Book Description

Yes, I am a singer. But I am also a horseman, an athlete, and a doctor. I am a son, a brother, and a friend. I can sing as I do only because of the life that I've led. With each decade, I've found myself in very different, evermore challenging arenas, but the many stages of my life have always intertwined. I have moved from one stage to the next as if on a wild steeplechase, keeping my eye fixed straight ahead and above me. If there is a single line connecting all the episodes and main events of my life it is this -- a gift both given and received.

-- from the Introduction

In Halfway Home, a beautifully written memoir, Ronan Tynan, a member of the enormously popular Irish Tenors, shares his remarkable story of overcoming adversity and attaining worldwide success in several different areas.

Diagnosed with a lower limb disability at birth, Ronan Tynan had his legs amputated below the knee when he was twenty years old. Eight weeks later, he was climbing the stairs of his college dorm, and within a year, he was winning races in the Paralympic Games, amassing eighteen gold medals and fourteen world records. After becoming the first disabled person ever admitted to the National College of Physical Education, he served a short stint in the prosthetics industry and began a new career in medicine. He continued his studies at Trinity College, where he specialized in orthopedic sports injuries.

After earning his medical degree, Ronan chose music for the next act in his life. Less than one year after he began studying voice, he won both the John McCormick Cup for Tenor Voice and the BBC talent show Go for It. He went on to win the prestigious International Operatic Singing Competition in France, and in 1998 his debut Sony album, My Life Belongs to You, became a top-five hit in England within just two weeks and eventually went platinum. Later that year, he was invited to join The Irish Tenors, furthering a journey that started in a small Irish village and has brought him to the world's grandest stages.

In Halfway Home, Tynan movingly describes his life story, which Barbara Walters called "so amazing you may find it hard to believe." ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A truly thankful person...
I had the pleasure of meeting Ronan a few weeks back at a restaurant in NYC.It was an unplanned meeting, I was there having dinner w/ clients, he was there with a group himself. As Ronan was making his way to the door, one of my dinner guest ask him a quick question, that question open what turned out to be an amazing journey with truly a magnificent person. Ronan, spent the evening sharing in laughs (many which he offered) and tales that only a person that has perservered as much as he has.In the days following our unique night I dove head first into HALFWAY HOME, after reading it (in one sitting) I realized that what had happened was a life changing event.Do yourself a favor, learn about Dr. Tynan's life, for it surely will change yours...forever.

A Big Man With A Big Voice And An Ego to Match?
I am a huge fan of the Irish Tenors and so waited anxiously for this book to appear in our local book store. While I found the first half of the book to be an excellent read and found the story of how Ronan, though the love and good sence of his parents, was encouraged to go beyond his abilities to reach for the stars, the second half of the book was difficult to get through. There is no doubt that this man is really an inspiration to others with disabilities, but halfway through the book you find there is little information about others that helped him in his journey and the book becomes all about his Ego - it was a struggle to finish the book as I could not believe the long winded accounts of what he would do next. I would have liked to have read more about his association with the Irish Tenors and his travels there .. instead all you got was Ronan crowing from the rooftops with an Ego the size of Ireland itself. I almost expect any follow up book to announce that he can now walk on water! Very disappointed in this book.

Wow, what a man!
The saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction." has to apply to this moving biography of Ronan Tynan's.His life so far has been filled with more trials and tribulations than any one person I have ever heard of...and he's only 43 years old!!!!!What can possibly happen to him in his next 43 years to top this???I can only hope he keeps us up-to-date with another fascinating book.As a singer, he is the best.I have been lucky enough to see many of his solo concerts and many of his concerts with the Irish Tenors, and all are as exciting and pleasurable as this book.The man is just a wonder.

Good luck, Ronan, in all you endeavor, and please keep your fans up to date on all your activities.You are truly an inspiration to us all.

A Book Filled With Humanity and the Richness of Life
"Truly, an inspiring book" - I have seen that phrase on more book jackets than I care to count over the years. Perhaps some were truly inspiring to certain people. This book is universally inspiring. I can't imagine anyone, from any walk of life, not being moved by Ronan Tynan's story.

He may be well-known to many people or a total enigma to others.
In his unpretentious way, he describes his journey from a small
farm in Ireland to become one of the most popular singers of our time. And just to make things interesting, he did it without the use of his lower legs which were, eventually, amputated. Fitted with prostheses of varying quality he became a star disabled athlete, a top-rated equestrian, and picked up a few degrees along the way - physical education, music, and medicine.

He is now known in the great opera houses of the world as a tenor with few peers. To most of us he is known as one of the
Irish Tenors. You simply MUST read his autobiography to really
know the many obstacles he overcame by unwavering determination and faith in himself.

The book is as unpretentious as Dr.Tynan, beautifully written,
and shows you just how good life can be - no matter how many things were against you as you passed through life's starting gate.

an inspiration to us all
I loved every page of this book. It was written in an amusing way,I enjoyed it as a story of growing up in Ireland and as a story of Ronans singing career. It is amazing how many other things he has made a success of, also the way he has nearly killed himself doing dangerous things. I found myself thinking - what is he going to do next ? . It has some lovely photos ... Read more

Book Description

In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking biography of Bill Wilson, cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, acclaimed author Susan Cheever creates a remarkably human portrait of a man whose life and work both influenced and saved the lives of millions of people. Drawn from personal letters and diaries, records in a variety of archives, and hundreds of interviews, this definitive biography is the first fully documented account of Bill Wilson's life story.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide organization that since 1935 has helped people break free from the destructive influence of intoxicating and addictive substances. This great wave of comfort and help that has covered the world had its beginning in one man, born shortly before the start of the twentieth century. Utilizing exhaustive research, Cheever traces Bill Wilson's life beginning with his birth in a small town in Vermont, where, following the breakup of his parents' marriage, he was raised primarily by his grandparents. Handsome and intelligent, with a wit and charm that both women and men responded to, he seemed at the outset to be capable of achieving anything he wanted.

Wilson, however, also suffered from deep-seated insecurity, and once he was away from the provincial Vermont town, he found that alcohol helped relieve his self-doubts and brought out the charm and wit that had made him a favorite in school.

"Help" eventually turned to dependence, and years after his first beer -- consumed at a Newport, Rhode Island, dinner party -- Bill Wilson finally had to come to terms with the fact that, while he loved the way alcohol made him feel, his life was spiraling out of control.Through a painful process of trial and error, using a blend of experiences, ideas, and medical knowledge gained through several hospitalizations, he was able to stop drinking. A few months later, when he met Dr. Robert Smith of Akron, Ohio, and was able to help him stop drinking also, Alcoholics Anonymous was born. Each man found in the other the support he needed to overcome the hold alcohol had on them. Together they discovered the power they had to help other alcoholics.

Success did not come overnight, however, and as Cheever compellingly relates, Wilson had many struggles in a life fraught with controversies, including experiments with LSD and an unconventional fifty-three-year marriage.

