8How many times can you cheat death on your path to enlightenment? Meet Ralph Corky Matson, a modern-day urban shaman who consistently beats the odds. In this captivating memoir, Matson leads us through Woodstock, down drug alleys, over mountain ashrams and around gamblers on a never-ending quest for higher consciousness as he struggles with his inner demons--and angels. Born to a devoted mother who struggled to protect him from the unjustified hatred of a tyrannical father, Matson grew up in poverty with a negative self-image that haunted him even as he associated with remarkable people such as Ram Dass, Timothy Leary, Rammurti S. Mishra, Swami Rama, Elias DeMohan and Patricia Cota Robles. His many brushes with death, including accidents, tumors, overdoses and heart failure only confirmed his spiritual beliefs and demonstrated the miraculous power of healing. Journey with him as he not only overcomes the hardships of an uncertain early life, but grieves the loss of two wives to illness and forgives the father who tormented him. There is a tangible love felt in these pages, for every character we encounter. Even in his depictions of heartbreak or cruelty, Matson generously renders a world--and a philosophy--of devotion, kindness, and perseverance that is the underlying thread of his life story. Edgy, yet inspirational, Prodigious Son: A Memoir of Miracles offers hope and spiritual awakening in the middle of despair.