Book Description

When special-education teacher Torey Haydenwrote her first book One Child almost twodecades ago, she created an internationalbestseller. Her intensely moving true story ofSheila, a silent, profoundly disturbed littlesix-year-old girl touched millions. From everycorner of the world came letters from readerswanting to know more about the troubled childwho had come into Torey Hayden's class as a"hopeless case," and emerged as the very symbolof eternal hope within the human spirit.

Now, for all those who have never forgotten thisendearing child and her remarkable relationshipwith her teacher, here is the surprising story ofSheila, the young woman.

Reviews (33)

Satisfyingly realistic
I first read One Child when I was thirteen, and it was a powerful force in my life, impacting me more deeply than any other story I have ever read. I related somewhat at thirteen to her life at six, and have read the book millions of times since, always wondering what became of Sheila and what her life might be like now. So when I discovered this sequal yesterday, it was like a goldmine. My biggest emotional reaction was deep sorrow, because One Child WAS like a fairy tale that had led us to believe that Sheila would probably be all right now that Torey had given her the wings to fly. But reality tended to beat Sheila up one side and down the other like a spiked club, and she no longer had anyone to help her through it. I look at Sheila as having lived her life very much alone with the exception of the five months in Torey's classroom in Marysville. Is five months really enough to build a sturdy enough platform for this kid? All kids need constant care and attention; kids in healthy households living comparatively idyllic lives still clamor for more and more attention, love and care. Six is not really big enough to take on the world and conquer it and all its horrors alone, it is barely big enough to tie one's own shoes and remember where your mittens are! I can completely see Sheila's point when she accused Torey of offering her a world full of color and warmth and then sweeping it all away. Sheila was abused before Torey came, while Torey was there, and after she left. Torey's subsequent disappointment at finding this relatively human teenager, including dyed hair and common teenish speech patterns, is naive on her part. What did she expect? She hadn't been there; when Sheila was being abused and shifting around in foster homes, where was Torey, and what right did she have to judge Sheila now, at a still-tender thirteen? What right did she have to expect ANYTHING? Sure, it appears as if Torey is this wonderful goddess-type teacher that goes the 800 extra miles for Sheila, but Torey had never had to deal with Sheila's life on a day-to-day basis, could have no idea. The real hero is Sheila, who IS a survivor, who did remarkably well with herself considering she's sprung from horrors most of us can hardly imagine experiencing ourselves. She shouldn't have to feel grateful for what Torey's done for her; as a child, it was the least she could expect from somebody. It is Sheila who created herself, and what an extraordinary person.

I Bought This One In Hardcover...
Normally, I do not buy hardcover books. I wait until they are released in paperback or become available at the library. But when I saw the sequel to one of my all time favorite books, "One Child", at the bookstore right after its' release, I snatched it up immediately and ran to the cash register! That night I read the whole book from start to finish without stopping. For years I had wondered what became of Sheila after Torey's last glimpse of her through the school bus window, and now that I had the answer in my hands I could not put it down. It was heartbreaking to learn that the happiness and love that Sheila discovered in Torey's classroom did not last after she left. However, the story of she survived despite her many hardships, even finding some of that happiness again when she and Torey were reunited, was fascinating and often tearjerking. I have read and loved all of Torey Hayden's books. This is one of the best. I would love to see Sheila write her own book from her point of view some day!

Sobering & Honest
Having read One Child over and over and over again starting at the age of ten, I was euphoric to come upon The Tiger's Child in a bookstore 15 years later. I had wondered about Sheila my whole life, worked for several years in a preschool in great part due to that astonishing tale. I believe all the magic that was in the first book, because that is the truth about the reality of children. The Tiger's Child was somehow more sad, even if in much subtler & less horrifying ways than the first book. Sheila had left her childhood, and Torey L. Hayden (who was just 24 in the first book!) was not in a position to help her to quite the extent that she had been able to in the earlier years. Torey L. Hayden writes very honestly and does not attempt to soften any of the difficulties in this later period. Her work as a teacher is remarkable & awe-inspiring... I just wish that somehow the world had continued to provide for Sheila as much as Torey had been able to in One Child. I ache that the extraordinary, brilliant light that was Sheila was not left with as purely a happpy ending as the first book leads us to believe is possible...but I strongly recommend reading both stories.

Satisfying and Heart-Warming
When I first heard about TIGER'S CHILD, I knew that I had to read it to find out what had happened to Sheila. I was not disappointed. I found that Sheila had carried a great deal of anger around with her all these years toward Torey for "showing her the good life and then deserting her just like her mother had." This rather dumb-founded Torey, because she was just doing what all teachers do at the end of a school year--saying good-bye to her students and moving on. Torey had to work very hard in this book to build up a trust level again. Sheila was not going to make this easy. However, the ending was satisfying; and we are left knowing that Sheila will be all right. I don't know how Torey makes her writing such compelling reading. I could not put the book down--even when I needed to look at scenery on a vacation. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a heart-warming read.

Revealing and exciting!
I read the prequel, ONE CHILD, over 20 years ago. I was ecstatic to find out that this sequel existed! Finally, I would find out what happened with six year old Sheila, the young girl that captured the hearts of millions! I certainly cannot say her life took any of the turns I had hoped for, imagined, or expected, but every turn was certainly exciting!

I love the way this author is so honest about her own mistakes in life and her ability to work so well with so many special kids inspite of or even because of those mistakes and her willingness to admit them. Her words are so well-chosen and that made this book easy to read and follow, yet the story itself carried my emotions on a roller-coaster ride that was certainly worth the price of the ticket!

Just as ONE CHILD left me wanting to know more, years ago, THE TIGER'S CHILD answered many old questions, yet still left me wanting to know more about how Sheila fairs throughout her lifetime!

I highly recommend reading this book, either as the sequel to ONE CHILD or even as a stand-alone book! ... Read more

Book Description

This expanded second edition, which features a foreward by Dr. Temple Grandin, includes a new chapter entitled Getting Ready for College. New information on common sensory reactions has been added in an easy to read chart format. Finally, there's a new chapter on Shore's recent public involvement with autism spectrum related issues, including speaking at conferences and advocating for services for those on the spectrum. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

This Way of Being
In the beginning of Stephen's book, he writes about the sleeping dragon of autism reawakened and his quest to find out more about *this way of being* and its relation to him.

Beyond the Wall is a must read for a parent, teacher or professional. Parents often wonder what it is to be autistic, how they can help their child learn and grow thru the years, and how to help their loved one with hypo or hyper sensitivities and what will their child's future be like. Stephen's book will answer these very important questions.

Stephen just doesn't write about his love of music, he shows how his love of music can help an autistic child to learn. Stephen writes about self-advocacy and how important it is to teach a loved one how to self advocate. Stephen writes about his academic learning from grade school to college. He writes of his frustrations in his earlier accounting career. He writes of going back to school for post graduate studies and switching careers. He writes of his new career, living life and being married.

Beyond the Wall, is Stephen's autobiography, about being a son, brother, friend, educator, advocate and husband. Long after your done reading his book, you realize that todays autistic child will be tomorrow autistic adult and that Stephen has left the door open for all the children to follow.