As one of the most influential and important thinkers of the twentieth century, Bill Wilson changed the way our society deals with addiction, and his ideas in turn have benefited countless individuals and their families. His life was complex, and in Susan Cheever's fascinating biography, he emerges as a man of great passion and courage; it is a story fully told for the first time. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

My Name Is Bill
Anyone can pick a book and its author apart, but for me the life of Bill Wilson by Susan Cheever,is a wonderful story about a man who suffered much from the bondage of alcohol. But this life of suffering, found its fulfilment in changing the lives of thousands of people who were also under the bondage of alcohol-- bringing them peace and new life, through Alcoholics Anonymous.

A balanced look at an imperfect Titan
Bill Wilson was the driving force behind the creation and growth of AA, and laid the foundation for many other 12-Step programs. The result is that millions of people are recovering from Alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, compulsive gambling, sex addiction, and the list goes on. There is no denying his great contribution. There's also no denying his shortcomings, but if he were a perfect man we would not have this groundbreaking spiritual program of recovery.

I think Susan Cheever did a great service to Bill and all the people who have benefitted from his work by showing that he was a man, not a saint, not the devil, a man who did great things. The book shows also that Bill knew that AA should not rely on the leadership of one or a few flawed people, and that it should be led by a group conscience. I suspect Bill knew he had serious problems (the biggest being depression, the root of all the others)and that a larger group, a democracy, should carry the fellowship in to the future.

Great writing, great research, great story. Thanks Susan Cheever.

Beautifully Rendered Portrait of a Remarkable Public Servant
As one of the countless, grateful many who have been helped to find a rewarding and meaningful life after active alcoholism & drug addiction, it was a joy to learn more about Bill W., and the unique set of forces that shaped his life and thinking and extraordinary calling. It is precisely through such complicated, brilliant, imperfect and immensely talented people that our Creator often delivers his greatest gifts to our broken world, and learning more through this fascinating book about Bill's particular set of clay feet--every one of us have them--only served to endear me even more to him, to stand in greater awe of his unswerving devotion to carrying out his God-given mission. Few human beings have done more that Bill W.(and Dr. Bob) to help contemporary mankind, and my hat is enthusiastically off to Susan Cheever for crafting this wonderfully vivid and lovingly rendered portrait of Bill; she has provided me greater insight into his roots, his humanity and his difficult calling, the fruits of which have made such a collosal difference in my own life and in the lives of so many other brothers and sisters.

"Dry drunk"?
I've just finished reading this book, and I realized that if Cheever is telling the truth, Bill W. fit AA's description of the "dry drunk". Discontented, irritable, self-pitying, out of control, miserably unhappy, mistreating his wife, messing around with other women, abusing his power, and at the end of his life, demanding not just one but several drinks on more than one occasion, and attempting to slug the nurse who refused his demands...he wasn't "sober", at least not what AA want us to imagine "sober" is.

Unfortunately, Bill's influence on AA is strong. There is far too much of this sort of thing happening in the "Fellowship".

Equally disconcerting is how Cheever manages to spin all the negative information into a hagiography.

Biil deserves better than this.
As others have pointed, out this not a well researched biography. There is little here that was new to me except the material about Bill's last days and his extramarital affairs. Cheever's writing is clumsy and condescending, as if she were writing for early teens. How could it be otherwise given her failure to master essential source materials? ... Read more

Book Description

A Life Among the Nondisabled

In a blend of intimate memoir and passionate advocacy, Nancy Mairs takes on the subject woven through all her writing: disability and its effect on life, work, and spirit. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Devastating honesty
Reviewer: robert dorroh from Sonora, CA United States Nancy Mairs, with devastating honesty, chronicles life as a cripple (her choice of word) in poignant essays in "Waist High in the World."

Beset with multiple sclerosis and bouts with clinical and situational depression, she offsets these stumbling blocks with joy, candor, eloquence, and cultural and political insights. It is a book for everybody, not just the disabled, for it challenges our fears, cultural hangups and citizenship: "The more perspectives that can be brought to bear on human experience, even from the slant of a wheelchair or a hospital bed, or through the ears of a blind person or the fingers of someone who is deaf, the richer that experience becomes." She attacks the stereotype that cripples must be passive and unfailingly polite in a culture that doesn't want to deal with them: "Beyond cheerfulness and patience, people don't expect much of a cripple's character."

Pondering her husband and caretaker George's battle with cancer, she offers a balanced look at suicide in the face of his death. Though she has attempted suicide "more than once," she questions the right-to-die movement, which extolls "rational" suicide: "Since hopelessness is a distinctive symptom of depression, which is an emotional disorder, actions carried out in a despairing state seem to me intrinsically irrational. This last time I clung to shreds of reason, which saved me." Still, she sees suicide as a possibility: "I want to be the one in charge of my life, including its end."

Why should society pay for the misfortunes of others? people ask. Because it's what human beings do: take care of one another, Mairs says, adding that it's the government's role to ensure that its citizens are entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Mairs notes that the abled-bodied should aim to preserve the dignity of the disabled. This takes in seeing them as sexual beings: ... "The general assumption, even among those who might be expected to know better, is that people with disabilities are out of the sexual running."

As a paraplegic, I admire her advocacy on my behalf. I admire her more, however, for her willingness to work toward the betterment of our society through a rare and gifted intelligence.

MSages...
Nancy Mairs is painfully, startlingly brave. Her book is something I recommend, not just for people with MS but people, period. She reminds me of just how powerful telling the truth can really be. We all need this book!

Hope for all of us suffering from being human.
Nancy Mairs writes about the human condition with humor, compassion, and ruthless honesty. This is a book of personal reflections about disability, embodiment, marriage, religion, and lots of other things, but fundamentally about the possibility of honestly acknowledging all the pain and confusion in our lives and at the same time--within that pain and confusion--living fully, gratefully, joyously.

Wow. What a gift. Thank you, Nancy Mairs.

Absorbing and thought-provoking...
Facing chronic disease myself, I've turned to books like this for information, comfort, challenge and ideas. Nancy Mairs is the best I've found for writing honestly about what it means for people (women in particular) to face chronic, degenerative illness. She writes from her personal experience, but I see myself in her struggles. A book to read and re-read.

