The Ultimate Gift: A Novel

Jim Stovall

Jan 2010 · David C Cook

About this ebook

What would you do to inherit a million dollars? Would you be willing to change your life? Jason Stevens is about to find out in Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift.

Red Stevens has died, and the older members of his family receive their millions with greedy anticipation. But a different fate awaits young Jason, whom Stevens, his great-uncle, believes may be the last vestige of hope in the family.

"Although to date your life seems to be a sorry excuse for anything I would call promising, there does seem to be a spark of something in you that I hope we can fan into a flame. For that reason, I am not making you an instant millionaire."
What Stevens does give Jason leads to The Ultimate Gift. Young and old will take this timeless tale to heart.

Ratings and reviews

A wealthy family loses their bread wining patriarch, Red Stevens, and they all assemble for the reading of his will. All of Red’s possessions, land and money is distributed among all his greedy relatives except his great-nephew, Jason Stevens. Jason thinks that great-uncle has left him nothing because he hated him, but Red actually loved him too much to make him an instant millionaire. Through a video tape, Red explains that a life of privilege has prevented Jason from learning several lessons in life. Believing that Jason is young enough to change his ways, Red assigns him twelve tasks that would teach him these lessons. At first, Jason protests, but then becomes curious and agrees to try. Thus begins Jason’s transformation from a spoilt, selfish brat into a new caring man. Each month, he is to learn a new lesson in life. The lessons include the gift of work, money, friends, learning, problems, family, laughter, dreams, giving, gratitude, a day, and love. Over the course of a year, Jason encounters many obstacles along his path. He grows and matures and learns the meaning of a well lived life. He learns that his great-uncle actually loved him and he learns to love him back. In the end, Jason manages to complete all the tasks and does receive the Ultimate Gift. I think The Ultimate Gift was a very inspiring book which makes the reader want to make positive changes in his or her life. I think Stovall has written a beautiful novel that can change the lives of many readers. However, at times, the story can get quite predictable, even though the more you read the more curious you get about what the ultimate gift actually is. Character Sketches Theodore J. Hamilton - Mr Hamilton is an octogenarian and runs one of the largest law firms in Boston. He is a Red Stevens’ lawyer and his closest friend. He is ready to do him any favour no matter how difficult it is. He has a great sense of humour and has the ability to laugh at himself. He is sensible, kind, patient and well mannered and according to Red, he is one of the most wonderful people on God’s green earth. Red Stevens - Red Stevens was a very strong-willed and hard working man who grew from a poor youth to the patriarch of a multi million dollar business dynasty. Red Stevens was a very giving and loving man, too, but he made a big mistake in giving his relatives a completely sheltered life. Red didn’t realize that while he was providing them with the best lifestyle, he was also robbing them of experiences which could help them to mature and grow. This made them spoilt and greedy people who only cared about themselves. However, towards the end of his life, he realizes his mistake and identifies Jason as someone who can be salvaged and therefore creates the ‘Ultimate Gift’ to help him change his ways. Jason Stevens – Jason Stevens is Red Stevens’ great-nephew. In the beginning of the story, he is spoilt, self-centred and ill-mannered. Raised in wealth, he does not know the value of money and spends freely. But in the course of completing the twelve tasks his great uncle assigns him, he learns the lessons in life that a life of privilege has prevented him from leaning. Eventually, Jason turns into the kind, thoughtful and caring man that he was meant to be. Margaret Hastings – Margaret is Mr. Hamilton’s secretary and has been with him for over forty years. She is very honest, sincere and trustworthy. She is also a person with foresight and is extremely organized with her work. Mr. Hamilton says that over the years, he has learnt to always rely and trust her judgment of people and situations. About the author Jim Stovall has been a national champion Olympic weightlifter, a successful investment broker and entrepreneur. He is the President of the Emmy Award-winning Narrative Television Network, and a highly sought after author and platform speaker. He is the author of the best selling book, The Ultimate Gift and its sequel, The Ultimate Life. Some of his other works are The Lamp and Wisdom of the Ages Steve

I got this book as a gift from my uncle, I literally hugged my dad for no reason after I read it... its just too good ... I salute you Sir. N lovey uncle for this ultimate gift..

An amazing book, from start to finish . I don't read much, bc I'm one who likes a book to get my attention in the first paragraph, if its does I will read it, it took me 3 days to finish this one bc I got sick with the flu or I would have finished it in a day. I recommend it!

About the author

Jim Stovall has been a national champion Olympic weightlifter, a successful investment broker and entrepreneur. He is Co-Founder and President of the Narrative Television Network, which makes movies and television accessible for our nation's 13 million blind and visually impaired people and their families. Although originally designed for the blind and visually impaired, over 60% of NTN's nationwide audience is made up of fully-sighted people who simply enjoy the programming.

Jim Stovall hosts the Network's talk show, "NTN Showcase." His guests have included Katharine Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Carol Channing, Steve Allen, and Eddie Albert, as well as many others. The Narrative Television Network has received an Emmy Award and an International Film and Video Award among its many industry honors.

NTN has grown to include over 1,200 cable systems and broadcast stations, reaching over 35 million homes in the United States, and NTN is shown in 11 foreign countries.

Jim Stovall joined the ranks of Walt Disney, Orson Welles, and four United States presidents when he was selected as one of the "Ten Outstanding Young Americans" by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. He has appeared on "Good Morning America" and CNN, and has been featured in Reader's Digest, TV Guide and Time magazine. He is the author of a previous book entitled You Don't Have To Be Blind To See, as well as his new book Success Secrets of Super Achievers. The President's Committee on Equal Opportunity selected Jim Stovall as the 1997 Entrepreneur of the Year.