know your favorite American idol more intimately or to just have a good read, this Chicken Soup book should be at the top of your list.  You will finish the last page with a smile on your face, a refreshed feeling in your heart, and dried tears on your cheeks.