Literary essays on life with disability
Nancy Mairs writes that there is a "tangle of reasons" why readers might want to read this book. She writes for readers who crave to know more about life with multiple sclerosis and depression (her own diseases) or life with disability in general -- although she says she can't offer generalizations. I found the essays the most compelling when they were the most personal and unflinching. Mairs also does a good job of teasing out the issues in "right to die" and quality of life controversies. Altogether, a satisfying and thought-provoking read for anyone who would like to encounter a fiercely independent and often joyous woman who declares herself a "cripple.&quot ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Get a library copy if you MUST read this braggadocio account
We have spent 17 years and many thousands of dollars dealing with the inattention of an ADD child. This book provides nothing new on the subject and appears to be little more than braggadocio by a young man more inclined to need attention than provide answers. He seems to know nothing of the various forms of ADD as enumerated by Dr. Daniel Amen in "Healing ADD". He appears to think his form of misbehavior characterizes all ADD when there are many who escape notice as they disappear into escapism with their inattention. If you must read this trying account of one person's plea for attention, then save your money and check it out at the library. We have tried every method and product known to professionals and quacks alike. We are now having the greatest success with a neurological chiropractor who operates on the theory of cranial hemispherical dominances as propounded by Dr.Frederick Carrick of the Carrick Institute and the PBS special "Waking up the Brain" and practiced by Dr. Robert Melillo, author of:
Neurobehavioral Disorders of Childhood
Melillo, Robert, Leisman, Gerry
2004, 460 p., Hardcover
These neurological chiropractors are achieving incredible results for some in a coma and those with ADD, autism, and Asperger's Syndrome. They achieve this by manipulating the spine and pre-frontal cortex concerning the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Spend your money and time investigating these avenues and abandon the drug-induced state recommended by the very limited understanding portrayed in this young man's book.

What an AMAZING book!I wish I had read it sooner!
While the title of the book turned me off at first (the last thing a parent of an ADD child wants to bring home is a book that has any negative connotation) I am so glad that I decided to buy it and read it.I couldn't put it down.I can't wait to share this book with my son, his teachers, his aunts, uncles, doctors and anyone else who will listen and read it.

While my son has never been suspended from school and has not been in many fights, I can say that while reading this book I could have almost replaced his name with Ben's.Even the school notes and the report cards sounded like the things my son has brought home.

Over the years we have just kind of worked out a way to let my son release his anger and I don't mind being the "lava field".We know that one minute he can be yelling and screaming at me, but we also know that a few minutes later we hug each other and tell each other that we love each other.This is how we survive and how we have learned to get by.I just didn't realize that I was providing him an outlet for his anger and frustration until I read Ben's book.

I also know that my son has the most amazing mind and thinks in the most amazing way.I know that his teachers and others don't always appreciate it because it is the same mind that gets him into so much trouble, but this book reinforced my belief that if you give a child like this the tools and the confidence then they will be able to do whatever they set their mind to do.

I found so many useful ideas in a book that seemed like just a story of a young man's life.I wasn't sure as I was reading it that I would, but as I closed the book I realized that I had gained more from this book than from any other book written by doctors who were supposed "experts" in the field of ADD/ADHD.I realized that this book gave me more perspective and more real world advice than any other I had read before.

Ben, you are an amazing man.I know you have come so far and I hope that you continue to inspire young people who have this amazing brain "feature".

Thank you, Ben.
We have struggled with our grandson's ADHD for 12 years.Both Boys have ADHD, CJ is quiet and introspective, a dreamer, who will explode at the oddest times and yell and scream and become uncontrollable.Billy on the other hand is always in motion, always on "Go".His rage attacks, violent outbursts, trouble at school, home and anywhere there is visual or audio stimulation has been a source of frustration for the entire family.

Many of the items and ideas in your book have been tried, and are still being worked and tweaked.However, your insight is a great benefit.

As I read your book, I realized it was a mirror of Billy, except for the fact that he is in a Special Eduation School, and does not get suspended or expelled.They have to deal with him.This does not eliminate every day care in the area.He was asked to leave all of them even one for "behavior problem" children.In their defense, they did the best they could for as long as they could and I am eternally grateful for the respite care they provided us.

Now I need to take this new knowledge and apply it to our situation.Working with Billy is a timebomb waiting for detonation.We never know when he will "go off", or what will cause the spark.

Basketball competition has been a great comfort, and we hope to start swimming competitions this summer.We have a pool and this has been a big help, but he will start competition in the summer through Special Olympics, another wonderful organization that has been extremely beneficial to Billy and his uniqueness.

I am getting a copy of your book for all family members to read, and another copy for Camp Holiday, the day care for behavior problem children.I encourage every parent/caregiver of an ADHD child to read this book and gain some insight.

Only a Mother Could Love Him
I recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone needing information on ADHD. My 13 yr. old grandson lives with us and I was at my wits end over his school work and unpredictability. I found this book and just devoured it. It was not long before I could see thru the eyes of my grandson and truly understand some of what he is feeling.

The opinions stated in this book are not always mine, but I found a lot of his insight just so valuable and sometimes humorous. I have highlighted many passages and keep it by my bed so I can remind myself that I am not going crazy. Ben tells it like it is.

Ben Polis is a brilliant young man who should be applauded for his courage in writing this book and sharing his life with us.

Excellent advice for parents of ADHD kids
now that I have read this book, i can wholeheartedly recommend it to other parents.Our two sons have ADD and have exhibited some (but not all) of the behaviors described in this book. Fortunately we did not have the problems with violence he describes.However, one of our sons became a champion wrestler and I think this was an excellent outlet for him. As Benjamin says, individual sports are very important for the ADD student.

He describes problems in school that accurately reflect our sons' school careers. Excellent grades on tests, next to no homework done, so low GPAs.Like Benjamin, our older son is doing extremely well in college, because he is studying things that deeply interest him (physics) and not things that don't (english literature).

Two things I would change in terms of advice to other parents.Benjamin says that kids should not be medicated daily. We have seen a specialist at NIH who says that the latest evidence shows that daily doses of ritalin or equivalent are actually beneficial. the brain seems to develop new neurotransmitter capabilities if the dosages are kept constant.

the other has to do with reading.Our sons were not interested in reading until we discovered which topics interested them.Our oldest is sports-crazed, so he learned to read box scores at age 5. the first words he read were Philadelphia and Chicago.We bought lots of sports magazines and books and watched sporting events with him to reinforce what he learned in reading.Our younger son was very interested in comics, so we bought every Calvin & Hobbs book. We read them to him over and over and later he learned to read them himself.Great vocabulary builders!Now both are voracious readers.We kept the houseawash in books on many topics.If they indicated an interest, we got books on that topic.so they learned to enjoy books.