Finally, a personal account by a person with a life!!
I write as a peer and friend of Stephen Shore. His book
is a great step forward for our community. It is focused,
practical, well documented and informative. Stephen is not
another "autistic lounge act." He is a mature, married,
serious person with a life way beyond the deserved acclaim
that this book will bring to him.

The book is especially useful since Stephen Shore,
like most of the observed people with our condition,
Asperger's Syndrome, is male. His is the first book written
by one of the majority gender, after almost four decades of
living this way, to give parents, siblings, professionals
and our younger peers a great overview of how to live
in a unique way with dignity.

A must read and a very enjoyable one!!

Jerry Newport Tucson, AZ

Author of "Your Life is Not a Label: A Guide to Living
Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome"

What It's Like On "The Inside"
As the father of a seven year old son who resides at the light end of the Autism Spectrum, I found Stephens book to be one of the very best I have read by someone who resides on The Spectrum themselves. It is also notable as one of the few autobiographical books by a male. Quite simply put, Stephen's forthrightness is wonderfully disarming. And his very unique ability (especially for someone actually on The Spectrum) to relate not only how the world appears to him but also how that reality fits into the one we nuero-typicals live in, shows an oversight I don't encounter in most typical adults. His positive example is nothing short of a godsend. Beyond giving us hope for our sons, daughters and loved ones who reside with Stephen in this very fascinating place, Stephen's book helps to unravel the mysteries we strive to understand every day. And that Stephen has achieved what he has thus far and has dedicated his life to furthering knowledge about and advocating for the individual on The Spectrum is testimony to this wonderful mans character (and to the loving devotion of his mother, his wife and his mentors!). I only hope my son strives to be half the man Stephen Shore has shown himself to be by this book. If you've just had The "Autism Bomb" fall on you - that is to say, just gotten the diagnosis, you owe it to yourself (and your loved one) to pick up this great book and start thinking positively now at the beginning of your journey, about your gifted child.

Beyond the Wall... a memoir on ASP/autism
There were definitely parts of the book that entertained me and parts of the book that taught me something. But, like most books which are essentially memoirs, there were large sections of the book that were a bit slow and relevant really to the writer more than anyone who might read it. Odd format... It is the author speaking but there are sections in a different font denoting a change in POV... that was a bit odd. Also included info from his mother--who is really hardly typical as she has both a MR child AND suffered from agrophobia--as well as his wife--who I felt sorry for. She is Chinese and in her country, this diagnosis is shameful. They were married three years before she KNEW about this... Made me sad for her.

I was encouraged that this fellow is married, gainfully employed and seems somewhat happy. Gave me hope for my son. Saw some things in his book that my son does, that I had no id'd as an ASP behavior. Definitely worth a look, but by far, not the best resource I've ever seen.

Viva La Difference!
As a professional therapist who has worked with ASD children for the last 6 years, Stephen's information is precious. After attending two conferences where Stephen lectured, I read his book and still learned more! He is warm, loving and very funny in person. He has so much information to share with us to help unlock the secret world of Autism. This info is pertinent to Parents, Siblings, Grandparents, Caregivers, Teachers, Therapists, Doctors and anyone else interested in truly understanding our ASD children! Keep writing and caring Stephen...we'll keep reading and cheering! ... Read more

Book Description

Not long ago, Karen Duffy was sitting on top of the world and loving it. From calling bingo in a nursing home, she'd taken the express elevator to the penthouse overlooking success street. She worked as a VJ on MTV, as a spokesmodel for Revlon, as a film actress in Dumb and Dumber and other movies, and as a correspondent on Michael Moore's irreverent, Emmy-winning TV Nation. She was selected as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" in the same year she won the Ernest Borgnine Look-alike Contest.

But suddenly Duffy's whirlwind life of celebrity parties and socializing with friends from George Clooney to Jim Carrey to Richard Gere came to an abrupt, grinding halt when she was stricken with a serious illness in one of its rarest forms: sarcoidosis of the central nervous system. The disease left her partially paralyzed, in tremendous pain, and at times near death.

Although she had a serious disease, Duffy soon realized that the only way for her to survive was not to take the disease too seriously. Instead of hiding from life, she chose to run toward it. She learned to embrace the chaos of a life-threatening disease with a wit and humor that helped her to find the love of her life at a time when things seemed darkest.

Model Patient is a gripping, inspiring, and hilarious memoir that recounts the singular triumphs and tragedies of coping with a chronic, life-threatening disease.

Model Patient is an unforgettable, illumnating story that captures Duff's indomitable joie de vivre, revealing how she lives and how she has survived. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Great, Inspiring
So many people buckle much more when faced with much less! I have been in love with this woman since I was like 15 years old, I have to admit, but I read the book in two days...well I am still in love with her. I wouldn't care if she had scariodosis, MLS, non-hodgikns lymphoma, leprosy and shingles all at the same time! If you're sick and you want to continue to live a happy, fufilling life, I think you could benefit both from Karen's practical advice (dealing with doctors, side-effects of medication) and her emotional approach to being seriously ill. I love the way she discussess support groups, herbal medicine and sentimentality in general. Duff rocks. I do not understand criticism of this book.

Entertaining, no-holds-barred book about overcoming hardship
Even without all those episodes of VH1's "Behind the Music," we know that there are way too many stories about celebrities who fall on hard times and have their lives wrecked for a multitude of reasons. When I first started reading "Model Patient," by TV personality/model/actress Karen Duffy, I was ready for another one of those charmed-life-hits-a-wall documentaries. As it turned out, I wound up pleasantly surprised.

I had always perceived "Duff" as a cute, stylish, somewhat saucy personality with a spiky sense of humor. This book alters that perception not one bit. Duff's story goes way beyond that of a living-life-large, party-chick celebrity who capitalized on resourceful ambition and good breaks to hit the big time after a dull middle-class upbringing, only to have tragedy bring her down to earth again. Aside from going into the details of sarcoidosis, I'd say that Duff did an excellent job of conveying how important focusing on life's big picture is, while still having the strength to mow down all the troublesome setbacks that appear almost daily to one with a life-threatening disease. Said another way, the support of friends, family and doctors is great, but a substantial amount of individual fortitude must complement this in order to prevail over a seemingly endless battery of medical tests, medications, or even a daily routine which has become literally painful. Duff is truly a survivor, and has developed a habit of thumbing her nose at death.

In addition to an interesting autobiography (even her husband wrote one of the chapters), Duff gives us her erudite advice about doctors' manners, outpatient tips, hospital etiquette, and even some self-deprecating humor and jokes about the medical profession. She recounts her life's tales in a way that is, at various times, philosophical, light-hearted, cocky, and witty. And, she's always optimistic. This book is amazingly upbeat, and definitely NOT in the style of "Tuesdays with Morrie" (a book about which Duff has some unkind words; I loved it), but the message of learning how to deal with setbacks, focusing on life's meaning, and keeping your head up at all times comes through just as clearly. Overall, it's a fun read.

Not Homer Simpson's kind of Duff.
Everyone wants to be a star, but no one wants to literally crystalize internally from sarcoidosis. That is the life, onscreen and off, of Karen "Duff" Duffy.

