4 comments about Cry Out!.

1. This book is not an easy read. In fact the physical emotional and mental pain is so intensely conveyed through Peter, the hero and survivor of this horrific story, that you may need to occasionally put the book down. However, you will eventually want to finish this book and read the sequel, Renegade Saint, by the same author.



2. Every so often I read a book that really clicks with me, and I can feel and live through the story with the author. This was one such book.

   In the early 1950s, Child welfare removes young "Peter" from his family and places him in foster care with his younger brother. Told from the confused perspective of a little boy, this book shocked and astounded me from the first page, made all the more astounding by the fact that someone actually lived that life. From then on, things only get worse for young Peter. He is mistreated and scorned, but this is only the beginning. At the age of eleven he is adopted by two of the most vicious foster parents I have ever read about. Like Dave Pelzers' "A child called IT" the injustices suffered by Peter are almost to horrible to read about. But, like Pelzer and so many others, Quinn eventually discovers that he is stronger than he previously thought, and that life is still beautiful, and that hope is never misplaced.

   READ THIS BOOK!




3. Some years ago while looking through a magazine (I think it was the NEW YORKER) I saw a very small advertisment for this book & instantly knew I had to have it. Abused as a child by several family members & even a few people outside the family I grew up wondering if I was the only one. I really needed this book & since finding it I keep looking for memoirs by other fellow sufferers. It is very important to me to know there are others out there. Since I am too close to the material to give a balanced opinion let me just say I very much understand why the author wrote in the third person & he absolutely captures, for me, how alone the experience made me feel. This is not a club of which I wish to be a member but it is very comforting to know I am not the only one.



4. This book takes place in the early 50's. Things are a lot different then, as opposed to now as far as foster children and adoption. This story is about "Peter" , who's mom gets sick and dad goes away. He gets shuffled around to foster homes, and then stays with one for awhile. He doesn't like it there, but tries to make the best of it by building a relationship with the family dog. The book is good if you're a Christian, but there's only a few parts where they actually mention church in it. It is a great book, and was an easy read for me. I finished the book in a few days. It seemed the boy went through a hard time in his life but made it through. He only got beat with the belt when necessary as opposed to other books I've read on this subject where the person gets beat for no reason at all. It's a great book, pick up a copy and happy reading!!!

No comments about I Don't Want To Be Homeless.

3 comments about Friendships in the Dark (Friendships in Dark).

1. As a country girl I have always loved the books written by James Herriot. When I read "Friendships in the dark" I knew that I had found another such writer. She knows the importance of a farm horse, the loyalty of a good old dog, and the companionship of a cat. I am not blind, but followed her and her dog guide Lear through every adventure, and cried huge tears at his death. I would recommend this title to anyone who loves animals, or to one who simply wants a good read. If you aren't an animal lover you may be one when you finish the book.



2. Review of Friendships in the Dark Phyllis Campbell is a writer, teacher, counselor, and musician, who happens to love animals. Her autobiography, Friendships in the Dark, chronicles ordinary events; leaving home, going to school, getting that first apartment, meeting her future husband - made magical by the intervention of the pets and people in her life. Blind since birth, Phyllis left home at six to attend Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, where her sister Inez was also a student. Just as the blind seek a physical connection with objects and people to make the meanings denied by sight, Phyllis weaves emotional connections to the events in her life. Thus, the ill and homesick child, away at school for the first time, hears a dog that barks nightly on Beverly Street as a messenger from her dog Sly, at home 70 miles away. The prayer of the five-year-old Phyllis, "Please God, bring my cat home." is answered 20 years later when Phyllis and her sis! ter rescue the lost cat of another child. Her husband Chuck designed the wrist corsage Phyllis wore to play the piano at her senior dance, although the two were not to meet until years later. If you can't imagine what it is like to be blind, this book will enlighten you. You'll learn what braille is and how it's taught, and what it's like to lie in the school infirmary 50 years ago, haunted by grim ghosts of blind girls from a century before. You'll feel her anxiety when Phyllis flies alone to New York for 4 weeks of training at Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and the connection when she and the dog, Lear, suddenly bond. You'll understand her doubts as a blind woman contemplating marriage to a man with normal sight; "For me, there was always that fear that I couldn't take my place as a normal wife. What if I failed?" But it is the people, blind and sighted, and especially the animals in Phyllis's life that illuminate this book. From Gray Boy, the cat left home! when she went away to school, to Lady Jane Gray, the cat t! hat came with her first house and still commands the castle, to wonderful Lear -- the dogs and cats stalk and scamper through her book, dragging mayhem and laughter behind them. Like the good Virginia wool in the socks she knits, Phyllis Campbell's memories of pets and people in the past are woven together in a rich fabric. This book makes a great gift. Better yet, buy it for yourself.



