Book Description

The compelling story of a young woman's emergence into the world after spending her first 13 years strapped to a chair, and her rescue and exploitation by scientists hoping to gain new insight into language acquisition. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Genie deserves better.....again
What do you do when you find a girl as abused and isolated as Genie? When a girl has been locked away in solitude for so terrifyingly long - the only life she'd known since birth? When she is physically disabled as a result of her abuse? When she is disturbed beyond comprehension?......Why, make her the subject of linguistic research of course.

I'm a linguist (specialising in children's language and language acquisition) and I've been haunted by Genie since I studied her myself from film footage, Curtis' dissertation, other books, and now Rymer`s book. I will never get over seeing Genie on film. Till the day I die. She was as unfamiliar to human life as an extra terrestrial, a beautiful ghost, `there' but not really `there`.

I felt some strong emotions - I wanted to (and still do) fly to America and look after Genie myself. I wanted to take her away from the research, the tests. I was angry with Curtis for even making research a part of Genie's life - sure Lenneberg, Chomsky and Piaget's theories need exploring, but in a case as extreme as this, who really gives a **** about linguistics? I was angry with Jean Butler for putting her own interests ahead of Genie's and I was furious that Genie had been abused in the first place. As with many people at the time and since, I have been massively affected by her story, and I wasn't even born when she was rescued.

In my `struggle' to deal with my emotions on the subject of Genie, I thought Rymer's book might help me, teach me more about her, give me more detail on her since the 70s, more about her and those around her as PEOPLE.......and help me to grieve.

Sadly, as some linguists did back in the 70s, Rymer doesn't distinguish between Genie's life and linguistic study. You get 4 or 5 chapters on theories and studies which make me sick to the stomach. I'll read those elsewhere, but isn't this supposed to be Genie's story? Isn't that why it's called `Genie' - I don't need chapters on `Victor' from 1800.

You can get most of this information from other sources anyway - there was little revelation in Rymers book for me. There is just so much missing. I have read it twice now and I still have a thousand questions.

And Rymer's experiences are almost as second-hand as mine.

This is a page-turner, but Genie's story is.....

Cannot recommend this highly enough
Although this is one of the saddest books I've ever read, it's also one of the finest. Genie comes alive as an individual despite the fact that she has no language; the author portrays a unique spirit and yet does a brilliant job of demonstrating how captive that spirit is without expression.The scientific theories at work are well-described, intelligent and thorough without being difficult for the lay reader.

Very tragic
This is a must read for anyone interested in linguistics or child development; however, it is sufficiently interesting and readable for the general population.The tragedy the title refers to is that Genie was a child exploited by the scientific world as she was treated as a case study of language acquisition rather than an abused child desperately in need of supportive therapy.Genie never got the help she needed, and ended up with "soul sickness" in a home for mentally retarded adults.This is a very moving story that will make you think about morality in research and science.

The "Afterword" knocked my socks off
Gee, I wish I could write a book this good, and I wish all books written were this good.The "afterword" is not to be missed -- Mr. Rymer describes his process of writing the book, and how he, the scientists he interviewed, and most everyone who tried to "understand" Genie, all ended up understanding themselves in some humbling or transformative way.So did I.

Brilliant
I don't have a lot to say that the other reviews haven't addressed, so I'll keep it short.

This is a book about such lofty subjects as neurolinguistics and scientific ethics, yet it remains wonderfully readable to the average (but curious) person.It's a fascinating story (see the other reviews), but Rymer's real achievement here is rendering what could have been dry scientific data interspersed with horrific tales of abuse into a book that at no time exploits its subject for cheap sentimentality.We care about "Genie" because her shot at normal life was twice aborted, not because Rymer simply wants us to.

Recommended to any curious mind. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

blame game
an interesting memoir that ultimately fails b/c it isn't honest. author seems to want to lay blame at somewhat ineffectual mother's feet for her and her sister's OWN worst decisions (dating men that beat them, prostitution, taking hard drugs, etc.) though the mother was smart enough to do neither.

it's well-written and an interesting psychological study of the author in a way she probably didn't intend. chock full of lots of father glorification and beating up of the mother and no taking responsibility for one's own behavior, if you like that sort of thing.

So bad I couldn't finish it!
This book got great reviews by professional book reviewers, but I really couldn't get past the first couple of chapters! Quite dull.

Another Dysfunctional Family
I felt that this book is merely adequate in a sea of shocking tell-all dysfunctional family memoirs. The author would have been well advised to give the reader more insight into the childhoods of her parents. The brief information she does provide about her parents' past suggests that their lives were far more harrowing than the conditions in which the author and her sister are raised in. The story itself is fascinating and sad, but it is not particularly beautifully written and leaves the reader wanting more insight into the motivations of the two sisters (having a selfish mother is NOT a true motivation for everything that these two girls do). In general, I found the book interesting for its' gritty, anything goes characters and their soap operatic existences, but did not find the book to be of an important, enduring quality.

How dysfunctional was it, really?
I don't know. Call me crazy, but if Karen and Maria's
parents were half as narcissistic as the author claims, those girls wouldn't have turned out as feisty and resourceful as they obviously did. The mother comes off extremely one-dimensional as if Flook never quite got over her adolescent awe of her. The book is enthralling, especially to those of us who never had quite the balls these two chicks had, due to our really narcissistic parents. The writing is very vivid but occasionally strays into syntactical grey areas and over the top metaphors

Another harrowing read
I had the same reaction to this book that I had to Janet Fitch's fictional but no less powerful book, WHITE OLEANDER. Both writings are concerned with the hard, dark underbelly of the suburban American Dream. But I definetely had a different reaction to Flook's story than other reviewers here. I don't find her self-pitying at all, but rather in that place where the only way to call the devil by name (which, by the way, is "dysfunctional family") is to just tell the story. And, no, to respond to one reviewer's rhetorical question, I don't think Flook's mother comes off as the sanest person in this sad narrative. Nobody seems to be anything but self-centered, even Flook's sweet but ineffectual father, who seemingly gets his gratification by pretending that his family isn't falling apart around him. Flook uses the metaphor of two ocean liners ramming into each other to describe the calamities within her family. She simply tells it like it was, without reproach, justification or regret. It wasn't every child's family or upbringing--it was hers, and she survived it, didn't she? ... Read more

Book Description

De Vinck's true account of his severely handicapped brother's life is a powerful, inspirational statement on the value of life. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Getting to Know Oliver
Thank you, Chris de Vinck, for sharing your journey of love with Oliver. Your book has been an inspiration and guideline since 1984 in our choice to care for and nurture our own litle Oliver, Gregory David. Although he died recently, it gave us courage and strength to know that someone else has been where we have. He gave us a vision of life that transcends the life we knew before his birth. It's all about love. It's ALL about love. You will always remain in our prayers for writing this little portrait of the gift of knowing someonewho has nothing to give but love.