For the unbaptised, if Match Game were still around, Karen Duffy is the kind of all-around celeb that would be the next Brett Somers - Wiseacre, Girl Friday, Broad-in-the-making. She also meets the pain of a chronic disease with a glee that most people could not summon.

While a little of the "Duff" persona goes a long way, the sincerity of "Karen" is good medicine, page by happy spoonful. --Laurel825

Model Patient : My Life As an Incurable Wise-Ass
Full of self-absorption & name-dropping - could not make myself read the entire book. I bought it as inspiration for my mother who has Sarcoidosis & ended giving the book to Goodwill instead.

Funny and fun!
Uplifting for sick people. The author has a fun time even though she is sick. A good life lesson. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like Kurt Cobain, Nick Traina lived for punk rock (his bands made two CDs, Gift Before I Go and 17 Reasons), succumbed to heroin addiction, and died of suicide. His mom, Danielle Steel, takes us through her 19 twister-like years with Nick in a memoir more affecting than her potboiler novels. Like his AWOL addict father, Nick had good looks, bad behavior, and a yen for the feminine. Five days before he died, he phoned a woman he saw in a centerfold and had a new girlfriend by nightfall. But his fun was ever haunted by manic depression. At age 11, he was a bed wetter who ate all the Tylenol and Sudafed in the house. He first considered suicide at 13, as Steel learned by reading his diaries after his death.

There is tension in this story--one doctor told Steel if she could get Nick to live to 30, he'd probably live a normal life span. (For example, Nick's troubled dad resurfaced, sober, soon after his son's death.) And Steel conveys a sense of the intelligence Nick used to conceal his learning disability, and the irreverent charm that alternated with irrational rages. Oliver Sacks has urged us not to ask what neurological disease a person has, but what sort of person the disease has got hold of. Steel gives us a vivid sense of the costs of the disease to a family--and of the person who was Nick Traina. --Tim Appelo ... Read more

Reviews (165)

This Bright Light In A Dark World
After reading Danielle Steel's book and during the time that I was reading it I found it very haunting in the sense that living with bi-polar disorder myself how unfortunate and sad it really to suffer with this. I know that as a teenage I had put my peers and family thru a great deal of heartache and stress. I found it difficult to read in some areas because it reminded me of myself and how others viewed me. It is all the more tragic that Nick could not be alive today to write a personal perspective of his life and living with this disorder. It sometimes is very difficult to try to make others understand when you explain the disorder yourself and what you feel and all of the emotions you go thru. I found the book very insightful on Danielle Steel's perspective of living with a child who had this problem. I very much recommend this book to any parent or close friend who lives with a loved one who is bi-polar.

the truth about bipolar disease
it took me a few days to finish the book, for one thing, I was afraid of what I might dicover about being manic depressive because I got this nasty feeling that I am but maybe not as worst as the condition of Nick. I think the book would be a great help for people like me, coz somehow in the words of her beloved mom, you''ll have an idea how painful would it be for your loved ones to be left and wonder why on earth can't you help yourself. I just wish that I'll always remember this book, I wish every person on earth would take time to read this. Life is a struggle and we have to face the fact that it is inevitable to feel so much pain, pain that you can't even imagine you can handle, but that's life has to offer. And for Nick, I think he's a great guy and really really funny. I just wish he had learn to hold on. I adore Danielle Steel for everything she had done and Julie, and I'd like to thank D.S. for writing this book. I think those people who have lived with Nick and known him are one of the luckiest persons on earth because they got to live with someone like him.

My 1st Danielle Steel Book...Ever.
I admit it. I've never read a Danielle Steel book. I've never been interested enough, although I know many people who rave about her. Her stories just aren't necessarily my "cup of tea." However, I was highly recommended this true-story book about her son's life by a friend of mine, so I decided to give it a try.

I got to experience DS's flair for writing and its conversational style. It was very easy to read and held my interest. Pages flowed into the next. I can see her widespread appeal.

Not only was the story sad yet uplifting, but "His Bright Light" helped me to understand manic depressive behavior intimately as DS learned it herself over the years. It was quite the lesson in psychology for those who don't want to get bogged down with or can't quite grasp the technical or scientific aspects of it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about the disease, her son's life, as well as DS's life. She provides some great autobiographical material for those interested. It's a quick read, and it'll be worth the effort, especially if you know someone with similar challenges in their own life...

His Bright Light
This book is a true story written by Danielle Steel portraying the life of her son Nick Traina who was diagnosed with manic depression and committed suicide at the age of 19 yrs. Danielle Steel, a picture of beauty and strength, writes very candidly about the struggles she endured in raising him amidst a large family and a busy schedule. The book tends to be somewhat graphic, a little morbid, but might be very helpful for parents who struggle with difficult children or those suffering from mental illness in their lives. I appreciate Danielle Steel as an author even more after reading this book because of her willingness to share her true feelings and pain.

Very stimulating
I read this book about five years ago and I still think about it and some of the things that happened in it. I am bipolar and do not have people that I can talk about it with and sometimes I think I am totally crazy for some of the feelings and thoughts I have. Reading this book helped me to see that I am not alone, that others with the illness have the same actions. I also feel for his entire family because I know what I have put mine through. I was around 30 when I started having bipolar episodes and I have lived with it for 10 years. I hope they find a cure some day so we can all be free. ... Read more

Book Description

Bill Porter worked for the Watkins Corp., selling household products door-to-door in one of Portland’s worst neighborhoods. Afflicted with cerebral palsy and burdened with continual pain, Porter was determined not to live on government disability and went on to become Watkins’s top-grossing salesman in Portland, the Northwest, and the U.S. This book was written by the woman who worked as Porter’s typist and driver and later became his friend and cospeaker. The "ten things" include Mother Knows Best, Persistence Pays Off, and Know Your Limits but Reach Beyond Them. This is an inspiring story with real-life lessons about tenacity in the face of daunting odds.

Mr. Porter was profiled in a piece on 20/20 and his amazing story is the basis for a made for T.V. movie starring William H. Macy that will air July 14th on TNT. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Flawed book but Bill Porter shines through
Like so many other people, I find Bill Porter deeply inspiring. Much has been written about the reactions Bill elicits in people, but this is a situation in which words fail most of us.

Bill is a product of an earlier, vanished time. I think that's a big part of his appeal. His genuine humility and determination mark him as an unwilling hero.

As others have commented, this slender tome is much too much about Shelly Brady and not enough about Bill. As Bill himself has said from time to time, he employed Shelly. She may be "an angel", but she was an angel on a salary.

If you can't imagine an associate of Mohatma Gandhi writing a book about Gandhi's teachings, but instead going on at length about his own obscure life, you won't like _Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter_. The "I" in the title seems to be the clue to the book's content.

I got through _Ten Things_ by skimming the Brady portions, but even the Bill anecdotes had a Shelly spin. I never felt a connection with the man. For that, you'll need to see _Door to Door_, now available on DVD right here on Amazon.com. It's a work of fiction, and yet it feels so much more real.

