5 comments about Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction.

1. I have shared this book with my 21 yr old son who is in prison because of drug related crimes. I received a letter today saying that he now understands my side of his addiction. We have read both books (Beautiful Boy and Tweak)by father and son and have new insight and understanding for what we have BOTH been through. I hope to pass these books along to other family members and hope they gain some insight for what we have been through and can be more generous in their support for both of us. Thank you so much Sheff's for your bearing of soul. It has helped me and my son to grow closer.



2. I have never been moved by a book to actually take the time to write a review before. This book is not only well written but it is also a rude awakening to reality that we as parents do the best that we can but still could lose the battle. I have read a few of the negative reviews and I think that people are missing the point that Mr Sheff is simply writing to explain what it is like for families and parents. He does not glorify the events but recounts them with heartbreaking truth. There are parts of the book that may slow it down a touch but overall it is powerful and makes a point. Looking at the book you can see the mistakes that were made by David while raising Nic, but what parent doesn't make mistakes or have regrets. This book is truly an awakening to reality for me that any of our children are at risk and we all need to recognize that and take even the small signs to heart.



3. While I thought the father's view of addiction on the family was interesting, there really isn't much to the book. The story probably should have remained the in the magazine-length format.
   
   Two things did disturb me:
   
   1. Mr. Sheff hides the son's addiction from the step-siblings until they are past the age when Nic started to use drugs. Don't hide your head in the sand a second time!
   
   2. Mr. Sheff allows his son to travel to Europe and attend college out of state when he knows of Nic's drug problems. While it is impossible to control your child's actions, it would seem prudent to provide additional guidance when you know it is needed.



4. David Sheff has chronicled his son's addictive lifestyle as well as his reactions to discovering the problem through his detachment with love. He describes well the emotions a parent experiences as they best try to help and step away from enabling at the same time and how that experience leaves you feeling.



5. This book was unbelievable. It was "SPOT" on to what we have been dealing with, with our son for the past 8 yrs. He is an alcoholic and fortunately, as far as I know not addicted to hard core drugs.
   
   We have had several bouts of rehab, jail, etc. He is still struggling. He is now 22 yrs old. It was a sad on one hand and a relief on the other to know that addiction affects families the same, no matter what the addiction is.
   
   Hitting bottom is the key, but what does it take to do that? I keep praying that our son will live long enough to hit bottom and turn himself around. It's a matter of time before we kick him out of the house for the 4th time.
   
   I've been watching "intervention" on A&E which also shows the same details as in this book. I've contemplated turning him into this show. The other day he talked about drinking 19 beers and a bottle of whiskey in one night.....he weighs in at 148lbs and is 6' 2"!!!

5 comments about Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson.

1. Excellent story line. Loved the characters. Best story to show young children. Life teaches us so much. Great inspirational story.



2. It was a privilege to read about Morrie and Mitch, and to listen in on their conversations. For readers who are willing to open their mind and heart, there are many moments of grace within these pages. Mitch & Morrie helps us reflect on life, love, marriage, forgiveness and even death in way that makes us cherish life all the more.
   -Christopher Maricle
   The Jesus Priorities: 8 Essential Habits



3. After reading "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," by the same author, and reading/hearing comments about "Tuesdays with Morrie," I really thought this was going to be a great read also-- but it wasn't. Reviewers make it seem as though there are so many revealing thoughts and lessons to be learned through this book, however, I found most of them to be common sense based. It was interesting to follow how this elderly man degenerates, yet keeps a positive attitude all throughout. Nonetheless, it wasn't as engaging to read as "The Five People You Meet in Heaven."



4. Tuesday With Morrie is a wonderful book. It sits by my bedside and I constantly pick it up and reread a chapter or two upon going to bed at night. My husband read it and Morrie inspired him to change his life. He wanted to be more like Morrie. A book that helped him do this and continues to is Why Men Die Before Women and How to Prevent It. Read both of these books.



5. As a class we read the book Tuesday with Morrie by Mitch Albom. Tuesdays with Morrie is an incredible novel about a professor who becomes very ill and happens to connect with Mitch Albom an old student of Morrie's when Mitch found out Morrie was ill. Mitch is an average working man who is very involved with his work and gets wrapped up in things that dont really matter in life. In this book you learn a lot about yourself and the courage and bravery behind death. By reading this book you realize what matters in life and how important family and friends actually are. Its not about money and the nicest cars its about love and happiness. After reading this book I had a whole new outlook on life. Also you begin to notice what happens now wont effect you in the future.
   I suggest this book for anybody who is looking for a good read, or anybody that needs that extra push when they are in a time of need. This book opens up a lot of doors for many different people and I hope that this book has the same affect on people as it did on me.
   Enjoy :)

5 comments about A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive.