3. Our world is for those with eyesight. Looking a loved one deep in the eyes, carefully avoiding getting hit in our busy traffic, watching our favorite movies or tv-shows. Who doesn't know the feeling of stumbling around in a dark house trying to find the lightswitch? But who can really imagine what it is like to live in this world without that sense of sight. Reading the story of a remarkable woman, who has never been able to see, but faces the world and her daily problems with great optimism, makes you reflect upon how our lives would be if we were unable to see. Would we have the courage to get up in the morning and face the day. I wonder. I really enjoyed reading her story, because it is so recognizable. Because we can see the dogs, the cats, the horses and her husband. Take an evening off and read her tales.

No comments about If It Weren't for the Honor-I'd Rather Have Walked: Previously Untold Tales of the Journey to the Ada.

3 comments about Gone Without a Trace.

1. The very poignant and personal story of Marianne Caldwell's experience after the disappearance of her mother, Stella Dickerman, explores the primary human emotions involved in the loss of a loved one. The book provides organized assistance for those who may be forced to search for a missing loved one. Ms. Caldwell shares her knowledge that was gleaned over many months of searching for her missing mother, who was a victim of Alzheimer's disease.

   As important as the ability to identify and empathize with the emotions outlined in this text over such a tragedy, is the information Ms. Caldwell details on how to interact with governmental agencies when confronted with a disappearance and possible death of a loved one. She clarifies official rules and regulations and outlines the names, addresses, and phone numbers of important and helpful agencies that are in existence to assist people in this unfortunate circumstance. The book offers examples of sample letters to write to the various organizations, and describes how to more assertively demand action in some instances. In addition, there are recommendations of proactive ways to work with patients who have Alzheimer's disease to keep them safe, but still be able to enjoy the life around them.

   This book is not just about loss and grief for those who work with home care, and hospice patients, it is beneficial for parents, adult children of aging parents, and other health care professionals. This book is concise, well-written, and outlined in an organized manner for easy retrieval of important information.

   T.M. Marrelli's HOME CARE NURSE NEWS. 2/96.




2. Losing a loved one through a sudden disappearance is one of life's traumatic events affecting families and communities. Caldwell, poignantly reveals the personal journey she took when her 83 year old mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, quietly vanished from a New Hampshire neighborhood schoolyard in 1991. Factual information about Alzheimer's, the grieving process, and the search for missing persons are sensitively combined with a personal life tribute to Stella Dickerman. Caldwell highlight's the pitfalls of the current search process while presenting preventive tips useful in times of crisis. A unique "cookbook" recipe for the search process is provided, complete with sample letters: a missing person profile sample, alert notice sample and medical examiner letter are included. Resource names, resource centers for the Alzheimer'' Association Safe Return Program, and a variety of suggested readings complete this handy volume. An excellent choice for public libraries at an excellent price. --Linda Malone, Library Journal Review 04/05.



3. Imagine your mother wandering off from a school softball game. Imagine searching frantically for her for three years. Imagine her remains being found in the woods where she had died. This happened to Marianne Dickerman Caldwell's mother. Stella Mallory Dickerman was an educated woman who had gone back to get her Master's degree after having her children. She was a teacher, an artist, and a world-traveller. She also had Alzheimer's Disease. At age 83, on a September day in 1991, Stella went for a walk, and she was never seen again. Marianne Caldwell's book about this experience is not only a very poignant and personal story, but it also offers comfort and guidance to families who have experienced loss; and assistance for families who are searching for a missing loved one. With those she used for her mother, Marianne gives a sample query letter, missing persons profile, and letter to a medical examiner. She also lists the addresses and phone numbers for the Alzheimer's Association's Safe Return Program and for State Agencies on Aging, as well as other helpful organizations.

No comments about Dravecky: A Story of Courage and Grace.

No comments about Raising Blaze.

2 comments about Battling Through Life: The Story of Filomena Danisi.

1. One of the many benefits working in a profession that includes dealing with the general public on an ongoing and interpersonal level is when they share the creative aspects of their life with me. Some patients come in with cookies, some with stories, some with excuses about their unpaid balance and on rare occasion, some come in with a poem, a song or in the case of Filomena Danisi, a heartfelt book.
   
   Ms. Danisi writes about what she knows best, her life. Her writing style is engaging and her message is inspiring. She throws cold water on a world where most people complain about their bus being late. She makes you examine your priorities by indirectly explaining hers.
   