A Story with Heart
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Shelly's book is about her life long friendship and employment with Bill Porter. This is Shelly's story. It is not an autobiography of Bill Porter.(Read that right on the cover.)It is the engaging story of how a young high school girl went to work for a disabled man, and bonded with him in such an enduring way that her employer became as part of her family. And visa versa. Bill Porter is an amazing man and that shines through in this story. His mother must have been quite a lady. I applaud Mrs Brady for wanting to record this part of her life and sharing it with others. This book is a light read, perfect for Christmas presents.

Well worth an afternoon.
Forget all the mean-spirited reviews from people who totally missed the reason for the book. It was NEVER touted as a biography of Bill. (Would you petty naysayers please read the title of the book again!) It was about the profound effect Bill's life had on Shelly Brady. As one astute reviewer noted, the word "I" is in the title. Read the book, take its' many uplifting messages to heart and enjoy the journey of a true American hero and know that anything is possible with enough belief. Both Bill and Shelly have enjoyed a friendship without any barriers that we all wish we had. A remarkable book.

A nice light read, but a very powerful story
I fell in love with the story of Bill Porter when I was in high school. I saw the piece on 20/20 and something about it just stuck with me. I was extremely excited when the movie with William H. Macy came out, and eventually came across this book.
The book itself is a light read. (I finished it in one sitting). Some people have complained that Shelly Brady centers too much on herself, and that caused them not to enjoy the book. I felt the opposite. At some points while I was reading, it felt as if I was sitting down to lunch with Shelly and she was just telling me about Bill.
I definitely reccommend this book, look into the movie, "Door to Door" as well.

This is an amazing story.
I first saw this story on TV and after I finished crying, I decided I had to read the book. I was amazed at how much detail about Bill Porters life wasnt in the movie, and really made the story so much more amazing. If the TV show moved you, you will love this book. It will inspire you to know that you can overcome any adversity. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (39)

An important book as well as a great read!
I came across this book randomly in a second hand store but it struck me and I took it home and read it in it's entirety that night. While some reviewers have felt that Caroline Kettlewell was gloryifying her cutting I disagree. The way she wrote about it expressed how she felt at the time she cut. It was a wonderful way to overcome her other problems, to her, while she knew it was wrong, it was still a blessing. I have been struggling with depression for most of my life and I still have to fight to keep from cutting. In reading this book I felt so much less alone than ever before.

Something I feel is important about this book is that it is a first hand account. Caroline Kettlewell gives information on cutting that is scientifically based but it is only to give insight to her experience. So much of society had misconceptions about people struggling with depression, cutting, and eating disorders among other mental diseases and illness' that I find it very important for people to read about a real live person. Give a person to go with the disease. So many sufferers are defined by their problems and "outsiders" can't see past that.

Caroline Kettlewell also happens to have a degree in English which makes this book an extremely pleasant read. It is well written and while it does include the science behind the psychology it is in understandable terms; you don't feel like you're reading a text book. The personal account of a disease starting in preadolescence until adulthood and how it was overcome gives hope to sufferers and a new point of view to their friends and families. A MUST read.

Every scar tells a story
As you grow up, you're taught that every scar tells a story and I believe that Caroline Kettlewell has proved that point.

This book is a remarkable memoir of growing up with self-mutilation. She tells of how it looked, felt, etc. It can get a bit graphic, but sometimes, you need the graphic stuff in order to understand the feelings.

I think that this book is exquisite. I think every self-injurer could identify with the feelings that Caroline went through. I think that non-'cutters' could identify with some of the feelings, too.

This book gives cutters a feeling of not being alone and non-cutters a way to understand what it's like to hurt so much that you have to hurt yourself.

There aren't enough words to describe how awesome this book is. I just hope that it helps you to understand how serious self-mutilation really is.

The Choice was mines...
I finish reading Kettelwell's "Skin Games" It only took me about two weeks to read it. I have to say, I didn't like in the beginning when she refer to her scars as "Sins" but I did like how she threw in the whole Southern experience, "Scarlett O'Hara" and "Gone with the Wind," I'm a sucker for that culture.

Kettlewell writing is a little strong for me. She made me, the reader, feel benith her; She uses such words expressing her cutting that to the mind of an English teacher would understand, but to the simple minded reader...she needed to use small words...She jumps from first person point of view to third persons.

She writes of her life as a long script. She is the actor and this is her play. Such as her first wedding date when she writes "I show up on the Church's lawn, Half hour before it all begin. I came in shorts and a shirt, and I had my wedding dress thrown over my shoulder..." She's done research that can be apply to her own personal life. She writes about how she had to lie to tell people about her cutting, as "Did tell a lie to keep myself happy, or did I tell it not to worry them?"

In the end, she brought everything together, when she writes "I stop cutting because I always could have stop cutting; that the pain and inelegant truth. No Matter how compelling the urge, the act itself was always a choice. I had no power over flood tite of emotions that drove me to that brink, but I had the power to decide whether not to step over. Eventually I decided not to......You have to make your journey, and bear its scars" I think that is so true and cleverly written.

Its myself who is cutting and this is hard to admit. I am the one who is holding the razor to my flesh, and I am the one who cleans it up afterwards. I can't blame it on no one but myself. I don't have control over people's though, words and actions that can sometimes lead me to cut, but I am the one who is doing it. I can't (yet) control my thoughts and emotions, but I can control my actions.

The choice was mine, and mine completely. I could have any prize that I desired. I could burn with the splendor of the brightest fire, Or else, I could choose time. Its like once you put your hand in the flame you can never be the same. There's a certain satisfaction in a little bit of pain. You learn form that. Life is a learning experience.

So I actually took something away from Kettlewell Story. Granted it might not have been what I wanted...but its something that I always knew.

This book went nowhere
Memoir is one of my favorite genres, but this book was so disjointed I just couldn't get into it. The author throws in random chapters in her life but never explains how they relate to her cutting. She never explains what events motivate her to take a razor to her skin. A memoir is supposed to be intimate, but in this book the author as an adult seems so detached from her adolescent self. If she doesn't know what made her cut, why did she write a book about nothing? There are no epiphanies here. Also the book is written in an annoying College English Term Paper "Look at me" style. (Too many similes, metaphors, cutesy modifiers, etc.)Completely uninspiring. I give 2 stars because I enjoyed the chapters about growing up in Rural Virginia. For a good memoir, read "Angela's Ashes" or "Even Dogs Go Home To Die."

Skin Game review
I (as a cutter myself) know the emotions the author is realiting to in this book, at first i found it as an excellent referenst to say to people "read this page - that is how i feel today" and then i got to the grafic parts, she goes into a lot of detail, a word of warning to anyone reading this on their road to recovery, make sure u are safe when reading as some of its contents may be Triggering. ... Read more

Book Description

Truddi Chase began therapy to discover why she suffered fromblackouts. What surfaced was terrifying: she was inhabited by 'the Troops'-92 individual personalities. This groundbreaking true story is made all the more extraordinary in that it was written by the Troops themselves. What they reveal is a spellbinding descent into a personal hell-and an ultimate deliverance for the woman they became.

