“Dan Yashinsky – Canadian author and storyteller, has collected his son Jacob Yashinsky Zavitz’s stories into a volume called I Am Full: Stories for Jacob. This collection of Jacob’s writing, stories and photos has been gathered in his memory. Jacob died in a car accident at age 26, since Jacob’s death, Dan often told the stories and was asked to compile them into a book to preserve them. Dan’s fearless record of Jacob’s life helps us come to know Jacob and shows us the universalism of the need to tell the story of one’s family. Reading the stories, we come to know Jacob and feel compassion for how Jacob lived his life with the genetic condition, Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). This syndrome caused him to never feel full no matter how much food he consumed. The stories show us his life, bound with this genetic condition, a life he lived with humour and courage. I was touched by Jacob’s stories of how he approached life with bravery and developed a killer wit.

I Am Full is humorous, real and earthy. We come to know Jacob and perhaps, know ourselves too, as we reflect on our own nuggets of family story. It is a funny and touching read for anyone who is interested in preserving family stories – the sad ones and the funny ones. It is a great example of how to hold together those little one-liners, jokes, anecdotes, poems, speeches, letters, notes, and sayings that form family lore.

Dan includes a note to grieving parents about the journey of love, loss and grief. I think that reading, I Am Full, a few pages at a time and reflecting on life and loss will provide comfort - for upon death we become story. Tell the story and love the story. ”

— Mary Hays The Storyteller

“Jacob Evan Yashinsky-Zavitz lived a life of courage and resilience in dealing with a genetic condition known as Prader-Willi Syndrom (PWS) which forces those with the disease to deal with intense hunger known as hyperphagia.  But what a rich life and full life Jacob created for himself, especially as a fisherman, a photographer, a jewellery maker, a poet, and a crossing guard.  A tragic death, at the age of 26,  as a result of a car accident, put his father, family and friends on a journey to deal with grief. 

In the Prologue to the book, Dan Yashinsky writes: “I started writing this chronicle about six months after Jacob’s death trying to find a way to remember, to grieve, perhaps to find a shred of meaning in this unspeakable loss.” Dan Yashinsky, master professional storyteller, began gathering texts that make up this requiem.  The ongoing journal that Dan kept recording his son’s adventures and misadventures, the unforgettable expressions Jacob uttered at all stages of his life, the trials and triumphs he experienced provided a rich source for the author to pay tribute to his son by presenting narratives in Jacob’s imagined voice as his guide. The anecdotes and reflections are written in the first person.  A collection of poems, speeches, letters, notes and photographs are compiled to paint a mighty portrait of this heroic hat-loving, fishing-loving, food-loving, joke-loving, family-loving human who learned to embrace his disability rather than ignore it. 
At his funeral, Jacob’s brother said: “love continues to exist in the world, even though (my) little brother has gone to be with his ancestors. Somehow, love remains”.

This is a life lived with love. This is a  book of LOVE.  This is a book of remembrance. 

It is a book written in the shadow of grief. It is funny. It is heartbreaking. It is filled with heart. And hands-on heart, it is the best book that I’ve read this year. ”

— Larry Swartz Dr. Larry Recommends

Read the full review at Dr. Larry Recommends.