So, thanks to Benjamin for an inside look at a world that is very difficult for a non-ADD parent to fathom.We wish you well, Benjamin, and all the other parents who are out there dealing with this problem!Your children can definitely grow up to be successful, though it may not feel like at when they are in third grade! ... Read more

Book Description

A searing book as powerful as the life experience that inspired it, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS transports readers to the majestic landscapes and hard Native American lives of the desert Southwest. Born to a storytelling Native mother and a roughneck, song-singing father, Nasdijj has always lived at the jagged-edged margins of society, yet hardship and isolation have only brought him greater clarity -- a gift for language and a voice of searching honesty. "In a prose style that could almost be chanted" (New York Magazine), Nasdijj writes of his adopted son, Tommy Nothing Fancy, and of his own chaotic childhood; of his struggles betweentwo cultures and his pursuit of the writing life -- as a lifeline. A powerful, unforgettable memoir, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS will "wash over readers and often take them by surprise" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Brought Home With Nasdijj's Words
While viewing books in a bookstore in Boise, ID, Nasdijj's memoir caught my eye. The title drew me in, since I am a poet. The first chapter made me sit down. Chapter three brought me to tears, as he writes of Mariano Lake, which is home. I am Navajo and live next to the school. The wild horses Nasdijj wrote about are my uncles'. They are still there, running and creating dreams and fantasies in boys' eyes. And the goats and sheep are my grandmother's, my mother's and mine, they still graze around the school and in the baseball field. The school officials always tell us not to graze them there, but we tell them the goats were there before we permitted the school to be built. They leave us and the goats alone now, until new administrators arrive. My grandmother (the old lady in the book) died September 11th. My mother took her place with the goats and sheep.
I read the whole book in the bookstore, then I bought it. Now, the children in Mariano Lake are reading the book. I have to send five new copies, soon. Nasdijj has literally painted a picture of my community and Navajo life, in general, with words which is hard to do. This book is more than a treasure. The simple sight of it reminds me of home, with Nasdijj's empowering colorful words.

The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams is enthralling
Into the majestic desert landscape of the American Southwest, among the hard life of a Navajo reservation & into this angry man's life comes a baby boy with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome & an unrelenting & mystical would-be mother. With Tommy Nothing Fancy's arrival, the heart of this dry & sorry man is cracked open & out floods memories & all the love of the world & a father is born.

Yes, this is an angry book - there is no escaping the heartache of a people severed from their ancestry, confined to welfare misery & generations of intentional abuse by government & do-gooders. Children wrenched away to boarding schools where everything that made them who they were was systematically & brutally erased. Adults proscribed from eking out a living off their land & that ubiquitous & invidious palliative for all that pain. That assuager which brings the dread disease that destroys their children before they are born.

Read The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams for the story Nasdijj has to tell, then read it again for his lyrical language. Like paintings of sunsets over desert mountains, Nasdijj's essays are fulgent with passions, paronomasias & revelations.

I could not put this book down until I'd read the last word & even then I sat, astonished & breathless with Nasdijj's thoughts & images. I urge you to check out my eInterview with this author & my full review at: [my website].

Sustaining Hope, Love, Life - Despite the Odds
Nadijj writes his memoirs with tenderness, compassion, insight, and matter of fact clarity. He writes stark naked sentences that speak volumes of truth in very few words about difficult life situations. The author recalls tangible things that remind him of his 6 year old adopted son, who we learn had died of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The baby had acquired this disease from a mother who drank alcohol while pregnant. The author reveals the challenging social and economic conditions of growing up in a Native American culture without harshness or bitterness. The author "walks between two worlds", the Native American and White culture. He inherited the physical features of his father who was White yet he does not identify with the White culture. He absorbed the spirit and soul of his mother who was a Navajo (American Indian) which is evident by his use of imagery, descriptions of nature and wild life, and use of language. This book reveals how the author developed and transformed his life, despite poverty, and within the chaotic and often harsh circumstances of migrant work. His parents traveled all over the country working on ranches or farms. It is amazing how he maintained a sense of inner balance and harmony while the outside conditions were anything but that. The author describes a situation where his work with high school youth disillusioned him and yet later he was able to salvage one young Indian teenager's life through sustained interaction and discipline. We also are shown the seedy and underside of life for Native American teenagers when interventions are unsuccessful. In the midst of so much sadness and hardship one senses the hope and dreams upon which to build a better future. Past Native American defeats by the dominant culure and subsequent humiliations have permeated the mind-set of many Native Americans. While many aspects of the Native American culture have disintegrated there is a reawakening to traditions which is helping to revive the spirit and renew the dignity of the culture. This author describes heart-breaking life events of vulnerable people with understanding and compassion. His writing style, choice of words, and imagery are exceptional. I read this book in one sitting - unable to put it down. One learns about the shadow side of life but one also learns how the light of love and caring make even the most difficult situations bearable. This book is highly recommended. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Well-written, but ulitmately lacking something
Memoirs are easily written. That is, anyone can tell the story of his life. However, writing a memoir as a coherent whole, rather than a string of memories, is much more difficult, and that is where I felt this work fell short.

Nasdijj does have a way with words. He often captures landscapes and characters in an amazing way. Instead of a memoir, however, this was more like reading the "notebooks" to which he referred so often. It was like the journals that most writers keep to practice and improve their craft, similar to an artist's sketchbook. The sketches might be quite good, but they are still just sketches and framing and hanging them together would not be enough to get an artist a show in most gallaries. Similarly, this work, while far superior in writing style, lacked the progression of, say, an Angela's Ashes, or, in lieu of that, a coherent theme--homelessness, fetal alcohol syndrome, poverty, reservation life. If any of these themes that were touched on, ran through the entire book, it would have been an improvement.

Also, in writing the memoir of an unhappy life, one must be careful not to make it one long lament. If this was indeed his true life story, the man did deal with some real trajedies. However, based on his picture on the fly leaf, and his own admission that he "looked white," one can only suspect that any discrimination he suffered for being an Indian was more his own perception than what actually occured. Also, when the author goes directly from homelessness to a job as a reporter for a small newspaper, it's hard to feel that the odds are completely stacked against him. Near the end of the book he blames his not having been published yet on "writing and publishing [being] more of a white people game than even we gave it credit for way back then." (p.206) This is because an editor "ripped apart' (I assume not literally) his novel manuscript. However, while most writers, Indian, white, black or anything inbetween, would give their eye teeth to have an editor comment on anything they wrote rather than sending out the generic rejection slip, the author sees this as another condemnation from the world of white people, which he will never understand.

Parts of this book are very well written, and the language often verges on the poetic, but getting this published was a break for someone who, I admit, seemed to enjoy very few breaks in his life. I hope Nasdijj sees this one for what it is, and takes this opportunity to impove on his craft even more.

The blood runs like a river through my dreams
this was an ok book... i sometimes found it to be boring and repetative at times..but in the long run it was semi intreating and kept me wanting to read... throughout the book there were many refrences dealing with death, and after a certain amount of time started to become semi-depressing.. but the overall book was good and and i suggest reading it for anyone else who is looking for a good book ... Read more

Book Description

We’re all hungry—hungry to look good, feel worthy, be loved, and fit in. Our hungers are deep and insatiable. We try to feel full by using food, alcohol, drugs, sex, relationships, careers, or money. No matter what we look like or where we came from, we all share the same intense need to fill up on life, but not many of us know how.

A Very Hungry Girl chronicles the journey of Jessica Weiner, who spent most of her life hungering to be someone else. She was so desperate to be accepted and valued that she spiraled into an eating disorder, experiencing the attendant lack of self-esteem that ruled—and almost ruined—her life.