"Fascinating...unusual and very emotionally touching." (Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, thepsychiatrist who treated Sybil)

"Extraordinary...A nightmarish story." (The Chicago Tribune)

"Startling...powerful." (The San Francisco Chronicle)

"Horrifying, compelling...extremely disturbing." (Psychology Today)

"Remarkable...alarmingly real and courageous." (Toronto Sun)

"Provocative reading...fascinating." (Library Journal)

"Searing...a truly moving and thought-provoking work...an unplifting and inspiring story of a survivor." (Sojourner: The Women's Forum) ... Read more

Reviews (68)

A RIVETING, HEART-RENDERING STORY!
As a counsellor, I have encountered two individuals with Multiple Personality Disorder, a traumatic emotional affliction which is a result of a severe traumatic experience in childhood, generally extreme physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse. The mind has its own unique built-in defense system which has the potential to create other personalities to help absorb the pain, fear and humiliation.

"When Rabbit Howls" is the story of one such woman whose mind "split" and created 92 different personalities. The book gives the reader a clearer understanding of MPD, its's causes and effects, and explains how individuals with MPD can go on to live productive, fulfilling lives with the help of professional therapy.

For those interested in reading of similar cases of MPD, I also suggest reading, "Becoming One," by Sarah Olson, "Sybil" by Flora Rhets Schreiber, "First Person Plural" by Dr. Cameron West, and "Silencing the Voices. All of these are excellent books and each one is deserving of a five-star rating.

MPD yes. But also a profound insight into human existence.
I was gripped by this book from cover to cover. You can read the other reviews for MPD relevance and the difficulties of relating to sexual abuse. But I suggest you read the book anyway. Don't worry about sympathy for the authors, but when you have read the book reflect on the troop and their perspective. The "real" world view is that this is a fractured personality, but the troop members do not want to be "cured" or unified because they would lose their individual identities. They would die. They exist in their perception as individuals just as we out here perceive our individuality. Consider, for a while, that you are one personality in a multiple personality. It is hard to tell the difference. Then who is the whole? I'm left with what our society calls God. This book is a beautiful description of one physical entities experience. The experience isn't great, but the generosity and huge commitment is beautiful. I recommend this book to any one with an interest in finding themselves and improving their own experience. A profound and though provoking read. Thank you.

Mind consuming
This book is written in a variety of styles. Nevertheless, to read it is to somehow be able to look inside the mind of one unique multiple and experience in a small way the horror she survived.
It is disturbing to the mind of one who has never experienced such a life, but at the same time, I can imagine that it would bring huge relief and confirm much, to the mind of one who has suffered some of the same types of abuse this woman has suffered.
DID is a process whereby the mind is able to split off, in order to protect the core person from the atrocities it has suffered. The alters do a great job of allowing the person to not only survive but function well in everyday life. The time comes though in adulthood when the desire to be normal overrides the desire to continue to function the old way.
With Trudi, she chose not to integrate and also chose to get to know all 90 plus alters, giving each one time. Her story is not over, in that I can find no mention of an update anywhere on the internet. She seems to have faded away.
Reading this book will help the multiple, the therapist and the friend. If you are newly diagnosed or have suffered sexual abuse, be forewarned, there is much graphic detail that will upset you.

Fantastic
This is a fantastically done book. It is well worth the read. What this child went through is astounding. The courage to come to the other side is amazing. Abuse is abuse is abuse no matter what form it comes in. For a child to survive is a feat in itself. I applaud this author!
Other books to look for along the lines of abuse,courage and self healing are: Nightmares Echo, A Child Called It,Sickened and Running With Scissors.
Kathy Hunter

Passable
Clinially speaking, the validity of this book is suspect. If what the author writes about herself is true, this book would never have been written - at least not by the author. It doesn't follow. At every page I got the feeling that I was reading a poor forgery.
It offers little insight, if any, into the rare problem of multiple personalities. There is no follow up to speak of. I got the impression that the author got tired of thinking up what to say and just gave up.
If you're looking for an in-depth study of what a person with multiple personalities is going through, as this book claims to give, you won't find it here.

Pass on this one. It's shallow. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Any parent who has suspected something was off with their baby will empathize with the first chapters of The Boy Who Loved Windows, which recounts the familiar tale of medical practitioners refusing to run tests or offer diagnoses. You'll empathize even more when it turns out that mom (and author) Patricia Stacey was right: young Walker is autistic. It's partially the empathy that makes this such a compelling read. Some chapters are devoted to Walker's life at home; others mix his development with medical details. The facts are wrenching: an estimated 1 in 500 people has some level of autism, causes are unclear, and the expectation for a cure is microscopic. But midway through the book, the family meets up with Dr. Stanley Greenspan (The Child With Special Needs), who introduces new techniques that spread rapidly to Walker's assorted therapists. Progress begins, if at a glacial pace. Stacey lets readers into her emotional process over the years she details; her anger, frustration, and concern over the rest of her family and her wild joy at some seemingly minor events provide a roller coaster in contrast to the more methodical research explanation. As a complement to more direct parenting books on autism or simply as a fascinating look at the early development of an atypical child, this book makes good on the promise of its intriguing title. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A Welcome New Voice in Literary Nonfiction
I inhaled this book in two days. Patricia Stacey's breathtaking style, as she relates gripping family drama one minute and ponders the philosophical intricacies of the mind-body connection the next, weaves together the strands of raw gold that form her story, gold that might have emerged heavy and tarnished in the hands of a lesser writer. Like another reviewer, I recommend it to anyone who loves a child, who is interested in developmental psychology, to the many parents who struggle for the confidence to raise their children according to their own instincts in the face of a society that relentlessly questions them--but more than anything else, this is a book for anyone who is interested in reading about the mysteries that are the human condition. For in telling us her story, Pat illuminates all stories, especially family stories. An avid reader, much of what I read comes and goes; this book will stay with me and I am grateful Pat has written it.

The Boy Who Loved Windows
The Boy Who Loved Windows: Opening the Heart and Mind of a Child Threatened With Autism by Patricia Stacey is a wonderfully rich, poignant book that is compelling and beautifully written. As a clinician working with children and families on the autistic spectrum I have come to know and work with many children and their families. This book gives a clear picture describing the components that make up the autism spectrum and gives hope to all of those who are diagnosed.

Ms. Stacey describes what happened with her own son and family in beautiful prose while giving clear, practical information on how to help and work with all children. We need to follow their lead, encourage them to be engaged with us and help them to grow using the developmental model. The method that Ms. Stacey chose to use with her son (Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship Based) helped him to engage, attend and enjoy relationships and the world around him.

I find that this book is many things. It is mostly about possibility for change and growth. When a child is diagnosed with having an autism spectrum disorder it affects the whole family system. The hopelessness and despair that parents feel upon having their fears confirmed can be, and often is devastating. In many areas of the country older intervention methods are relied upon and people are not aware that newer methodologies exist-let alone work. Ms. Stacey gives her readers many gifts in her book. She gives clear information on Sensory Integration, Autism Spectrum Disorders, courage and hope.

This book is a must read for parents, family, friends and professionals. Whether you know someone on the spectrum or not, you will gain a new level of understanding on what it is like to live the life of a parent of a child with autism, what a child with autism means to the family and community and that there are wonderful new interventions available to help the child (or adult) to change and grow in a positive way.