   Reading this book will not only give you insight and perspective, but an inspirational focus. Her attention to detail is tasteful and her story is riveting. Read the book and learn from it. I did.



2. Filomena Danis has done it her way and no other way possible. From the moment she first saw her hand tremble to the day of her diagnosis she could not accept her fate.
   Living with Fredrick's Ataxia {a progressive,incurable neuromuscular disease} could be likened to living with a poltergeist. A cup crashes to the floor, scissors won't cooperate, terror seizes the heart, anger dashes over everyone. "I couldn't stop whatever it was from progressing.. It had a life of its own, and no one-least of all me- could stop it.
   Throw in the usual mix of neurosis, parental guilt, family secrets, blurred boundaries, religious doubt. Whip into that imagination, some poverty and dealing with our inadequate social service systen and top it off with a sibling having the same diagnosis. Thank goodness she wrote this book..She truly succeeds with determination and detail to bring us to the brink of "..the dread of insignificance..."(H.S.Kushner)then catches us with her net of forgiveness, peace,and vision.
   Marge Helenchild May 2005

3 comments about Heaven in His Eyes.

1. I thought the book would be more about the boy. It is merely a diary of the mother and how much she cried. I was very disappointed and thought the story would be focused on the boy and how he felt during the last few weeks of his life.



2. Losing a child is one of the most devastating events that can happen to a parent.

   Helplessly watching a son or daughter grow weaker day by day while in your care is, perhaps, even harder.

   Debra Hobbs was able to work through her grief by writing a book after her son Glenn DeBusk died in 2001 from a debilitating bone disease.

   The book, "Heaven in His Eyes" has gotten some attention from booksellers and readers alike since it was published by PublishAmerica.

   Hobbs said she dropped a copy of the book off at Borders in February, when the book first came out, and was invited to do a reading from it in May. She has since returned to do a second reading at Borders.

   Borders manager Sue Skaggs said she was so inspired by Hobbs' book that she organized a book signing at the Relay for Life on July 11 and 12 at the West High track.

   Proceeds from the sale of the book that weekend will go to the American Cancer Society.

   "Heaven in His Eyes" is also available at Borders and both Bible Book Store locations.

   "It's been an incredible thing to witness because so many people have reacted so positively to the book," Hobbs said.

   She wrote of mornings when she cried herself awake and nights when she cried herself back to sleep.

   She spoke of the numbness after Glenn's death and the wonder of his life.

   The book is written with simplicity and courage. Never does it read as if Hobbs is seeking sympathy or pity. It is written just as Hobbs speaks of her son -- with unconditional love.

   "His life was so special," Hobbs said. "I always knew that, after he died, I'd write a book about him. I started writing it five days after he died. It's a wonderful story, and writing it was an incredible experience."

   Through the 220-page paperback book, Hobbs weaves her own story and that of her family, which includes Glenn's father, Marion; Debra's husband, Eric; and Glenn's half-siblings, Justin and Jolie. Faith is a major part of Hobbs' life and is a big part of the book.

   The book is written in journal style, capturing the heartache Hobbs endured in the days after Glenn's death and the joy she experienced with him in life. Each chapter begins with a date and a time of day, usually early morning.

   At the heart of the story is a mother's love for her son. She captures moments from Glenn's life with an uncanny attention to detail as if she had all the scenes in her head and merely had to write them down.

   "One day I watched Glenn through the patio door as he was walking around in the rain," Hobbs wrote. "He was splattering his shoe in a small puddle in the rain, reaching both hands up to 'catch the rain.' "

   Hobbs first discovered that Glenn was blind when he was 2 years old.

   His medical problems in-creased until, at the age of 5, he was diagnosed with osteopetrosis, a rare genetic bone disease.

   When he was 13, Glenn developed scoliosis and had to wear a back brace to prevent further curvature of his spine.

   Eventually, he had to use a wheelchair, then became bedridden for the final year of his life.

   Hobbs quit her job to care for her son until his death in June 2001, just shy of his 22nd birthday.

   Soon after her first book came out, Hobbs began writing her second, which picks up where the first book left off. In it, Hobbs said, she explores the world of book publishing and the excitement of getting your first book published.

   Hobbs said she was always good in English, but never dreamed she'd write a book. Six months after Glenn's death, Hobbs signed a contract with PublishAmerica.

   "It's been exciting to have new people come into my life," she said.

   Some of the numerous e-mails she's received from people who have read her book noted that hearing how Hobbs dealt with Glenn's death is helping them deal with their pain.

   One person wrote, "I couldn't put the book down! What a gift you've given in honor of your son. I think losing a child is
   probably the worst experience a mother can go through. Your book gave me great comfort."