This compelling book relates Jessica’s very personal story, and also captures her unique persona as she travels the country as a performer and motivational speaker listening to thousands of other people’s stories. It also presents valuable and concrete tools that you can use to fill up on life . . . and enjoy the full, meaningful existence you deserve! ... Read more

Reviews (49)

A very interesting book for young people and their parents
Jessica Weiner's new book 'A Very Hungry Girl' is the culmination of her many insightful contacts with young people from junior high through college age. Although she is only 28, her professional life seems to have been one of continuous engagement with issues facing our children. She has dialogued with hundreds of thousands of people through her issue oriented acting company 'Act Out', and though the many high school and college speaking engagements she has undertaken over the last 10 years. She seems to have made a difference in the lives of many individuals burdened with the devils of eating disorders, drugs and body image issues. Her ability to relate to them is enhanced by having dealt with some of these issues herself. I highly recommend this book to parents who have young children and to share this book with them. When I first picked up this book I was not expecting much in writing capability. I was pleased to discover that her writing is clear and entertaining...not dull at all. It is a quick read for parents and an interesting one for teenagers all of whom are coming to grips with peer pressure, external advertising, and body image. Since reading the book, I have visited her interesting website at www.jessicaweiner.com. She is a charismatic person with an uncanny ability to be herself and to relate honestly to people -even in the fantasy land of LA. Check it out!

Inspires to Action
I am what I would consider a conossieur of books on eating disorders and body image, more specifically eating disorders memoirs. Most of these books engage me with the reader's experiences, but ultimately leave me feeling a little empty, because no hope is offered as a conclusion. Ms Weiner's book is a breath of fresh air...not only does she engage you with her relatable experiences, but at the end she offers you hope and ACTION. Finally, it's an eating disorder memoir that actually leaves me inspired instead of depressed, ready to take action instead of letdown.

Jessica describes her life and her struggles with self-image in an engaging, relatable way. I don't believe that her book "smacks of self promotion." If you had influenced thousands upon thousands of young women, you'd be feeling pretty good about yourself too. I speak from experience when I say that helping others is a way to truly help yourself, and Jessica is a wonderful testimonial to that.

I plan on buying copies of this book for all of the women in my life. Thank you to the author for who you are and for what you inspire us all to do.

thank you
i find it funny that age is mentioned in a book review.
i meet 15 year olds that have ALOT to offer the world, its unfortunate that society feels age=knowledge. i disagree.
jessicas book is full of wisdom way beyond age. its written with integrity and intention. i felt her mission in each paragraph, and so will you.
its time to talk about what is going on, not hide it. its time to let go of how old we should be in order to KNOW anything.
jessica is a pioneer in CHANGE....
and gives the reader action steps...and encourage actionism..
to begin one person at a time.
thank you jessica..and for all the women who have read it and are living in action!

Jessica is a great person and writer!
I am a fan and friend of Jessica Weiner and I thought her book was very heartfelt and she knew how to let people reading the importance of the topics. Having suffered through body image issues herself, Jessica is the perfect person to learn from!

Review by New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams
In Jessica Weiner's book, she talks about her struggle with eating disorders and her path to self-discovery and self-love. Her survivor story is witty and honest. Besides talking about touchy subjects like racism, body image, and moral values, this book gives tools and tips on how to be a positive member of society. Above all, it reminds us to love and respect the beautiful skin we're in. So if you need inspiration or information, or if you're just searching for a delectable page-turner, I recommend A Very Hungry Girl.

Copyright 2004 New Moon Publishing, Duluth, MN ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Searing, honest, funny, great
Jeanne Achterberg breaks the mold of illness memoirs and healing tracts with her searing honesty, wit, fresh prose style, insight, and sheer spiritual brazenness. What a joy to read, a powerful investigation of the sorrowful, tough, often elevating experiences of this wounded healer going deeper to try to heal herself, and the personal losses and gains that occur along the way. Bless her for being so nakedly honest in sharing the hard truths about her marriage and personal life in a way that doesn't make the reader feel like a voyeur but like a dear friend who needs to know about the intertwined tentacles of her life as she lives it, and as she tries to extend and expand it both by turning within and by reaching out. Actherberg helps us understand that illness can be a metaphor; it all depends on what metaphor we construct, what truths it holds, and what we do about it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the space of a few months, 11-year-old Alex Raeburn is bounced among seven psychiatrists and prescribed even more drugs, among them Lithium and Depakote, after lashing out at his 5th-grade teacher. The doctors are swift to prescribe pills but slow to provide therapy, despite varying opinions on what the diagnosis may be--maybe depression, ADHD, or an anxiety disorder. While the family finds little relief from the medical establishment, author Paul Raeburn, Alex's dad, slowly admits that his lack of parenting and anger-management skills may have exacerbated his son's condition. Some of his temper tantrums, one of which involves flooding their kitchen, are as frightening as his son's manic episodes.

Ironically, as the science and medicine reporter for BusinessWeek, Raeburn had access to the most prestigious names in psychiatry, but his denial of Alex's emotional problems was so strong that he didn't even bother to look up the (significant) side effects of his son's prescriptions in the Physician's Desk Reference: "I was not going to read about psychiatric drugs and mental illness because I was not going to be the parent of a mentally ill kid." He and Alex are given hope from bipolar expert Kay Redfield Jamison, who, during a book signing, writes, "Things will get better." They do, but not before the Raeburns' marriage disintegrates and Alex's younger sister Alicia is also repeatedly hospitalized for depression and attempted suicide. Raeburn's bravery in telling his childrens' story is to be commended, but the reader is left wondering just how much of Alex and Alicia's misery can be blamed on his own moodiness, prejudices, and procrastination. --Erica Jorgensen ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Brave and honest. Will help families going through this
Paul Raeburn's honesty about his own travails and those of his children makes this a valuable book to families exploring their options in the face of a child's possible mental illness. He doesn't sugarcoat his own reactions nor what happens to his son and daughter as they struggle to come to terms with and find adequate treatment for their problems. Every parent going through this gets angry at his or her children, angry at doctors, and angry at teachers and schools. Every parent makes mistakes and no one handles every situation perfectly. Reading this detailed, fascinating, and sometimes harrowing account could help a parent avoid some of the pitfalls and teach compassion to teachers, doctors, friends, and family members. I urge anyone with a child suffering from bipolar disorder, ADD, or any other mental illness to read this book.

A Father's Denial
This book should be required reading for all parents of children with psychiatric disorders. Perhaps they will then see how their actions contribute to their children's illness. Raeburn spends most of the book complaining about his ex-wife's "failings" including her unwillingness to postpone dinner for the kids until 7 or so, when his 2 hour commute from New York to the tony suburb he chose to live would be complete. This is just one example of his selfishness and his complete inability to see things from any perspective but his own. He waxes nostalgic about the old fashioned family dinners he used to have with his parents, but ironically notes that his mother (or father) was often absent from them. It's like he wants his wife to live up to an ideal standard that never existed. It sounds like he spent more time griping about the lack of family dinners (hungry children be darned), rather than thinking of other ways the family could spend time together, or by considering a closer move to his job. He tries to minimize the consequences of his abusive behavior, including his verbal (and sometimes physical) abuse of his family. He doesn't seem to regret his behavior, and his justifications for his actions come off as self-righteous. Raeburn recounts some harrowing scream fests, including his own role in them. This is just a glimpse of what actually occurred, and it's told from his perspective. You get the impression that things were actually much worse than what he relates. One can only imagine the horror of living in a house where obscenity filled fights and cold silences were part of the daily routine. When he's not trying to blame his ex-wife for his problems, he's trying to justify his own selfish behavior, like moving in with his mistress far from the kids. He's obviously a guy who wants things to be his way all the time. I pity the child who did not live up to all his expectations. No wonder why they rebelled. Maybe Raeburn, who is a talented writer, should write a book for divorcing couples and teach them why they should not follow his example.