Ms. Stacey's book is not about shunning the autism community or those on the autism spectrum. Stanley Greenspan, M.D., puts it beautifully when he talks about working with those with communication and learning disorders-"redefining potential". It is about giving hope and help and that there is potential for each child on the spectrum-and that each of us can do better, can climb the developmental ladder and be more comfortable within ourselves, in the world and with one another. This is the message that comes through in the book and it is an amazing gift to readers.

buyer beware
Readers of this book please keep in mind this is from a parents perspective. There is no "cure" for autism. Therapies do offer children ways to cope. There are many statements in this book which are not accurate so consult with your doctor or autism specailist.

Book Deserves Ten Stars!!!
The Boy Who Loved Windows engages the reader at every level - as a personal memoir, a family chronicle, a medical narrative, and a philosophical meditation. Like a master photographer, Patricia Stacey moves confidently among these genres, zooming in until we feel ourselves inhabiting the same space as Walker and his family, then pulling back to give a panoramic view of the medical research and philosophical questions underpinning the diagnosis and treatment of autism. Stacey's "voice" rings with such clarity, curiosity and compassion that it brings to mind the wonderful work of Oliver Sacks, the renown neurologist, professor, and author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars. Like Sacks, Stacey honors what is unique to each individual while extracting what is universal about all of us. By so vividly imagining herself inside Walker's autistic body and mind, she enlarges our understanding of what being human is essentially about. No matter what disease, disorder, defect or disability may befall us - early in life or later on - we all strive for greater self-awareness even as we reach out to the world around us.

If you approach this book with an expansive mind, it will reward you with fresh insights and intuitive leaps. In my case, I was struck by the author's description of Greenspan's presentation of floor time as a "philosophy of moments." This is the essence of the practice of mindfulness - being open to an awareness of the moment. It occurred to me that floor time is to a child with autism spectrum disorder what the practice of mindfulness is to an adult with an acutely sensitive nervous system. Whether child or adult, many individuals have nervous systems that often cause them to feel overwhelmed by the world and stymied on their path to self-discovery. For them, the practice of mindfulness leads to a relaxed state of attentiveness to both the inner world of thoughts and feelings and the outer world of actions and perceptions. Like floor time, mindful engagement not only increases connection with words and objects, but also increases connection with people. Along with a focus on moments, the themes of joyful learning and empathy building are prominent in both floor time and mindfulness. Stacey puts it beautifully when she writes that floor time is "about two things, about building tolerance and about building humanity."

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has come to understand him/herself (or a family member) as having a highly sensitive nervous system. Whether you've come to this realization through an experience with autism spectrum disorder, developmental language disorder (like dyslexia), attention deficit disorder, or affective spectrum disorder (like migraine, obsessive-compulsive or panic disorder), this book will enlarge your understanding of that experience. As Stacey observes near the end of the book, our culture has long neglected the development of highly individualized nervous systems. Through the introduction of floor time, she writes, Greenspan has taught us "that playing to the nervous system of a loved one is a matter of being mindful and watchful."

There is no known cure or quick fix for autism or any of the other spectrum disorders that have a significant sensory processing dysfunction. Contrary to what a previous reviewer writes, Stacey never claims there is cure for autism. A close reading of the book shows clearly that Stacey herself questions the use of the word "cure" in relation to autism as she struggles to better understand what differentiates autism "that is treatable from autism that isn't." Through her extensive social science research and her deep philosophical questioning, Stacey tries to bring some clarity to the medical nomenclature of diagnosis and treatment and she courageously approaches the essential mind/body problem that continues to divide psychologists and philosophers around the nature of Self and Other; Perception and Language; and Emotions, Behavior, and Cognition. What Stacey conveys so beautifully in the telling of Walker's story is stunningly simple and resoundingly true - we all want to feel at home in the world.

Extraordinary Story, Beautifully Told
From the moment I started this book I couldn't put it down. Patricia Stacey writes with exquisite detail, honesty and humor about the desperate journey she and her family began upon the birth of her son Walker. As I read of her race to uncover what was at the root of Walker's diffficulties, and to help him connect with her and the world at large, I too felt panic, chaos, exhilaration and hope. The book does an extraordinary job of making sensory integration understandable, and provides great detail about the specific therapies, especially Floortime, that enabled Walker to blossom. But this book is not only for parents of children with autism, or clinicians. Ms. Stacey puts beautiful words to larger thoughts and questions about how we all connect to each other that will linger long after finishing the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Early on the morning of September 11, 2001, Lauren Manning-a wife, the mother of a ten-month-old son, and a senior vice president and partner at Cantor Fitzgerald-came to work, as always, at One World Trade Center. As she stepped into the lobby, a fireball exploded from the elevator shaft, and in that split second her life was changed forever.

Lauren was burned over 82.5 percent of her body. As he watched his wife lie in a drug-induced coma in the ICU of the Burn Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Greg Manning began writing a daily journal. In the form of e-mails to family, friends, and colleagues, he recorded Lauren’s harrowing struggle-and his own tormented efforts to make sense of an act that defies all understanding. This book is that e-mail diary: detailed, intimate, inspiring messages that end, always, as if a prayer for a happy outcome:

LOVE, GREG & LAUREN

We share this story day by astonishing day. Greg writes of the intricate surgeries, the painful therapies, and the constant risk of infection Lauren endured. Through his eyes we come to know the doctors, nurses, aides, and therapists who cared for her around the clock with untiring devotion and sensitivity. We also come to know the families with whom he shared wrenching hospital vigils for their own loved ones who were waging a battle that some would not win.

It was, most of all, Greg’s belief that Lauren would win her brave fight for life that kept him writing. Through his eyes we see what she could not-their toddler’s first steps, the video of his first birthday party, the compassionate messages of hope from around the world. And we are there as Lauren gradually emerges into awareness, signaling first with her eyes, then with smiles, her understanding of the words Greg speaks to her, the poems he recites, the songs he plays.

Most miraculously, we are there when Lauren walks out of the Burn Center.

The world knows all too well both the nightmare and the heroism that have marked this terrible time in history. But no account of September 11 matches the astonishing personal story Greg Manning records in these spontaneous and heartfelt pages. It is a story that invites us to share, e-mail after e-mail, the perilous course of a mortally wounded woman who by sheer will and courage emerges from near death because she is determined to live for her husband and her son. And it is equally the story of a man who, as he stays by her side through these long weeks and months, discovers anew the depth of his love and admiration for the woman who becomes his hero. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Touching story of a woman's journey to hell and back.
"Love, Greg and Lauren," by Greg Manning, is the true story of a woman's miraculous escape from death. Lauren Manning, a senior vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald, stepped into the lobby of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11th, 2001, just as a fireball emerged and engulfed her. Lauren was burned over eighty percent of her body.

Lauren's doctors at the Burn Center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital did not expect Lauren to survive her grave injuries. However, Lauren Manning was no ordinary patient. First, she had an enormous will to survive, in order to resume her life with her husband, Greg, and with her ten-month-old son, Tyler. In addition, the staff at the Burn Center was incredibly skilled, and fiercely determined to save as many victims of September 11th as they possibly could. Finally, the prayers and good wishes of people from all over the world were with Lauren and her family.

