“Amid all my darkness and failure and uncertainty, I felt the most amazing sense of peace sweeping over me.”
Joe Kissack was making his mark on the world moving up in the television industry. He had a big house, plenty of money, toys and a wife and two daughters. Yet, even as he walked the red carpet at the Emmys, there was something not complete in his life. He was still seeking approval from his abusive father and the lack of that led him to drinking and then prescription drug abuse. His wife and friends tried to reach out, but it wasn’t until someone showed up with a Bible that he started to find something that could fill the void.
The Fourth Fisherman was given to me by a friend to read. It had made an impression on her and she wanted me to read it so we could discuss it. I had not heard anything about the book other than the news story about the three fisherman found at sea after almost a year. However, the cover review quote is by Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ, which impressed me.
Kissack’s story is intermingled with the story of five fishermen who got lost at sea after a storm off the coast of Mexico. As they drift, turtles sustain them, rainwater and reading a Bible one of the men had brought along. Two in their party die along the way and a Taiwanese ship finally rescues them after 286 days. When Kissack hears their story, he feels called by God to share their story of faith and survival with the world. However, he can’t find a good fit until he learns to tie his story to theirs.
The Fourth Fisherman is a fairly short book and I read it rather quickly. The story keeps up a fast pace for both Kissack’s chapters and the chapters about the fisherman. The only voice I wish there was more of in the story is his wife’s as she had to go through almost 15 years with a husband who wasn’t happy with himself and stayed emotionally absent from his family. I would love to hear more about her story. The Fourth Fisherman is a great book about faith and is a good book for those who enjoy reading first-hand survival stories.
Do you remember hearing about the fisherman in 2006? If not here’s an article about their ordeal: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexican-fishermen-tell-survival-story/
Share your thoughts on their story in the comments below!