**You'll want to read this more than once!**
If you have ever wondered why God allows people to be born with handicaps of any type, read this book. Oliver was born blind, mute, physically and mentally handicapped, yet his life had a greater impact on more people than many of us who are "normal" can ever hope to have. This book reminds us of the value of life and is very inspiring. I found it most touching that Ronald Reagan wrote to Mr. DeVinck about the power of his powerless brother and now former President Reagan is also one of the powerless due to Alzheimer's. I would highly recommend that you read this book. I also recommend Harold Kushner's "When Bad Things Happen to Good People."

life changing book
I want to let anyone know that is interested in this book to buy it. I first read this book about 8 years ago, and have made a point to read it at least once a year. It has a way of reminding me what is important in life, and what is real. Read this book and you will never be the same! I have given my copy to anyone that will read it, it is good for young teens and up!

A fabulous book about how special needs people help us.
This book has tremendously affected the way I view severely handicapped persons. I am completing a master's degree in special education and a friend of mine sent me a copy so that we could discuss it later. I thoroughly enjoyed re-discovering why God allows us to get to know and love people who seem powerless without our help. It is truly we who are ministered to (helped). Thank you Lord for giving the DeVincks, Oliver, for a short time on this earth. I am looking forward to meeting him in the future.

A Powerful Book
When you wonder why bad things happen to good people, or you scream at God: "Why me, Lord", remember, "Why not me?".

God has a purpose in everything that he allows to happen to us (and our friends/family). The only difference being that we look at the tapestry of life from underneath, while God looks at the beauty of the unfolding tapestry from above.

Learn to trust in God and not just say, but believe that "Everything happens for the best. I trust you Lord." ... Read more

Book Description

Meet tall, beautiful Jami Goldman: world-class athlete, Adidas spokes-person, motivational speaker -- and double amputee. More than a decade ago, a wrong turn on a back road during a blizzard resulted in a terrifying fight for her life. Now for the first time, Jami recounts her gripping story of being trapped in the snow for eleven endless days, the grievous loss of her legs, and the fortitude it has taken to not only walk again but run like the wind -- all the way to freedom.

On December 23, 1987, nineteen-year-old Jami Goldman and her friend Lisa Barzano headed home from a ski trip in Purgatory, Colorado, never imagining they would end up in a freezing hell on a back road that the state of Arizona had closed without checking for travelers in distress. The girls' car battery died during that first long night, stranding them in below-zero temperatures. With only a cinnamon roll and a six-pack of frozen Diet Pepsi, the next ten days became an exercise in survival, testing their faith and courage even after they were rescued -- when Jami's legs and feet were deemed beyond saving.

Wise, forthright, and astonishing, Up and Running follows Jami's global journey from loss to recovery. Her story, which often reads like a compelling mystery, features her supportive family and friends, a devastating court case, her passionate relationship with the man she married, and finally, her triumph over inconceivably fearful obstacles. In the end, Up and Running shows us all how to use adversity as a stepping-stone -- leading us to heights we previously considered out of reach and beyond our wildest dreams. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I knew she could
THis is a wonderful book. I knew Jami back in high school. We went to peer counseling camp together. She was just as she says, not very active. I am sure that today she is the same great spririted person I knew back when. She has survived and overcome.I read the book after seeing her on To Tell the Truth. I am proud to say that I know her. I truly recommend this book. It is quite a story of determination.

a beautiful gift
I was so shocked to know how she got both legs amputated. And I was so shocked to know that could happen to anybody. But her extraordinary strength of will to live gave me great courage to confront with my losses or unfortunates. While sensitively expressing a feminine part of her, she was also very competitive and eager to find her new life. Her optimism reminded me how profound our lives and possibilities are. This book will be a beautiful gift to share with all my precious friends. Thank you, Jami and Andrea.

Up and Running: The Jami Goldman Story
Incredible personal narrative about what it's like to be average turned to handicapped turned to awesome source of power! I picked this book up in the library, reading back cover and was intrigued before looking at the picture on front cover and wondering, how? My brother is an amputee and I've witnessed first hand the strange way that people treat him, as an outsider from normal existance. Jami describes herself and the way others perceive her very clearly. This book is impossible to put down as you read about the terror of being stuck in a vehicle for 11 days and wondering why you haven't died yet. It is equally as difficult to put down as you read about Jami's determination to return to life as it was before the accident. This book is passionate, informed, relevant to today, romantic, inspirational, realistic, descriptive, adventurous, and well thought out. However, as a 7 months pregnant about to be first time mother, I do not recommend this book for readers under 18 years old.

Absolutely Inspirational
As a single leg amputee I found it very easy to relate with a lot of the different trials and tribulations that Jami discussed in her inspirational story.I found on somedays not being able to put the book down just to see how she made it to the next step of her incredible journeys of adapting to her whole new world.It's also nice to know that no matter of ones differences from others, you are never alone.