The book is Greg's e-mail diary of Lauren's remarkable recovery. It is a tribute to Lauren's courage, to the skill and dedication of the marvelous doctors and nurses who cared for her, and to the love and support of her friends and family.

"Love, Greg and Lauren" is not elegantly written, but it nonetheless has great impact. We feel the emotional duress, the pain, and the uncertainty that this couple and their family suffered as Lauren battled back, step-by-step, until she was finally pronounced "out of the woods." I recommend that you read this poignant account. It is a testament to the tremendous power of the human spirit.

Inspiring and Insightful!
Greg&Lauren accurately explores the events that occurred on 9/11 and it poignantly chronicles the strength of the human spirit. The author has succeeded in providing both a unique and compelling exploration into the utter devistation that 9/11 reaped on both his family and the industry and companies that he and Lauren worked for.
His eye for detail let me explore (tearfully at times) the agonies of a burn injury as well as the incredible love they have for one another. Laced throughout the story is the power of prayer and its' ability to positively affect the human condition.
This book is a must for historical insights of 9/11 by someone that actually worked at the Trade Center. It is also a book to keep on the shelves for any couple or family faced with the devastation of an injury either physical or pychological. I am certainly a more enlightened and giving person since experiencing Greg&Lauren. Hooray for them and their bravery and all of us as Americans!

Something rubbed me the wrong way...
...about this book. While I cannot begin to imagine the horrors Lauren has experienced and I wish her and her family the best,I was left a little cold by the contents of some of Greg's missives. There are frequent references throughout the book to Lauren's beauty, and the reader is left with the feeling that it's Greg who is more dissappointed with Lauren's swollen face and missing hair than she is. Also -- Greg spent quite a few nights playing bass with his band at local bars while his wife lay in her hospital bed. Who was home with baby Tyler each and every night? Lauren's parents, who receive little in the book in the way of thanks. They're the true heroes of this story.

Hero!
The book is very good but there are slow moments.
I would not want to go through the pain she did. I give
her a high 5 for wanting to survive. I think the love
around her made her survive. Greg is also a hero. What
a wonderful man he is.
Read the book, but with the understanding it can be slow
but worth it.

Touching but a bit slow..
Love, Greg & Lauren is a touching story of a woman who remarkably heals after being burned on over 82% of her body on 9/11. Through her healing process Greg, her husband, talks about her day to day recovery and how all those around Lauren were counting on her to help heal those who lost loved ones.

It's a slow starting book, but in the end you'll be glad you finished it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Christopher Reeve has beaten the odds before. He scored his first role in a Euripides play at 15, costarred with Katharine Hepburn at 22, and was one of two advanced-program students accepted at Juilliard, to which 2,000 drama students annually apply. (The other advanced student became his best friend, Robin Williams.) Reeve rode a sailplane to 32,000 feet over Pikes Peak, fell 90 feet from a parasail harness into four feet of water and walked away. He survived emergency appendectomy, malaria in Kenya, and the disastrous film Changing Channels, with Burt Reynolds. He flew vintage airplanes upside down. On his first solo transatlantic flight, a radar controller informed him he was about to run out of gas 200 miles west of Iceland. The radar controller had misread his screen, and Reeve landed safely.

Then, in 1995, his horse balked at a 3-foot-3-inch racecourse fence, made an abrupt "dirty stop," Reeve's hands got tangled in the reins, he landed on his head and got a "hangman's injury"--a broken neck.Ace paramedics got oxygen to him 60 seconds before brain damage set in, and a helicopter named Pegasus lofted him to a hospital.

Reeve was already important. His interpretation of Superman was classic, and his starring role in The Bostonians launched the Merchant/Ivory school of filmmaking. But it was not until his paralysis that Reeve really got moving as a public figure of the first rank. As his memoir Still Me details, since the accident, Reeve has directed his first film, started the Christopher Reeve Foundation to fund spinal-cord-repair research, lobbied Congress, and crisscrossed the country on speaking engagements.

Says Reeve, "Lindbergh made it across the Atlantic [where he was feted by Reeve's grandma]; Houdini got out of those straitjackets; with enough money and grass-roots support, why shouldn't I be able to get out of this wheelchair?" Part Hollywood reminiscence, part scientific detective story, and part soapbox speech, Still Me explains the tantalizing but quite real possiblity that Reeve (and a quarter-million other paralyzed people, plus 49 million disabled Americans) may get back on their feet. Bobby Kennedy once tried to bolster Reeve's faith by saying, "Just fake it till you make it. The prayers will seem phony, but one day they'll become real." Christopher Reeve has more than a prayer, he has a program. He ain't fake, and he just might make it, leading a cast of millions. --Tim Appelo ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Great insight and inspiration
Chris Reeve is no literary genius, but he can certainly spin a tale. As difficult as it already is for someone to write a good, engaging auto-biography, Reeve manages it while paralyzed from the neck down, and yet without self-pity.

The earlier parts of his life provide great insight to his character, and to why we all admire him so much as an oasis of class in an otherwise often smarmy business. I particularly enjoyed his recounting of his Cornell and Juilliard experiences.

But it was his description of the accident and its aftermath that moved me greatly. To be able to write about these experiences must have been helpful for Reeve emotionally, but I feel like throwing the book against a wall when I realize that he still can't get up and walk. I can only imagine how many thousands of times more frustrating it is for Reeve himself.

There is of course information on how to help the Foundation he started to fund spinal cord regeneration studies, and I think - though I'm not positive - that some of the profits from every book purchased go towards that fund as well.

Simply put - when you're picking a role model, or even someone to be curious about on a rainy day or an airplane flight, you could do a whole hell of a lot worse than Christopher Reeve.

Still Superman, if you ask me.
This book is a testament to the courage and strength it takes to be dealt an almost fatal blow and come away stronger than he was before. Reeve takes us through his life and shows us just how this accident effected his personality and his heart, as well as the obvious physical aspects. I walked away feeling I knew Christopher better than I ever could have other wise. His words draw the reader in to his thoughts, and the reader walks away feeling priveleged to know Superman on a deeper level. Christopher Reeve IS Superman. He writes about his embarassment of "Superman" being struck down so easily, but his experience is just a way of showing us how even Superman has a tough time in this world. We each must fight our own demons. Each of us has it in us to overcome our challenges, and on the way, we have to clear the path for those who will follow us. I found the most touching part to be when Reeve realizes that people love him and each person is worth loving in return just because of that.

Inspiration for people working on regenerative medecine
For someone working in the medical industry with stem cells, this book makes me stay longer at work, sleep later at night, and fight more in my meetings for what truly I believe in to make sure I am really doing everything I can to make this future medicine available to our generation.

An Intelligent and Informative Autobiography
Having already read Reeve's second book "Nothing is Impossible", I wanted to read his autobiography "Still Me". I truly enjoyed reading the second book. However, I am a little disappointed with "Still Me". In addition to the general tone of the book, I was suprised by the incoherent nature in which this book is presented. While I am sure the biography was once in a more chronological order, I believe the book was deteriorated by poor editting decisions.

