Wednesday, Jul. 01, 2009

Colleyville Authors Pens Second Book

David Douglas Ford’s 'In the Likeness’ Recounts the Life & Times of the First Man

By Christianne Young

Staff Writer

While the first man may be most well-known for eating an apple, the story of Adam has created many more questions than answers over the years. In the Likeness: The Last Testament of Adam, the First Man, a novelby Colleyville resident David Douglas Ford, is written "through the eyes of Adam," near the end of the famous biblical character’s 930-year life.

The book’s title is drawn from the biblical account stating that Adam was created in the likeness of God.

The 11 chapters of In the Likeness divide Adams life and perspective into neat segments.

The story of Adam is told in a way that readers will better understand that Adam was more than just the man who, along with Eve, became best-known for their personification of human weakness. The book opens with Adam’s first glimpse of life.

"I began with my eyes open. At that one selected and particular point in time, I simply was, and in that initial moment my very first glimpse of the creation around me was of the sky, the deepest and the bluest sky."

In many ways, Adam’s abrupt introduction to life is different from those who begin life as infants. After all, Adam and Eve are, according to the story, the only two people who have ever lived who could remember their first moments of life. Their unique relationship with God, each other and the earth created a one-of-a-kind perspective that, in Ford’s thinking, may help the modern American see life from a fresh perspective.

In the Likeness attempts to dispel many rumors about the great-grandparents of mankind. One of them, according to Ford, is that Adam was lonely in the garden. Instead of filling a sadness in Adam’s life, Eve’s creation is described as a magnificent gift from God. Adam marvels at his relationship with his wife and is taken aback by Eve’s excellent relational skills and gift with words.

Later, the book details the ramifications of Adam and Eve’s sudden awareness of sin.

Adam shares his unique perspective on the fall of man.

"Adam’s sin was abandoned love. The truth is that at some point in time I loved Eve more than I loved the Creator, and that was the true moment of my fall," the book says.

Ford’s Adam also reveals that life outside the garden was not as horrible as most would think. He and Eve "adjusted" to circumstances, just as people do in modern society.

"I suppose I should honestly report that in some ways we were enjoying living as much after as before, or at least we told one another that this was the case," Adam says. "Man has an almost infinite capacity to imagine that any situation is enjoyable to some degree."

The book, as you might have guessed, has a hopeful ending.

"We might find one another in this present darkness and be led by some not fallen son of man into the light that shines beyond the darkest night. He will be the one true light that illuminates the sky," Adam says.

In the Likeness is an easy read, and at 138-pages, doesn’t take long.

Ford’s self-published book can be purchased online at www.inthelikeness.net.

Published in April, it is the first in a trilogy by Ford of "memoirs" retelling biblical accounts.

The series’ upcoming books will spotlight Jonah and the gospel story from the viewpoint of a fictional character.

Ford has also authored Whole Life: Looking Back While Looking Ahead published by Glenbridge Publishing and a play called Terminal published by Moose Enterprise Book and Theatre Play Publishing. He is also a humorous columnist for a national insurance trade magazine Agent Sales Journal.

When he’s not writing, Ford operates The Ford Group, an insurance marketing company. He has spent 36 years in the insurance business and holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from The University of Santa Clara as well as a master’s degree in financial services from The American College, a Pennsylvania college specializing in the study of financial services.

Ford lives with his wife of 37 years. They attend the First Baptist Church of Colleyville.