Only the tip of the iceberg
This books illustrates what happens when you have children with psychiatric illness raised by narcissistic parents.As you will find out, this is a devastating combination.The writer is right: the Mental health care system cannot handle this combo.Obviously,neither he or his wife have ever been diagnosed by any of the professionals the family consulted with.The only identified patients turned out to be the children.But the dx of Childhood Bipolar is only the tip of the iceberg.The writer is a good story teller,the story is sad.I hope the parents take a real hard look at themselves and get real help for their own pathology.This level of blindness is a wake up call for us all.

Blew me away
I read this book in three sittings, and that was tough because my husband kept picking it up whenever I put it down. Both of us experienced mental illness as children, and we found the book painfully truthful. It is one of the most absorbing and candid accounts I have ever read of mental illness and its devastating effects on a family. Raeburn and his children are incredibly brave to have laid their lives bare in this chronicle of misery (and ultimate triumph). The book will undoubtedly console many a parent grappling with a child's mental illness and negotiating the byzantine maze of mental health treatment.

acquainted with the night
Well-written and moving. You learn about the science of these illnesses, societal ramifications, and one particular family's horrendous struggles. My wife read it too, and we've been talking about this book for days. ... Read more

Book Description

Imagine experiencing senses far beyond the usual five—true and vivid sight without eyes, sound from trees, pressure from inanimate objects.Imagine reading the words of a man whom many consider a modern day saint.Against the Pollution of the I posseses the ingredients that make for success:the heroism of World War II, clear-sighted hope, and a full-hearted love of life.Four of the six essays are based on Lusseyran’s experiences both in and after university life as a professor of literature and philosophy in Europe and in the United States.Three of the essays address being blind in a seeing society.Blindness, for Lusseyran, invited him to pay more attention, enabling him to discover the divinity of the world available to all people.And in this remarkable collection of essays, Lusseyran offers us a way to access our precious light-filled inner self—our I—and transform our lives! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beyond words. This book threw me into ecstasy!
Jacques Lusseyran writes with a love that you can feel permeating you as you read his words. My favorite essay in this collection of 6 was "Jeremy," the story of a blue collar saint in Buchenwald. I found myself crying and feeling wonderful at the same time. This writing defies description. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in paperback comes the moving account by an extraordinary young woman who mounted a daily struggle with cystic fibrosis in an effort to lead an ordinary life.

Twenty-one-year-old Laura Rothenberg had always tried to live a normal life -- even with lungs that betrayed her and a constant awareness that she might not live to see her next birthday. Like most people born with cystic fibrosis, the chronic disease that affects primarily the lungs, Laura struggled to come to grips with a life that had already been compromised in many ways. Sometimes healthy and able to attend school, other times hospitalized for weeks, Laura found solace in keeping a diary. In her writing, she could be open, honest, and irreverent, like the young person she was. Yet behind this voice is a penetrating maturity about her mortality, revealing a will and temperament that is fierce and insightful. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Don't Hate Me, But...
I have a lot of respect for Laura Rothenberg, for having lived her whole (entirely too short) life struggling with health issues that most of us can't imagine, and for trying to give others a glimpse into the world of the chronically ill. That said, I would be lying if I claimed to find her memoir as compelling as so many others have. I think my biggest problem was that I didn't feel I got to know much about Laura as a person. Most of the book seemed to consist of detailed descriptions of the procedures performed on her, using medical jargon that I am not familiar with, so while I definitely got a sense of the hell she went through on a daily basis, and the frustration it caused her, I didn't garner any real knowledge of her disease. That would have been okay if the book was balanced out with more about her life away from the hospital - her family, friends, and school, and how she balanced these with her illness. So many friends and relatives were mentioned in passing, but we never got to know them. The emails she wrote to the people she cared about are presented anonomously, so we don't know who she's writing to. I didn't even know that she had a boyfriend until the epilogue, when she mentioned moving in with him. I just didn't feel that I got to know much about this young woman at all, and I really would have liked to.

Heroes Amongst Us
I first heard Laura Rothenbeg's story on NPR- as a student at Brown she recorded her daily life with Cystic Fibrosis- waking up each day trying to breathe- multiple treatments each day to rid her lungs of the thick mucus that clogged her airways. A typical story of this chronic terminal disease, but told in private, personal terms. Laura was a model for other studnets her age- she so wanted to live and to love. She went through a bilateral lung transplant but suffered from chronic then acute rejection. She was able to find romantic love with Brian and friendship with her many friends. Whomever Laura knew she touched their lives, and many of these people remember her in their stories in this book. Tragically Laura died at age 22- she was ready to die when the time came, and she helped prepare her loved ones for this loss. People with Cystic Fibrosis are my heroes- they live each day trying to breathe-every day of their lives.

Heartbreaking
What a sad thing to know that this wonderful person has died...through the book you feel hopeful and optimistic that she might make it, and knowing she didn't made it heartbreaking. All the things she fears before her transplant eventually come true, and I am in awe of her amazing strength. She is an inspiration to all and I think everyone should read this book in order to appreciate life.

Read after hearing story on NPR
It's a quick read which surprised me given the poignancy of the subject matter. I wanted to read the book after I had heard her tapes on NPR last year. The book is a very personal account of living with (and ultimately dying of) cystic fibrosis and assumes a similar close knowledge of the disease. It does not contain much if any medical background to balance out the memoir.