Up and Running: The Jami Goldman Story
This is the most amazing and inspirational story I have ever read.I read the book cover to cover. I couldn't put it down. I learned so much about living life to the fullest it made me excited about living again. I want to thank Jami for sharing her amazing journey with the world. I hope everyone gets the chance to read this wonderful book! ... Read more

Book Description

Winner of the Columbia University Lionel Trilling Award. Robert Murphy was in the prime of his career as an anthropologist when he felt the first symptom of a malady that would ultimately take him on an odyssey stranger than any field trip to the Amazon: a tumor of the spinal cord that progressed slowly and irreversibly into quadriplegia. In this gripping account, Murphy explores society's fears, myths, and misunderstandings about disability, and the damage they inflict. He reports how paralysis—like all disabilities—assaults people's identity, social standing, and ties with others, while at the same time making the love of life burn even more fiercely. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hearing the Body
Bob became paraplegiac at a late age, after having enjoyed a long, brilliant career as a professor at Columbia and an anthropologist who, with his anthropologist wife Yolanda, lived among Amazonian Indians and Saharan camel nomads. He was too clever to be overwhelmed with self-pity. This book was written from the perspective that he loved most: what you'd think is true is probably just the opposite. We expect paralyzed people to get better, like other "sick" patients, but the problem is, they don't: they're damaged selves. Hey--just like everybody else. We all have to come to terms with life's damages and our isolation and loneliness as we attempt to cope with it. Who would ever have thought it possible--we can all learn something compelling about our normal selves, viewing life from the wheelchair! Ironically (and this is the kind of twist that styles Murphy's ideas) the disabled are a mirror for the rest of us: "The paralytic is, quite literally, a prisoner of the flesh, but most humans are convicts of sorts. We live within walls of our own making, staring out at life through bars thrown up by culture and annealed by our fears. . . .[that] induces a mental paralysis, a stilling of thought." Murphy has never sold his soul to an illusion: he speaks candidly as a participant observer of his own encounter with symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and transformation. Always the fox, he transcends the smoke screen that our cultural prejudices force upon us, and hears his own body and its message with astounding clarity and patience. This is a book that students read eagerly, in both anthropology and sociology classes, because its message is provocative, and its ethnography is true. It teaches us all to listen to the sound of our own struggles with personal identity and mortality, and to smile with the knowledge that we are not alone.

Disibility means reliance on others
Ten years ago since the American Disabilities Act went into effect, the disabled still feel that they are isolated from the real world. Former professor of anthropology at Columbia University Robert F. Murphy examines from his personal perspective the life of a disabled person in a world where he was independent and zealous of life. The reader will discover what it is like for a disabled person to battle besides the inability to carry out everyday function we take for granted. The Body Silent is unlike other books written by the disable. The Body Silent is an excellent book full of prose and not journal entries of how fortunate the non-disabled really are. This book (recommended to me by anthropologist Dr. James Trostle) will change your perspective and outlook on how it is like to grow up again and learning how to walk, one step at a time.

a celebration of life worth living
As a graduate student in anthropology, I came to know and respect Bob Murphy more than any other scholar. Of the texts he wrote, The Body Silent, stands apart in that it says much about the man, anthropology, disability in American society, and life itself. It will deeply touch a wide variety of readers, and for those that knew him, will bring tears to their eyes. As to its impact on what is now known as disability studies, it put the discipline on the academic agenda. As such, it is a seminal text and is a must for anyone thinking of entering the field.

Incredible
This wonderfully written book offers rare insight into the world of disability, the health care system and society. The late Robert Murphy, an anthropologist, provided an "insider's" view of a life changing experience. It is a fascinating read. Nursing,medical and other health professional students can spend an entire semester dissecting the anatomy and physiology of disability through Murphy's perspective.

5 Stars are not enough!
The late Dr. Murphy's anthropological account of his journey into the world of the disabled should be required reading for all courses related to Medical Anthropology and Disability Studies. Dr. Murphy brings to life the social liminality - the status of "otherness" of the handicapped, and takes the reader into a culture largely (and wrongly) ignored by anthropology. ... Read more

Book Description

Chris Burke became one of America’s favorite personalities when he starred as "Corky" on the hit ABC television series Life Goes On. Not since Helen Keller has one person so thoroughly changed the way the world views people with disabilities.

Twenty-five years earlier, when Chris was born with Down syndrome, doctors advised his parents to put him in an institution. Instead, they showered him with love, and encouraged him to reach for his dreams.

This is Chris’ story, and the story of his family’s love and determination. Here he tells what it’s really like to grow up with Down syndrome…how he pursued his seemingly impossible show business goals...and how he has dedicated his life to helping people with special needs, especially those with what he calls "Up syndrome."

Journalist JoBeth McDaniel first wrote about Chris in a Life magazine cover story. For this book, she spent many months with Chris and his family, and interviewed dozens of his coworkers and friends.

Profoundly inspirational, A Special Kind of Hero is a triumphant story of courage and hope that proves Chris’ motto: "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

"A poignant, joyful and inspirational story."
—Literary Guild

"Excellent…fascinating…a realistic portrait of an intriguing individual."
—Down Syndrome News

Reviews (5)

inspiring read for everyone
Chris Burke is one of my favorite actors.I started watching Life Goes On back in 1989 through 1993.It is still my favorite all time show.I taped about half the episodes. ( I just wish i could find out where you can buy them...I'd love to have the whole show on tape) I had no idea how many obstacles, due to his condition of Down Syndrome, Chris had to overcome before becoming an actor.His faith in God and himself is so inspiring.Even his family tried to discourage him from thinking he was going to be a Hollywood star someday, but he obviously had a vision and stopped at nothing to achieve his dreams.I love that his disabilty is not his identity.He rises far above any trial.I also found out many interesing facts from his Life Goes On costars.He and Kellie Martin's friendship was so strong, they were like siblings. He sometimes had to deal with actors who thought they were above him and were very impatient and patronizing with Chris.Chris really is a "normal" person with normal desires- to fall in love, be treated with respect, make his own living, and take care of his loved ones.Whether or not you have seen his show or movies, I recommend you read this book, especially if you are disabled or know someone who is. You don't have to be afraid of someone who looks and sounds a bit different than you. Chris really changed my heart and mind.He has more wisdom than anyone I know.

Equal Parts Creepy & Funny
Creepy - his bizarre relationship with the lil girl from Growing Pains. It just screamed inappropriate.

Funny - When he was just born and the nurse tells his mother, "you better lock that mongloid away in an institution if you know what is best for him!" I also enjoyed his recollections of Patti Lupone and how her diva-ishness would make no accomendations for his Downs.

I often wonder if Geri Jewell hates him for stealing her thunder?

A Great Read
When I first began watching "Life Goes On", years ago, I was immedietly drawn in.The sheer talent and ability of Chris Burke blew me away, and this book really gives insight into his childhood and life.It really is a fantastic story that I suggest to anyone looking to read about someone with the courage and strength of the biggest tiger in the jungle, who overcomes stereotypes and boundaries.I wish there had been a little bit more about the behind the scenes of "Life Goes On" and about his musical career, but all in all, it's well worth the money.