1. I, too, like several others, started this book, and was immediately taken aback by the poor quality of the writing, AND the relentless onslaught of horrific, somewhat unbelievable, scenarios described by the author.
   
   I don't doubt that he endured some form of abuse, probably severe, but it's hard to feel much sympathy for the story when there are so many holes, inconsistencies, and it's very poorly written.
   
   Disappointed that I spent money on this.



2. Check out "Dysfunction For Dollars" written July 28, 2002 for the NYT Magazine. The author, Pat Jordan, notes that "...In Pelzer's case, how much he is healing or how much he is swindling is unclear..."Peter Vegso, from his former publisher, Health Communications Inc, is quoted in the article. He says "David's always complaining we don't appreciate him, David's a professional victim. I haven't a clue if his abuse stories are true, but we kept his book in stock when it wasn't selling. Then Dave got on Montel Williams, and there was an instant demand." The author also notes that "Pelzer frequently purchases his own books for his signings at a discount and then sells them at list price." His brother, Stephen, was interviewed. He denies the abuse and says "David had to be the center of attention. He was a hyper, spoiled brat."
   
   If this isn't enough to convince you, check out "Dave Pelzer, The child-abuse entrepreneur" by David Plotz posted Friday, Sept. 29, 2000 on Slate. He writes "Pelzer, whose most insistent piece of advice is "don't dwell on the past," dwells on it very profitably." Describing Pelfrey's depiction of his mother Plotz says she "becomes more cartoonish, more Cruella De Vil. In the first book, she's horrible but erratic. By the third she is the incarnation of pure, calculating evil, saying things like, 'You gave me no pleasure, so you were disposed of.'" Plotz continues "his (Pelfrey's) dialogue, which is full of such over-the-top lines, is sometimes suspicious. Though it's reconstructed 20 or 30 years after the fact, it is eerily precise."
   
   Memoirs like this and James Frey's novel, A Million Little Pieces, (another Oprah interviewee) should never have made it as far as they did. It's a sad commentary that they have.



3. I loved this book I read it in one day I Have read "The Lost Boy" I suggest if you buy this read the other one too! I could not put it down it was scary to think that someone could grow up being abused like this and lived to share his story with everyone!



4. This was a very real study of emotions in the mind of a very young child.I wanted to know how this story would end. I felt that since it was the author's life story,he made it to adulthood,but at what cost?
   I was so haunted by the actions of the parents ,I wanted to take some kind of action to see that these parents were punished for the damage that they had done to him.In my mind I wrapped my love around him to try and ease the hurt in his heart,mind and soul.



5. I just finished reading A Child Called It and The Lost Boy. I knew this book was embellished after just reading a few pages into it. How can anyone seriously believe this account to be solid truth? It is so sad that someone can make so much money from telling a false story as if it were fact. It is even sadder that we buy into it and allow it to happen. I am sorry I did, I should have read the negative reviews. I trusted a family member. This book lacks the ring of truth as soon as Dave begins listing the abuse he recieved from the hands of his alcoholic mother. He recounts vividly all that she did to him, but never once explains why. The strange part is that for the first few years of his life, his family was perfect. They had a lovely home, went on family trips, had picnics in the park, daddy was a hero fireman, mother cooked delicious meals, decorated the house with hundreds of lights at Christmas, they got loads of presents from Santa, and most importantly Mother hugged David and loved him. Suddenly, almost overnight, she changed into a monster and began beating him, starving him, stabbing him and burning him. She laid on the sofa all day, drinking and watching her shows. The father sounds like he was abused by her too as he was not able to stand up to her and allowed David to be abused and drank along with her. David was the only one of the kids that was chosen to be abused, she treated all the other children well and they also turned on David. The family ignored him and made him sleep on a cot in the basement with no blanket. He was not allowed to eat meals with them and then not allowed to eat at all(not even from the garbage). He was starved, made to wear old ripped up clothes to school and not allowed to bathe(except for the days that his mother tried to drown him in the tub). His brothers and their friends would walk into the bathroom and see him laying there in the water and look at him with disgust. No one thought to say anyhing and when caught stealing at school some food from kid's lunches, he got in trouble even though he must have looked like a holocaust victim? No one wondered why he was wandering the neighborhood knocking on random doors asking for food? The entire town and school system were scared of his alcoholic mother so much so that no one dared to cross her. Even the cop that rescued him near the end was shaking and looking over his shoulder until they crossed the city limits? And he had never even met her, had only spoken with her on the phone. This mother was powerful. When Dave decided to embellish his abuse story he could have at least made it more believable!! The timeline even contradicts itself. Child abuse is not funny, and I am not making fun of it. I just don't believe Mr. Pelzer's account. I do think he was abused, just not like he portrays. He decided to make it sensational in order to sell more books. What he does though is make it sad for real abuse victims. He supposedly tries to get a message across, but fails miserably. There is no real inspiration here, only his inspiration to make money. He portays himself a hero. Any child would have done the same in his situation, survive. The will to survive is usually strong in victimized children. Many do grow up to inspire others, they glean depth from their situation and are able to make something good come from something bad. Dave Pelzer fails to do that. Even as an adult he fails to inspire me with his words. His journey is only incredible in the telling, not in it's depth. He seems to have gained nothing from his suffering. I find it hard to believe that people go to listen to him as an inspirational speaker. I hope his speech is better than his books. If my child were given this book to read in class I would have to object. It is no different than watching a spot from MTV for an hour. A waste of time, both.