Breathing For A Living: A Memoir
This is an incredible read through the life of Laura battling the constant issues of cystic fybrosis and the procedure of a dual lung transplant. If you need a reason to reprioritize lifes normal trials and tribulations, this memoir, will provide you the guidance you are seeking. ... Read more

Book Description

I am crazy. But maybe I am not.For most of her life, these thoughts plagued Amy Wilensky as her mind lurched and veered in ways she didn't understand and her body did things she couldn't control. While she excelled in school and led an otherwise "normal" life, she worried that beneath the surface she was a freak, that there was something irrevocably wrong with her.Passing for Normal is Wilensky's emotionally charged account of her lifelong struggle with the often misunderstood disorders Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.A powerful witness to her own dysfunction, Wilensky describes the strain it bore on her relationships with the people she thought she knew best: her family, her friends, and herself.Confronting the labels we apply to ourselves and others--compulsive, crazy, out of control--Amy describes her symptoms, diagnosis, and her treatment with courage and a healthy dose of humor, gradually coming to terms with the absurdities of a life beset by irrational behavior.This compelling narrative, by turns
tragic and comic, broadly extends our understanding of the won-drously complex human mind, and, with subtlety and grace, challenges our notion of what it is to be "normal."
... Read more

Reviews (27)

wonderfully accurate
Amy Wilensky has written a candid, funny and touching memoir. As a fellow OCD sufferer, I totally understand that bizarre feeling of noticing that a new "ritual" has arisen, seemingly out of nowhere and getting inadvertently "caught" by other people while you're doing something that seems odd to the outside world. Reading this book might make you think twice before you judge someone who does strange things. Unlike most of the self-pitying memoirs which abound on today's bookshelves, "Passing for Normal" honestly describes the struggles of living with OCD and Tourette's in a world not very willing to accept differences.

This book has a fascinating footnote which I've never seen before in books on Tourette's/OCD. Apparently, children who develop Tourette's (which is often accompanied by OCD) have had a higher-than-normal incidence of strep throat and penicillin allergy. Since this is true for me---I can't wait to hear about more medical research on this particular issue!

Really cool -- I have a friend with TS and OCD.
I have a friend with TS and OCd, and he told me about this new book. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much because most of what's been written on the subject is so bad, so I was especially pleased by Wilensky's take. Like my friend, she views TS and OCD as obstacles to be tackled and lived with, not as excuses. Plus, she's funny and smart. If you know someone with Tourette's or obsessive-compulsive disorder this book will really help you know what it's like to live with tics and compulsions. I really think this book will help a lot of people -- it sure helped me.

Passing for Normal (by Amy S. Wilensky Reader Review)
Passing for Normal (by Amy S. Wilesky) Reader Review
Reviewer: Kristina M. Emard from Lebanon, ME USA

Amy is an awesome writer, she tends to skip around a little but her detail and thoughts and opinions about everything are just so selective and different. Too bad there weren°Øt more writers like her. She talks about her life and the things she had to deal with. She did very well in school even with her disabilities.

Amy had a very rough up bringing dealing with her two disabilities (1) Tourette Syndrome which is a rare disease that is characterized by involuntary tics and by uncontrollable verbalization involving especially echolalia and the use of obscene language, (2) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions or compulsions having one or both is sufficient for the diagnosis. An obsession is a recurrent and intrusive thought, feeling, idea, or sensation. A compulsion is a conscious, recurrent pattern of behavior a person feels driven to perform. Amy didn°Øt even know she had the disorders until she was older. She had to deal with her family and friends who thought she was crazy. She does finally end up getting the strength to go see a doctor because she knows that something is wrong with her. She was diagnosed with OCD and Tourette Syndrome, so her doctor put her on Prozac and other medications.

After, when she knew she had the disorders she had a hard time, and didn°Øt want people to say bad things or make fun of her because of her disabilities, so she kept them to herself. When Amy is at her group meeting she isolates herself, she says °?My main problem is this: I seriously questioned myself up to a group of people who wouldn°Øt or rather couldn°Øt accept my party line.°± When Amy says °? people who wouldn°Øt or couldn°Øt accept my party line°± she means, people wouldn°Øt accept her for her. She was afraid that people wouldn°Øt accept her.

In group she met a man named Bryant. They shared many similarities, which built their strong relationship. When Amy moved and was able to start at a new school, she loved it! She made many new friends, who again didn°Øt know she had these disabilities. Her friends thought that the twitching and the need to touch everything was cool. Amy eventually becomes obsessed with her obsessions and compulsions.

Amy goes to college at Vassar like her many other relatives, where her and her first boyfriend begin living together. She was afraid of relationships, afraid of getting hurt, and afraid of being touched, but most of all afraid of any sexual activity. She trusted Ben very much though.

In the last chapter she sends a very strong message that includes the title of the book. °?The older I get the more arsenals I acquire, the better I get at keeping my secrets, sometimes overriding them, sometimes Passing for Normal.°±

This book has an amazing twist in the end but I wont spoil it for you. It is a great book for any reader that can follow flash backs and such. She uses great detail and amazing thoughts and opinions. She is a great writer.

I liked it. I have an autism spectrum disorder.
I thought it was a really good book.

I think that overall my experience with Asperger's syndrome (AS)has been more traumatic than hers has been with Tourette's, still, I think it's an important book. "Passing for normal" is something I'm trying to do all the time when I am with people.

My only criticism is that she uses "like autistic" as a description of some of her behaviors and implies that it's a BAD thing to act autistic. It sort of feels like a put-down to me, but I don't think she intended autistic people to read her book and feel that way.

It's amazing at the overlapping issues that Tourette's has with AS (some people have both), but they don't have any intrisic problem with making friends or understand typical motivations, as she shows.

I thought her description of her relationship with her father was really interesting.

there are much better books on this topic
This memoir read like an article that was stretched out into an entire book. It was not a particularly interesting memoir or a good book on the topic of OCD or Tourette's. It was long-winded, obvious, and stale. ... Read more

Book Description

"Bee Lavender is a fantastic writer. Her work is deep and personal, and I don't think there are any places she's scared to go." -Michelle Tea, author of Rent Girl

Lessons in Taxidermy is the story of growing up destitute and sick in the Pacific Northwest. After surviving a rare genetic disorder and childhood cancer, Lavender retells the events of her tumultuous life--battling her illnesses, learning to fight, young motherhood-in fearless, unapologetic prose and gut-wrenching, yet darkly comic detail.

Bee Lavender is the 33-year-old co-editor of two books, Breeder: Real-Life Stories from the New Generation of Mothers (Seal, 2001) and Mamaphonic: Balancing Motherhood and Other Creative Acts (Soft Skull, 2004). She is also the publisher of Hip Mama magazine and creator Girl-Mom, an advocacy website for teen parents.

Reviews (2)

a stunning, honest work
Reviewed by Steven Hansen for Small Spiral Notebook

Imagine your body being Murphy's Law official stomping grounds, or as the author explains it to the doctor who is astounded by the abnormally fast clotting properties of her blood, "Whatever should not happen will."

Set in the blue-collar environs of the rural Northwest, Lessons in Taxidermy is Bee Lavender's autobiographical account of her unaccountably bad luck with disease. The ailments come early (rotted teeth from a misguided diet of apple juice in lieu of mother's milk) and often (degenerative cysts growing in her jaw at nine-years-old; cancer by 12). These are only highlights of a terrible litany.

I was used to being alone within illness. The world recedes and other people are just phantoms, whether they are in the room or halfway across the world.

Deserving more than anyone of having herself a never-ending pity party, Lavender doesn't. Her matter-of-fact prose is as detached and spare as the persona her years of illness have sculpted, which makes the book, at times, seemingly lacking in emotional depth. However, this mirrors the tunnel vision that allowed her to cope. Amazingly, nowhere does Lavender speak - at any length at least - about becoming depressed. At an age when most kids were hanging upside down on monkey bars, her life was hanging by a thread, reduced to the simple antipodes of survival, life or death.