A VERY SPECIAL ACTOR WITH A TALENT FOR HIMSELF!
I remember a friend who was born with down syndrome his name was Nathan Myers.He use to live in Kakabeka Falls a while back.He and I went to St. Martin's School in grade five or six I think? Anyway he kind of lookedlike a resemblence to TV's Chris Burke the actor who played Corky Thatcherfrom "Life Goes On" with the same disability that he has. But Ihave not read this book yet. But i'm sure it's about him and his life toldin a biography with the handicap Chris Burke was born. I would like to meethim in person some day and get an autograph and be his fan. Because hereminds me a lot of my old friend Nathan. I remember watching his show longago and it was interesting to see him play the role as a Thatcher familyson with a genetic disorder and a very special person he can be in reallife with lots of talent!

VERY touching and heartwarming
I read this book last year in 7th grade.THe book fair came to our school and I had my money and I was read to buy something good.I went over to the shelf and as I went through the books this book caught my eye.I remembered that when I was really little we'd watch "Life Goes On" every week and I thought it was so cool for "someone like that" to be able to accomplish "all that" so I bought the book.As I read it I'd tell bits and pieces of the story ( my personal favorite is about the small pine tree growing in his...) they'd be hanging from a limb each day until I read more of the book-quarreling over who would borrow it from me first.Meanwhile all day I'd look at things from a simpler point of view thinking of how Chris might see this situation. (or one of my down-syndrome friends Sarah) It made me feel like, wow he had a HARD life and all of my formerly HUGE problems were like nothing.I could do ANYTHING it gave me a huge surge of power and confidence. It made me feel like me for the first time, making me feel like wow people care for each other, they really do.This is a VERY special book. touching deep parts of the soul unknown until this book is read, see for yourself.. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Helen Keller would not be bound by conditions. Rendered deaf and blind at 19 months by scarlet fever, she learned to read (in several languages) and even speak, eventually graduating with honors from Radcliffe College in 1904, where as a student she wrote The Story of My Life. That she accomplished all of this in an age when few women attended college and the disabled were often relegated to the background, spoken of only in hushed tones, is remarkable. But Keller's many other achievements are impressive by any standard: she authored 13 books, wrote countless articles, and devoted her life to social reform. An active and effective suffragist, pacifist, and socialist (the latter association earned her an FBI file), she lectured on behalf of disabled people everywhere. She also helped start several foundations that continue to improve the lives of the deaf and blind around the world.

As a young girl Keller was obstinate, prone to fits of violence, and seething with rage at her inability to express herself. But at the age of 7 this wild child was transformed when, at the urging of Alexander Graham Bell, Anne Sullivan became her teacher, an event she declares "the most important day I remember in all my life." (Sullivan herself had once been blind, but partially recovered her sight after a series of operations.) In a memorable passage, Keller writes of the day "Teacher" led her to a stream and repeatedly spelled out the letters w-a-t-e-r on one of her hands while pouring water over the other. This method proved a revelation: "That living world awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free! There were barriers still, it is true, but barriers that could in time be swept away."And, indeed, most of them were.

In her lovingly crafted and deeply perceptive autobiography, Keller's joyous spirit is most vividly expressed in her connection to nature:

Indeed, everything that could hum, or buzz, or sing, or bloom, had a part in my education.... Few know what joy it is to feel the roses pressing softly into the hand, or the beautiful motion of the lilies as they sway in the morning breeze. Sometimes I caught an insect in the flower I was plucking, and I felt the faint noise of a pair of wings rubbed together in a sudden terror....

The idea of feeling rather than hearing a sound, or of admiring a flower's motion rather than its color, evokes a strong visceral sensation in the reader, giving The Story of My Life a subtle power and beauty. Keller's celebration of discovery becomes our own. In the end, this blind and deaf woman succeeds in sharpening our eyes and ears to the beauty of the world. --Shawn Carkonen ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Deaf and Dumb becomes Brilliant!
Most people have seen the "Miracle Worker." That story was more about Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller. This book gives you a glimpse into the thoughts of the little girl, Helen. I was amazed to read about things from the point of view of a little girl who was blind and deaf. She was so lost and alone until Anne Sullivan came into her life. But, even she knew when she was doing something wrong. She describes great details of her life I never heard before. She even gives an idea of what life was like before she discovered words. Helen wondered why her mother and others moved their mouth, but it was some time before she knew they were communicating with each other and then her long struggle to communicate began. I was surprised to read how she learned to read lips with her hands and even eventually learned to speak audibly. Not only did she gain that knowledge, but she became a brilliant young woman, writing the English language with great skill, as well as a few other languages. This book is brief, but well worth your time. You will gain a better understanding into the life of one with Helen's severe handicaps.

My favorite book!
When Helen Keller was a baby, she was perfectly normal. Until got a dangerous illness. Her fever would mysteriously come and go.At first, the doctors thought she was going to die, but no one - not even he doctor knew about her losing her hearing and sight. From this day she doesn't recall what happened during the first months after her illness. She was born in Tuscumbia, a little town in northern Alabama, on June 27, 1880.

Why I hated the The Story of my Life.
Wow.This book is beyond horrible.Many people loved this book because it is a great feat for HELEN KELLER.If any other person wrote this I think many people would hate it.Don't be mad at me because I am comparing her book to other authors and treating her like a normal person which I am sure she would want to be treated like.And she always acted like she could see.When she got a horse she was comparing the horse to a horse in a book mean while I am thinking, "You cannot see it!"And she was really rich.If her parents haven't have been rich she would have not gone to college.In one of the letters she is like, "What animal are you getting me for my birthday?I already have horses, cats, dogs," and God knows what other animals.and she was always whining but I am sure that is because she didn't know any better.But I hated this book so much.I wanted to rip it inot shreds as I read it.I am not even beginning to explain how much I hated it.

Why I hated the The Story of my Life.
Wow.This book is beyond horrible.Many people loved this book because it is a great feat for HELEN KELLER.If any other person wrote this I think many people would hate it.Don't be mad at me because I am comparing her book to other authors and treating her like a normal person which I am sure she would want to be treated like.And she always acted like she could see.When she got a horse she was comparing the horse to a horse in a book mean while I am thinking, "You cannot see it!"And she was really rich.If her parents haven't have been rich she would have not gone to college.In one of the letters she is like, "What animal are you getting me for my birthday?I already have horses, cats, dogs," and God knows what other animals.and she was always whining but I am sure that is because she didn't know any better.But I hated this book so much.I wanted to rip it inot shreds as I read it.I am not even beginning to explain how much I hated it.