   Jaci Webb may be reached at 657-1359 or at jwebb@billings-gazette.com.

   Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.




3. Glenn's story is truly one only God could write. You will truly see the joy of the Lord in Glenn's life. A true testimony of what God can do no matter what the obstacles in our lives. All our trials and tribulations all bring us back to HIM. Glenn's life was a true example of God's love. Through joy and pain Glenn never stopped loving the Lord. All that knew Glenn have been blessed by knowing him. The rain will always bring joyous memories of my nephew Glenn DeBusk! Thunder not only shows Gods power, but much joy to a young man....Glenn loved rain and thunder. Now when I hear thunder and rain I can't help but think Glenn has been put in charge of that!

5 comments about My Mother Dying.

1. I have just finished reading MY MOTHER DYING by Hillary Johnson, art by Ruth Jones, the mother Johnson nursed during her final illness. This is a beautiful memoir to the complex relationship of mothers and daughters, a memoir addressing those who have cared for and wathced a loved one die, a memoir about the coming of age of a woman who became a wife and mother at a very young age in the fifties. Ms. Johnson has captured the magnificence and complexity of the mother-daughter relationship, an artist's struggle to express herself, a family member dealing with the myriad of problems that are present in watching a loved one pass on. The author's prose is glorious, and she uses many notes her mother wrote to her after she was rendered mute fom throat cancer surgery. Johnson has preserved the many legal pads filled by her Mother after her surgery, and uses them in her book to give a voice to Ruth for all, and a voice from Ruth to her daughter. The bonus for readers is the reproduction of Ruth Jones' art, whimsical and telling of her life, and the insight it gave her daughter into her mother's own self expression.



2. This book is a entrancing autobiography and biography of a woman and her mother and in particular the story of a rekindeling of their connection as adults when the mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Unlike the suggestion of the title this is not a depressing story, it is strongly life affirming, funny and an interesting look at two remarkable women. It has helped me greatly in dealing with my own mother's death from cancer. I recomend it highly!



3. This "shared memoir" is a gem in every way: from the author's eloquent writing style to her mother's whimsical yet provocative drawings and even the smooth surfaces of the pages. Like the physical feel of the pages and the colors in her mother's artwork, the authors' words are finely wrought and rich. I didn't want to put the book down.



4. I feel I cannot do justice writing a review on such a high caliber memoir. Emotions run so deep and the characters are made so lifelike that I felt such a kinship with this family. Hillary Johnson is a fantastic writer and a fabulous daughter and caretaker. She deserves five gold stars for the wonderful job she did taking care of her mother through such dramatic medical horrors. I am honored and enriched for having read her book. Her mother was the bravest of women who faced life and illness with the best attitude possible. Her book will be the biggest help to me as my mother's health continues to decline. Thank you to both of you, Hillary and Ruth. Your mother was absolutely right to encourage the writing of this painful, truthful account of her living and dying. I am ordering it now for my sisters.



5. I met Hillary this weekend at her High School Reunion, which I attended with my Fiancee. I am VERY sorry that I did not have more time to speak with her, our weekend was too short! You would never know Hillary was sick with CFS, her demeanor, quiet manner, and her easy humor put me, a profoundly shy woman at ease immediately!
   
   The morning we left, she stopped by our room, and gave me a copy of her book, 'My Mother Dying.' The gesture touched me deeply, as I am an author, and one of the hardest things for me to do is give one of my books away, it is like giving away a small piece of my soul. Selling them in different, but to give one away is never easy.
   
   I am deeply thankful that she did so, as I started reading it Monday morning, and finished it at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday morning, I could not put it down, finishing dinner with it in my hand, forgoing unpacking, and a myriad of other tasks, to continue reading.
   
   It is amazing how much our Mothers of that period went through, what their own Mothers went through, and how much that shaped how they raised us, not wanting to teach us to reach for too much, thinking their warnings of failure were an honest attempt to cushion the blows and rejections sure to come to us in life, but almost forced to embrace a feminist movement few of them could join, as they were already Mothers of young children.
   
   That almost forcible delay of their dreams so that they could raise us, led to a shattering of our lives and connections from the time we were young women, until we are often in our 40s or 50s or later. Often only their own mortality forces us both back to the table to try and resolve the loveless years in between.
   
   Thank you, Hilary for putting into words so honestly the very same issues many females (and males) who were both born, and grew up during the 50s to 70s transitional years, have faced with our Mothers.
   
   T. Lindsey aka Ronin Schtihl Daire
   fellow author and chronic illness survivor