The story of Christopher Reeve is tragic. Being confined to a wheel chair for nearly ten years has severely limited the career of a talented actor. Reeve is likely to be remembered type cast to his role as Superman despite this being only a small measure of his acting capabilities. Because of his injury, more than Reeve's acting career was limited. His interactions with family and others have been altered. Additionally, the simple pleasures have been taken away from him. However, Reeve finds unlimited joy in a loving wife and beautiful children. The title of the book is a reflection of this joy.

I found the chapters in which he wrote about his disability and recovery prospects most interesting. Reeve has served as a great ambassador to educate the public about spinal cord injuries. These chapters were intertwined with the chapters of his life and career before the accident. I found the arrangement of chapters distracting from the overall story and tone. Because of the arrangement of the chapters, Reeve comes across as being very bitter. While I know he has reason to be angry, I do not believe that is how he is. For this reason, I believe poor decisions about the layout of the book take away from its quality. Nevertheless, I still found the book to be interesting and entertaining.

Inspiration
I have rarely read a book so inspirational & uplifting, as this, the story of a remarkable man who has overcome all odds and come to terms with a totally disabling condition. I was also surprised by the scope and versatility of his acting experience, We all tend to lump Chris Reeve in the "Superman" category. He is a talented and accomplished classical actor of great merit, and respected and revered by most of our "legends" also. I personally feel humbled and ungrateful, when I think of the torment and triumph this wonderful man has shown the world. Good luck Chris. I know you will walk again someday! ... Read more

Reviews (49)

A personal account with sound advice
I give the book three stars because the author spends too much time on personal narrative about her marriage to a nice husband who understands and is tolerant of Asperger's and her childbearing and -rearing experiences, which are of no interest to the reader looking for detailed information on the disorder. Also, the publisher neglected to include an index, a serious flaw. However, Appendix 1 with information for parents, teachers, employers, and others makes up for the books faults. Tony Attwood's book, "Asperger Syndrome, a Guide for Parents and Professionals" contains more objective and helpful material, even though most of it applies to children.

Helpful book, but some overgeneralization
As the mother of a son with Aspergers, I am always eager to read anything written on the subject. This book was well written, interesting and helpful in understanding Aspergers, and I would recommend it. The only fault I really found with it was overgeneralization. I think at times the author assumes her own traits are traits that anyone with Aspergers would have. For example, she talks about having a poor sense of directions being a trait, when in fact I think many people with AS have an abnormally good sense of direction, including my son. I think such generalizations can hide the fact that people with AS, like all people, are very different than each other, and have their own very unique personalities. However, I don't mean to put this book down---it's a very valuable resource and a good read.

Thank Goodness!
Thank goodness that AS, autism, DID, ADD, and the entire host of other possiblities are finally coming to light in this day and age. For years so many of us have suffered either WITH one of these syndromes or in conjunction with someone who has one of these "disorders." It's about time someone explained this. And lest you think these syndromes are limited to academia and the medical/psychological community, there have been a host of "fiction" books written about this. Some are entertaining and even informative, but in a "round-about" way (Haddon's "Curious Incident" and McCrae's "Bark of the Dogwood")and we should be grateful for these as they too bring to light autism, AS, and the others in the "spectrum."

I would highly recommend "Pretending to be normal" to anyone who even THINKS he/she may have AS or know someone who does.

Just One Woman's Tale
As an autobiography this is an easy and creative read. I was raised by a mother with AS. Her difficulties make Lianne's look plain querky or individualist. This is just one woman's tale. Asperger's Syndrome can be far more difficult to live with than this and certainly most AS sufferers would have trouble talking of themselves (and especially others) with such sustained and reasoned insight, though eloquence with words is common. AS runs in my family on both sides. I couldn't help but feel Lianne is just socially uncomfortable, as so many people can be and just has her own pet querks like the majority of us! Perhaps she is at the higher fundtioning position on the imfamous 'spectrum' of this disorder. Otherwise,...Asperger's Syndrome? Doesn't sound much like it to me.

Stop Pretending to be Normal!
The title of this book really sums up the most tragic aspect of Asperger's: the self-denying, closeted mentality. Nowadays, autistics are gaining more self-respect. Willey and Attwood's views are a marked improvement over previous depiction of autism as pathology, but ultimately, they reinforce a sense that, while deserving of sympathy, autism is a tragic deficit. Many autistics now feel that we are a positive neuro-variation, possibly an evolutionary step forward from the mob mentalities that now crush this planet. ... Read more

Book Description

Humorist Cathy Crimmins has written a deeply personal, wrenching, and often hilarious account of the effects of traumatic brain injury, not only on the victim, in this case her husband, but on the family.

When her husband Alan is injured in a speedboat accident, Cathy Crimmins reluctantly assumes the role of caregiver and learns to cope with the person he has become. No longer the man who loved obscure Japanese cinema and wry humor, Crimmins' husband has emerged from the accident a childlike and unpredictable replica of his former self with a short attention span and a penchant for inane cartoons. Where Is the Mango Princess? is a breathtaking account that explores the very nature of personality-and the complexities of the heart.
... Read more

Reviews (30)

Riviting and Compelling!!
In her no holds barred book, Where Is The Mango Princess? Cathy Crimmins takes the reader on a candid journey of courage, determination and humor, as she struggles to rebuild her life following a senseless accident which leaves her husband Alan with severe traumatic brain injury. In the weeks and months after the accident, Cathy shares the challenges she and her family face as Alan survives coma, completes rehab,and re-enters the workforce.

Cathy's take charge and 'take no prisoners' attitude as she battles her HMO with a razor sharp wit, is indicative of the conversations many of us have in our heads, but would never dare verbalize. As a traumatic brain injury survivor, I found her story touching, bold and brilliantly executed.

Mango Princess comes home
Having never read a book that talked about a personal experience with Traumatic Brain Injury, I found myself unable to put the book down. My god-daughter recently sustained a head injury from being thrown from an All Terraine Vehicle (ATV) and I found so much of Cathy Crimmins' story right on the mark. This book can be a difficult book to read because of the deeply emotional subject, but is a touching memoir told with a great deal of humor, and most of all... honesty.

Reading this book will touch anyone who has ever known someone who has sustained a TBI. It's also a book that should be shared after reading it. I congratulate the author for sharing her story; one that shares the heartache and explores the mystery of dealing with a loved one who survives a serious head injury. It's a world that I hope my family is spared from ever knowing firsthand.

I guess we never know how we will respond to a life changing event, and Cathy Crimmins shows the human side - the ups and downs with a rare openess. This is not anything like the Harrison Ford movie, Regarding Henry, where he wakes up a sweet guy afer a serious accident. This is what really happens! This is a must read.

It opened my eyes and warmed my heart
When someone close to you suffers an accident, and ends up in a hospital bed in a coma, the world around you collapses. This happened to us on April 6th 2003, when Mickey was involved in a car accident and was in a coma for over 2 months.

This book has been incredibly helpful. It contains a lot of priceless information, information you CAN understand, complementing it with loads of personal experiences.
Thanks to the very easy language (it can be read as a novel) it has allowed every