Classic inspiring autobiography
Originally published in 1903, the first 100 pages tell of Keller's life from childhood to young adult. It is a classic of overcoming obstacles and provided many with their first realisation of what it means to be deaf and blind. It provides a wonderful look into her world and the world of 100 years ago. If there is one thing that sums up Keller's childhood it's "with love and many kisses." She never seemed to tired of attention and was everyone's friend.

The second half of the book (pages 105-225) is comprised of letters written by Helen from when she first learned to write up until 1901. The first letters are extremely interesting as we see her progression in ability and thought processes. Later on I became bored with the whole process and wished that there was some context to what she was writing about. A handful of the letters are explained by the compiler but most are just an exercise in reading someone else's mail and not terribly exciting at that. The story deserves 5 stars; the letters 2 stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Born in 1938, R. H. Miller was the oldest of four hearing boys with deaf parents in Defiance, Ohio, a small agricultural community. Deaf Hearing Boy is Miller’s compelling account of the complex dynamics at work in his family, including the inter-generational conflicts in which he found himself, the oldest child of deaf adults (CODA), caught in the middle.

In 1942, Miller’s family moved to Toledo so that his father could find work. There, they fared well during World War II because his father worked in manufacturing as a member of Roosevelt’s "civilian army." Miller’s mother loved urban life, where she and the family could immerse themselves in the Toledo Deaf community, especially at the Toledo Silent Club. The end of the war marked the end of prosperity for the Miller family. Returning soldiers displaced all of the deaf workers, who then had to scrape for a living. The Millers, close to destitution, returned to the family farm in Defiance.

Miller depicts the return to farm life as one of tremendous hardship, both economically and psychologically. They lived off the land from hand to mouth. He also describes his grandparents’ distrust of his parents because they were deaf, and he writes candidly of his role as an unwilling agent in the misunderstandings between them. Miller also portrays the bias he endured in school and town. Parents of girlfriends would force their daughters to stop dating him for fear that his family’s deafness would be passed down.

In the early 1950s, Miller’s grandparents sold the farm and his parents returned to industrial work. Miller excelled at school, and eventually left home for college and life in academia. His later reflections reveal a deep, abiding respect for his parents, despite his early difficulties. Deaf Hearing Boy presents an intimate depiction of a changing time for hearing and deaf Americans alike, when the family farm disappeared and the isolation of Deaf people also began to fade. In witnessing this transformation of society through his family’s life, Miller adds an important chapter to the collective narrative of Deaf people, one made all the more poignant and vivid as told by their Deaf Hearing boy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A compelling testimony drawn directly from heart and memory
The second volume of the Deaf Lives series, Deaf Hearing Boy: A Memoir is the true story the author, born in 1938 as the oldest of four hearing boys to deaf parents. Deaf Hearing Boy chronicles growing up in changing times, and the author's own experience as the sometimes unwilling liaison between his deaf parents and hearing grandparents. The end of World War II brought poverty to the family, as returning soldiers displaced his parents' jobs and they had to resort to scraping by on the family farm. Deaf Hearing Boy chronicles an era when small farms gradually faded from the landscape, and cultural connectivity began to erode the isolation of deaf people. It tells of prejudice against the deaf, from fathers who would not let the author date their daughters for fear that the author carried a gene for deafness that would be passed on, to misunderstandings within the family and more. And it tells of a young man's abiding respect for his parents, despite the problems unique to a deaf couple striving to raise hearing children. A compelling testimony drawn directly from heart and memory.
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Reviews (1)

No help here!
I've had fibromyalgia for a few years now and this book was recommended in some other source.I was most disappointed at the lack of real information.Way too expensive for a paperback with little applicable information. ... Read more

Book Description

From mortal illness to miraculous recovery, a doctor's moving account of his own experience as a patient

At forty-two, Geoffrey Kurland, a pediatric pulmonologist specializing in such deadly diseases as cystic fibrosis, was diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, a rare cancer with a statistically low survival rate. A remarkably fit man in training for 100-mile "extreme" races whose job is equally high performance, he is forced to confront the challenge of his own mortality. He tries to cope by turning inward in a desperate search for ever-elusive answers. As the doctor becomes a patient and lives through the terror and pain that he had until then only observed at a remove in his young patients, he learns invaluable life lessons that will ultimately make him a better doctor.

This is Kurland's memoir of his diagnosis, treatment, and return to health and "normal" life-an unforgettable testament to the resilence of the human spirit.
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Reviews (4)

power of the human mind and spirit
Our family was inspired by the stamina and ability to reach for the stars that doctor Kurland demonstrated in his book. It was quite helpful in dealing with our own personal fight against a difficult illness. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone dealing with disease and irony.As a doctor he has an aura of magnetic strength and is highly regarded in his profession. We tip our hats off to you!

Pleasure, inspiration AND education.
Nonfiction with all the excitement of a novel. It reads easily, stays on track, holds the reader's interest and has to have wide appeal. How a physician barely survives a frightening disease and manages to achieve some lifelong dreams in the face of extreme adversity. It offers special insight to all of us as potential patients or medical providers, with some special appeal to runners and endurance athletes.

Great Read!
Wonderful book with a lot of insight on the doctor being the patient. Despite the seriousness of the subject (diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma), it is sprinkled with humorous anecdotes about medical sub-specialists and medical training. Gives insight into physician thinking and training that should prove enlightening to non-physicians. A well-written, wise book by a great doctor.

moving and fascinating perspective on being a patient
This book is a refreshingly candid, funny, and moving account of one physician's experiences as a patient with a serious and often fatal illness. I found it difficult to put down, extremely well written, and accessible to both lay public and medical professional. Dr. Kurland's account is an important addition to the genre addressing the patient experience. It is must reading for anyone involved in patient care... and anyone who might be a patient... ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Good Book, But May Be Overrated
Many people find this book THE book to read in regards to a deaf child's experience (of course, that includes her family as well). And this book is very good at showing you what a hearing family goes through when a deaf child is born into it. It tells of the "typical" struggle between raising their child strictly oral or letting them sign, too.