Through it all, Lavender manages to finish college, have a kid, get a job and a steady male companion (marriage must not be her bag). And, refreshingly, she doesn't treat these accomplishments as any huge, big deal. Her nonchalance resides in her longtime wish to just `be a normal girl, with regular skin and ordinary clothes, commonplace hobbies and predictable friends.' Even if she isn't.

My primary identity is found in my body, in the scars, in the injuries and injustice and disease and decay. My genetic code conveys the simple truth that I'm a freak: no other information about me is relevant.


...
The fact that I am alive is a daily revelation, but it is necessary to do more than just survive.

Despite the physical Grand Guignol that life has lavished upon her, Bee Lavender's story is a testament to guts, endurance and an indomitable will to not succumb to the maladies that are laying siege to her body. You think nobody knows the trouble you've seen? Read this, and stop whining.

Poignant book about anguish
I am stunned by this book and I suggest that everyone should read it.It's a tough and frightening book, but somehow quite uplifting.I feel disoriented and almost drunk after reading it.I somehow feel more vunurable to the possibilities that bad things like this could happen to me too, but also calm.She goes very low and deep into hell, but as the book goes along, she then seems to transcend it all and enjoy her strange life.At the end of the book I almost wanted to be her, and to have her perspective on life. This is a somewhat strange outcome of the book when you consider all the savage events that happen it it. I couldn't put it down. I read it in one long sitting while all of the things I was supposed to do yesterday went undone.

On the back of the book it says that it's "apocryphal, troubling, cathartic, and important".I agree with this 100% ... Read more

Book Description

A world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon shares the lessons of courage, compassion, and resilience that he's learned from his exceptional young patients

If I Get to Five is a one-of-a-kind book by a one-of-a-kind human being. The medical world knows him as Fred Epstein, M.D., the neurosurgeon who pioneered life-saving procedures for previously inoperable tumors in children. His patients and their families know him simply as Dr. Fred, the "miracle man" who has extended them both a healing hand and an open heart.

"I simply can't accept the idea of kids dying," is how Epstein explains his commitment to saving patients. As a child, he had to overcome severe learning disabilities to realize his dream of becoming a doctor. Later, as the world's leading pediatric neurosurgeon, he did whatever it took to rescue children that other doctors had given up on.

Epstein credits his young patients as his most important teachers. "We tend to think of children as fragile, little people," he writes. "To me, they're giants." If I Get to Five relates the unforgettable experiences he's shared with children-lessons in courage, compassion, love, and hope-that we can all draw on to overcome adversity at any stage of life. In If I Get to Five, Epstein meditates on these lessons at a time when they parallel his own experiences, as he recovers from a near-fatal head injury.

If I Get to Five is a riveting profile of courage and compassion. No one who reads this remarkable book will ever look at children-or adversity-in the same way.
... Read more

Reviews (9)

Please ! don't let this one go unread.
I read alot but I don't write that many reviews. This one has to have one. I was ok for the first one hundred pages but on page 108 something happened and I read the rest in tears. This is a great lesson for parents of sick children and parents of seemingly well children. After all we as parents are not given any promises. I checked this copy out from the library but I want my own copy to make notes in and keep on my own shelf. I plan on letting my friends and family in on this little gem.

So Many Lessons
Doctor Epstein has highlighted so many lessons for life
that he learned from these children that were patients.
Any adult could really benefit from reading the lessons for
having a more fulfilled life with whatever time we have left.
It is not only moving and exciting but is also a text book
for happy living, regardless of circumstances.

A Suprising Disappointment
This book could have been so much more. Dr. Epstein has experienced a unique situation...he learned so much from the children he treated over the years AND he has experienced the harrowing journey of reclaiming one's identity after suffering a head injury. If only he had shared with us how what he learned from the children affected his attitude toward his own recovery. Instead, we are given superficial anecdotes about one child after another, seemingly in random order. The children and their families do not come alive as individuals. As I read the book, I got the feeling that Dr. Epstein gave a tape recounting several cases to Mr. Horwitz and said, "Here, you make this into a book." What you end up with is a book, while competently written, that lacks soul, depth or insight. By far the biggest disconnect is the unwillingness or seemingly oblivious attitude of what Dr. Epstein personally learned from these children, and how he must have needed evey one of those lessons learned from his patients to overcome his own challanges. Why does Dr. Epstein even mention the fact of his own injury if he does not plan on using himself as an example of the power that can be gleaned from the attitudes of these children? There comes a time in every person's life when they will need to "get to five", and the lessons learned from these children applied to the life of an adult could have made a book that was a tribute to both Dr. Epstein and his patients. I'm sorry, but in my opinion the mark was missed; what could have been a great book and one of enduring importance took the easy way out.

A miracle worker
I know one of the children profiled in the book. It is true, and without exaggeration, this extraordinary boy would not be alive today (he is now 19) without Dr. Epstein and his incredible medical team.

A wonderful, inspiring read on so many levels.

THE BEST BOOK OF 2003!
If you want to be moved, inspired, enlightened, and truly amazed by the human spirit, then read Dr. Epstein's book! This is a book that truly personifies what it means to be human, and Epstein should receive the Nobel Prize for this amazing account of the lessons he learned from treating children with life-threatening conditions. Epstein is also a prime example of what I call AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP and so now I have a new hero when I speak to others! My consulting company-Creative Visions Consulting--focuses on improving the leadership skills of others and so now I have a new resource--Dr. Epstein--to point people to so the men and women in corporations don't forget what it's like to lead with their hearts and not just their bottom lines! Thank you, Dr. Fred, for one of the BEST BOOKS of 2003 and one of the greatest reads EVER!!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Faced with her two-year-old toddler's precipitous bout with epilepsy and his puzzling behaviors, Valerie Paradiz took a bold and unusual path, coming to terms with and ultimately embracing the strange beauty of her son Elijah's special neurological disorder, which was diagnosed as Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

In Elijah's Cup, Paradiz tells the powerful story of her family's struggle with her son's disease, one characterized by social awkwardness, literal-mindedness, and a fixation with particular subjects and interests. Like attention deficit disorder (ADD), dyslexia, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Asperger's has exploded in diagnosis in the last decade, reconfiguring the known incidence of autism in the population with estimates as high as one in fifty people.

Ever since autism was "discovered" by researchers in the 1940s, the disability has been under the strict purview of professionals in medicine, psychiatry, and education. Like the deaf community, autistics themselves have had little voice in expressing their real experience and needs. They were framed as too "sick" to be conscious of their own internal lives, too "mentally ill" to possess an identity. All this has changed.

Today there is a blossoming movement of autistic self-advocacy groups and alliances that pose challenging questions to the medical status quo. A fascinating, independent expression of another way of life, full of quirkiness, hardship, and humor, has emerge