Many doctors and therapists tell hearing parents that to allow their deaf child to sign would be to hinder their ability to speak, lipread, or progress intellectually. All of this is hogwash, but, nevertheless, that is what this book is about. What should we do with our child?

If you're looking for that kind of informative read, this book is sure to please. For me, it was just another book about the same old issue and I found myself skimming often just to get to something original. As harsh as that may sound, that's just this deafie's opinion. :v)

Honest example of raising a deaf child in the hearing world
Deaf Like Me is a story of 2 young parents struggling to raise their deaf daughter, Lynn, in a hearing world. Written by Thomas Spradley, Lynn's father, the book begins before Lynn was born with her mother's fear of rubella. The book takes you through the fear and waiting for the pregnancy and the eventual realization of Lynn's deafness. The story is written in a simple, straightforward manner, yet conveys the emotions of the new parents. The descriptions Thomas gives are often lacking in vibrancy and inventive vocabulary, but at the same time he conveys honest, true-to-life emotion.
The first 80% of the book is focused on the Spradley's attempts to raise Lynn to succeed in the hearing world. Thomas agonizingly describes the auditory training and constant schooling that he and his wife give Lynn, only to have her barely speaking 4 words at the age of 5. The constant movement of the family portrays varying experiences that Lynn and her parents go through as they try to teach her lip-reading and speech. It is not until the last 2 chapters that the Spradleys finally realize that communication with their daughter is more important than their dreams for her success as a 'normal' hearing person and begin teaching her sign. These last two chapters show Lynn's character developing its own independent personality. Lynn also begins to explore a new deaf culture that neither her nor her parents have any experience.
My fault with the book as that I feel it ends just as the story becomes interesting. The eighteen chapters of oralism, which are shocking and disturbing, are painful lesson in futility. An impatient reader would most certainly give up on the book after the seemingly thousands of failed attempts at oralism. The dedicated reader however, is rewarded with touching moments of a family that finds its 'normalcy' through the common language of sign.

A Landmark Book
Tell-alls by parents of disabled kids is a genre now, but when Deaf Like Me first was published, it was an unusual book for the market. The story is of the Spradley family, and daughter Lynn, who is one of many children born Deaf in the US in the late sixties and early seventies, the result of an epidemic of Rubella (German Measles).

At the time Lynn's deafness was diagnosed, the common wisdom among hearing professionals was that children born deaf should not be exposed to any kind of sign language, and instead should receive intensive tutoring, even as infants, in speaking and speechreading. Although the tide would turn soon, the Spradleys had no way of anticipating that; they embarked on an odyssey of trying to teach Lynn to speak, and with a hearing aid, and by watching intently, to appear to listen as a hearing child.

After many years of pouring words into Lynn, with the promise from the experts that one day Lynn would finally pour the words back out, the Spradleys are frustrated with not being able to talk to their daughter. Lynn is several years old, and becoming a discipline problem.

Then one day, the Spradleys meet a five year old, signing Deaf child, a child who not only communicates with her parents, but makes jokes. The Spradleys are forced to reconsider years of expert advice balanced against one little girl who can talk to her parents, where their daughter cannot.

How the Spradleys learn to stand on their own, and disregard the experts, even in the face of some heavy censure, is the story of heroism. This is a book to own, because you will want to return to it again and again.

An amazing true story!!!
This is an amazing story of a family who strugles when they realize that their little girl is deaf. The story they tell is so true of so many hearing parents of deaf children (90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents). I am a student at Northern Illinois Universtiy and am studying to become a teacher for deaf children. The whole time that I read this book I just kept saying to myself. LET HER SIGN!!! They it made me laugh when all the parents came together and started to talk about the behavior problems their children had. I sat back and said to myself.."do you think it is because they can't communicate what they want and are frustrated?" This is a must read for any parent of a deaf baby!!!!

A personal story, artfully told, with lessons for all.
Over 90% of deaf children in the US have hearing parents, and perhaps the first thing those parents learn is that the single word "deaf" is unable to convey the wide range of hearing losses lumped under the term "deaf", and with that, the consequently wide range of options that Deaf people have for dealing with life. Since each Deaf story is so uniquie, though, it is all the more wonderful that the Spradley family was able to tell the highly individualistic story of their deaf daughter Lynn (now a young adult) in such way that it holds the interest of, and teaches valuable lessons to, the families of other deaf chidlren, regardless of their particular situation. Curious how one family can learn things about itself while reading the story of another family, but that's what happened with us. This more "humane" book is also welcome break from the reams of more techical reading that most hearing parents must plow through as part of helping their deaf children. I recommend this book warmly. ... Read more

Book Description

Alex Smith and his eight personalities were trapped in a world of unfathomable evil...until he entered the "magic castle" and found the key to his freedom.

When Carole Smith and her husband decided to take in a foster child that no one else would have, they knew ten-year-old Alex would be difficult. But nothing had prepared them for the unruly, self-destructive boy who stormed into their lives. Alone with Alex during the day, Carole was baffled by his infantile tantrums and violent, self-hating behaviors. Exasperated, she tried relating to him as the two-year-old he appeared to be, and finally, a door to Alex's mind began to open.

With the help of psychiatrist Dr. Steven Kingsbury, Alex's tormented mind revealed a host of personalities, each born in a horrifying episode of Alex's past-- each carrying a memory too powerful for his conscious mind to handle. As the personalities came forth in the safety of Alex's inner, secret castle, they unleashed stories of abandonment, brainwashing, and sexual abuse by those Alex trusted the most. In the spellbinding tradition of Sybil and When Rabbit Howls, here is a fascinating true story of the human mind; of innocence shattered by inhuman cruelty; and ultimately of love's power to transform fragments into wholeness-- tragedy into triumph.
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Reviews (15)

Amazing Story of Truimph and Courage
Alex's courage in straight forwardly dealing with his past so maturely amazes and inspires me. He keeps plowing on, through memories so horrible they'd make you or me shudder in distress hearing them, but he just takes it all in stride, he never gives up. He is a wonderful inspiration to us all. This is a more than worthwhile book to read for anyone looking for a little insight into child abuse/ MPD/DID or just an ultimately inspiring story of the truimph of the human spirit.

broadening horizons
Through the exquisitely described details (however minute in relevance to the story they were) in her book, I was able to envision myself at the scenes of her past. I am not even going to begin to presume that I understand or empathize what the author, or anyone else in her immediate sphere went through as the events of her past unfolded before you in the book. However, her words struck a chord in my being I hope will not stop vibrating. I am one of the "normal kids" who would have had no other information about multiple personalities, other than the abnormal psychology class some college students attend during their studies. It is because of Carole Smith's book that I will forever be open minded and compassionate to those who are different from myself. It is because of her book why my horizon has broadened.

A Satisfactory Read About MPD, But Not the Best~
If you're interested in learning more about Multiple Personality Disorder, this is NOT the place to start. To go a step further, if you're interested in learning more about the "experience" of MPD, this would be an option, but I wouldn't recommend it as a first. Why? Glad you asked:

Although the book shows interesting information and honestly reflects on Alex's experiences (through his adopted mother), it is filled to the rim with motherly love and saturated with a seemingly overzealous adopted mother. This book is really about HER experience, not his. It's about HER taking the initiative and acting the heroine when she discovers her adopted son was the victim of Satanic Ritual Abuse and suffers from a severe dissociative disorder (MPD). It isn't until the end of the book that some pictures and therapy are discussed. So if you want to learn about a multiple's journey to triumph, save yourself some time and money (and occasionally difficult reading) and get something else.

If, on the other hand, you're looking to see things from a foster-mom-who-doesn't-know-anything-about-MPD's point of view, this could be the book for you. I became tired and irritated as I tried to crawl through the pages that were dripping with, "Oh, my poor baby! Save him!" and "If you won't, I WILL!!" Pu-leeze. Once again, if you've read them all and you want a new one, here it is. Otherwise...you might very well get more information (and less sugar) from the back of a cereal box. :v(

Very Disturbing, Read with Caution
This book is very graphic and very gruesome. I was very disturbed by the things I read. The abuse this child suffered was horrific, and you get to hear the details from the child's viewpoint. I found the stories of abuse to be so vile and horrifying that I even though this book was a gift, I am donating it to my local library. I read it once, and would never read it again because I found it so upsetting. To think that such evil exists in the world makes me physically ill. So be forewarned that this book is very disturbing, gruesome and upsetting.

spell binding
This book held my interest from start to finish. Once I started it I could not put it down. I had to get to the next chapter to find out what would happen to Alex next, or what will Alex do to his foster parents next!! How will the next event be handled. What other abuse could this poor boy be subject to. This book is extremely graffic, the details of his abuse are given in detail. He suffered physical, sexual, emotional and even ritual abuse. I believe Alex, I believe his foster parents. Some of you may not. Whether you believe the story or not, you'll gain a great perspective about MPD, and you won't be able to put the book down! This book is about a boy's abusive family, most are about girls. I applaud Alex for his courage to heal and to tell his story. ... Read more

Book Description

Into the Shadows offers a message of hope to the one in four adults in America today affected by Alzheimer's disease, either as caregivers, relatives or friends. In this intimate and moving chronicle, Robert DeHaan combines his finely honed skills as a professional psychologist with his unwavering Christian faith to show that the love and grace of God are far greater than this terrible disease. Into the Shadows is a portrait of a gifted woman, Roberta Timmer DeHaan, as she embarks upon "a journey from which no one has ever returned." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not a "how to" book
I was swept off my feet by this book. It is a love story between a man and his wife, Roberta, who was fighting the battle with Alzheimer's, and between both of them and God. The author's faith grew even as the strain of taking care of his wife increased. His training as a psychologist enabled him to reveal his feelings in many difficult circumstances and to empathize with the horrors that his wife was going through.  At times I cried and at other times I laughed.  This is not a how-to book.  Rather, it is a book written from the inner experience of the caregiver as he accompanied his wife day by day from the earliest days of her journey into this horrific disease, until the day he placed her in the keeping of professional caregivers.

A new perspective on caring for an alzheimer's patient
Many of my friends have watched their parents disappear into the strange world of Alzheimer's disease, and I read this book to try to understand a little more what they are going through. It is wonderful! The author is a trained psychologist, but he writes with tender romanticism about his beautiful, brilliant wife. Although we meet her as she is teetering over the edge into the darkness of dementia, he brings her vividly back to life by telling us about her as a young woman, a mother,a musician, college professor, community activist and good friend, so that we mourn with him as he watches the woman he knew disappear. He offers a lot of insight into how to understand the Alzheimer's patient and what kind of help the caregiver needs in order to make the right decisions. This book is not a downer, but ultimately a moving message about how great faithfulness makes life's sorrows bearable. ... Read more

Book Description

A triumphant mother-daughter story about the limitless possibilities of a life lived with courage.

Ten years ago, I was hit by a car. No one expected me to live. I have been paralyzed from the neck down and on a respirator since that time. Tomorrow, I will graduate from Harvard. Miracles happen. They have happened to me and they are happening to you. You need only look at the people in your lives in order to see them. (Brooke Ellison, Harvard graduation speech)

One of the most inspiring stories of the past year was that of Brooke Ellison. The victim of an automobile accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down when she was eleven years old, Brooke never let her disability stop her from living her life to the fullest and becoming the first quadriplegic to graduate from Harvard University. But, as she eloquently reveals in this beautifully moving account of her life and accomplishments, her identity extends far beyond her physical limitations.

Written with her mother, Jean, her closest companion -- in alternating chapters -- Brooke's story starts on the day that changed her life, which left her in a coma and nearly killed her. It concludes with the promise that Brooke's life is just beginning, and that it will indeed be a remarkable one. Told with grace, warmth, and sparkling humor, this unforgettable memoir is filled with optimism, inspiration, and confidence that the future will bring even more blessings. Miracles Happen is not just about living with a disability, it is about overcoming adversity and celebrating the miracles that every day brings. It is not just about one person, but about the heroics of a family. And it is not just about one extraordinary mother-daughter relationship, but about the special bond that exists between mothers and daughters everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Life as Kim and Krickitt Carpenter knew it was shattered beyond recognition on November 24, 1993, two months after their marriage, when their Ford Escort was hit from behind by a fast-moving truck.A massive head injury left Krickitt in a coma for weeks. When she finally emerged from the coma, she recognized her parents and everyone else-but she didn't know Kim. She had no idea who he was.The "Krickitt" Kim had married essentially died in the accident. The Vow is the true tale of the reconstruction of two lives and a marriage after an event so shattering that most others would have parted ways long ago. Though it was not easy, and it tested every fiber of who they were, Kim and Krickitt fell in love all over again. ... Read more

Book Description

Day after day, night after night, the desperate men come and sit in the black chair next to Charles Barber's desk in a basement office at Bellevue and tell of their travails, of prison and AIDS and heroin, of crack and methadone and sexual abuse, and the voices that plague them. In the silence between the stories, amid the peeling paint, musty odor, and flickering fluorescent light, Barber observes that this isn't really where he is supposed to be.

How this child of privilege, the product of Andover and Harvard and Columbia, came to find himself at home among the homeless of New York City is just one story Barber tells in Songs from the Black Chair. Interlaced with his memoir, and illuminating the nightmare of mental illness that gripped him after his friend's suicide, are the stories of his confidants at Bellevue and the "mental health" shelters of Manhattan-men so traumatized by the distortions of their lives and minds that only in the chaotic aftermath of 9/11 do they feel in sync with their world. In the intertwined narrative of these troubled lives and his own, Charles Barber brings to shimmering light some of the most disturbing and enduring truths of human nature.

Charles Barber is an associate of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Yale University School of Medicine. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

An exceptional account of a mother's love
Until I read this book a few months ago, I believed all the negative things I'd heard about Nancy - mostly that she was a repulsive, drug-addicted, attention-seeking groupie with absolutely no redeeming qualities. There never was anything good in the press, even these many years after her death. I'm not one to accept everything I hear as gospel; I just never heard anything to convince me otherwise. When I first learned that Nancy's mom had written a book about her I was curious to hear the inside story. It took me over ten years to find it, and from the start I was drawn in, because I was reading things that reminded me so much of my own childhood, but far more extreme. I cannot begin to imagine the horrors the Spungens endured as a result of Nancy's existence. I've read hundreds of books in my life, but not one has moved me the way Mrs Spungen's account has. I truly believe that she and her husband did the best they could for their daughter. For detractors who claim that Mrs Spungen was not an adequate mother and was simply shifting the blame for her own perceived failures onto her daughter, I can only say that unless you've lived through a similiar situation, you cannot possibly understand or appreciate what she went through, and how difficult it must've been for her to invite an underserving public into her own world to share her experiences. I was only six years old when Nancy died, so I didn't have a first hand account of the punk era, or the violence that came with it. Everything I learned came from my reading. I believe the story is well told, giving the reader insight from the beginning of Nancy's life up until the tragic end. And despite everything that Nancy was, I felt a certain love for her, because I know what it is like to have to deal with uncontrollable emotions. I was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder when I was 22. My entire life up to that point (and even beyond) had been a source of anguish for both my parents, neither of whom ever sought medical attention until I almost succeeded in ending my life. It was only after my mother's death that I was able to seek treatment on my own, and receive the medication I needed for stability. Even so, I do not believe my illness is taken seriously by the medical community. The Spungens constantly tried to get help for their daughter, and were similarly told that Nancy's behavior was 'normal'. I believe this book should be required reading for anyone involved in the mental health profession. Mrs Spungen helped me realize a lot about myself in relation to others, and I have a better understanding of the inadequacies of the medical world. I just hope this book helps others to understand that they are not alone.

Not an easy read, but fascinating
I bought this book because I wanted some insight into one of the most enigmatic couples in pop culture history - Sid and Nancy. While Nancy's story as told by her mother was not at all what I might have expected, it did not disappoint.

Not knowing about Nancy's horrendous suffering (seemingly equal to that of her family)as baby, child and adolesecent, one would obviously think her last two frenetic years spent with Sid --ending in murder/suicide --represented the end of a tragic downward spiral of a young life. But having read the chronological saga of Nancy as told in Deborah Spungen's book, it becomes crazily apparent that the short few months in the Punk scene with Sid was the pinnacle of Nancy's miserable life, and complete with lurid aspects, without doubt the only period in which she was happy.

Though Nancy's mother (who in subsequent years has gotten her Masters in Social Policy Work) seems to realize this with a singularly objective eye on one hand in her account, she raises some curious questions about her own perspective and priorities on the other.

Readers looking for the skinny on Sid and Nancy will need to work their way through the painfully hair-raising episodes of Nancy's tormented babyhood, childhood and adolescence which take up 80 percent of the book. (These details may sound unbelievable to anyone who has not personally known of such a biochemically skewed child, but Nancy's story may offer interest -- though not much in the way of hope -- to parents of children with undiagnosed congenital personality disorders.)

But the background, the difficult and lengthy recounting of the horrific sufferings of Nancy and her family, is essential in order to appreciate the relationship of Nancy and Sid -- one of the saddest, the bitterly sweetest, and arguably the only real love story to come out of the punk period.

Some of the most revealing and poignant Sid lore available in print comes unexpectedly in Sid's own voice as quoted by Deborah. Remarkably, after being released on bond from jail after being charged with Nancy's murder, Sid called Mrs. Spungen with a heartfelt apology for not being able to attend her funeral. And what do you know, the book title "And I Don't Want to Live This Life" comes--not from Nancy's words, but Sid's--in a surprisingly well-written and juicy letter to Mrs. Spungen about his love for Nancy.

Some interesting quirks exist in Mrs. Spungen's tome (one small but curious example: in the only two references made to Johnny Rotten Lydon, she calls him John "Lyman"). And other more intriguing questions could be raised about where Deborah Spungen is really coming from. In one aspect of consciousness, Deborah seems to realize that a)Sid and Nancy truly loved one another as best these two individuals could, b)Nancy's death was more suicide than murder in view of what few facts are known (for example, Nancy herself purchased the knife that killed her two days before her death), and c)Nancy was destined to die young as a victim of her own incorrigible biochemical nature.

Yet, when all is said and done, Deborah chooses to pledge her resources in the aftermath to "Parents of Murdered Children." From all Deborah and her family had been through for the entire twenty years of hell Nancy was on earth, this focus seems to rather miss the point. It would seem to an observer that a more fruitful and applicable endeavor might be research into congenital aberrations of personality -- more specifically blood bilerubin abnormalities