4 comments about Somewhere in Heaven: The Remarkable Love Story of Dana and Christopher Reeve.

1. This book was a very emotional read. It was written so well that I felt like I got to know Chris and Dana on a much more personal level. I would like to quote what a neighbor observed about what Chris and Dana did for their son Will. "Fortunately", observed family friend John Bedford Lloyd, Chris and Dana "gave Will exactly what he will need-the gift of bravery and grace." I strongly recommend this book to everyone. :)



2. Christopher Andersen's sensitively written and touching portrait of Christopher and Dana Reeve in life and death--"Somewhere in Heaven''--beautifully describes what Larry King called "... two unforgettable profiles in courage." The poignancy of their struggle and the monumental solidity of their life together is underscored by their own words. Chris Reeve: "Real love, and the ability to love somebody as damaged as I was, that is a very rare and precious thing." Dana Reeve: "I didn't fall in love with Superman. I fell in love with a super man." This was not only an amazing marriage, but a true partnership to the very end. Sure to hit an emotional chord, "Somewhere in Heaven" is equally thoughtful and insightful--in short, a super read.



3. Christopher Reeve became the world's Superman, but his real-life struggle with spinal cord paralysis showed a strength far surpassing the comic book hero's, present both in him and his wife, Dana. Their stories, from their time of meeting to their reunion in heaven are eloquently recalled in Christopher Andersen's Somewhere in Heaven.
   
   This heart-breaking recollection of one of the most beautiful relationships to see Hollywood collects the family's best and worst times, from Christopher's first sight of his future wife to the horse accident that left him paralyzed. Their story, dotted with emotionally shattering moments, was one of true love and trust, as Dana took the full-time role of caregiver to her disabled actor husband, who, from his first awakening post-accident to his very last breath, felt the hardship of raising a family without the ability to physically interact with his and Dana's son, Will. But through their hardships and struggles came hope and inspiration, as their constant lobbying for stem cell research brought spinal cord paralysis to its highest awareness and amazing breakthroughs, often in Reeve himself.
   
   Upon Reeve's devastating death, Dana continued her husband's inspirational endeavours until stage-4 lung cancer reunited her with her husband less than two years later. However, son Will and Christopher's children with actress Gae Exton, Matthew and Alexandra, continue their parents' motivational work to raise awareness for spinal cord paralysis through the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. And it is through them, as well as the timeless works Christopher and Dana left behind, that they will live on in the hearts of millions. An absolutely beautiful, tear-jerking read that should be on every bookshelf.
   
   - T.C. Robson



4. I have just finished reading Somewhere in Heaven, The Remarkable Love Story of Dana and Christopher Reeve, written by Christopher Andersen. I did not think that I could feel such sadness for this couple, but from the opening lines, I found myself actually crying as I read and pretty well continued doing so until the end of the book.
   
   Although I thought Christopher Reeve was a good actor, I never really followed his career or his life. Of course, I was shocked by his tragic accident, but it wasn't until I heard about the death of his wife Dana that I clued in that maybe there was more to this family than I had originally thought.
   
   When I was given the chance to read this book, I jumped on it. From the opening pages, which described the last few hours of Chris' life, I immediately feel in love with this couple. After a brief description of Dana and Chris' childhoods, the author details, for us, their romantic and beautiful courtship as well as the birth of their son Will. I just loved the way these two people looked across a crowded room and just `found each other' - it was so perfect. All I kept thinking, as I read, was how lucky they were to find each other.
   
   However, as it seems to be with this couple, tragedy was never far away - apparently just about to strike. Most of us are, by now, quite familiar with the horrible riding accident Chris Reeve was involved in shortly after the birth of his child, in 1995. Although I was familiar with some of it, this book details the struggles that Dana had to go through to prevent Chris' mother from asking the doctors to remove him from the ventilator. From the moment Dana found out about the accident, she was determined to be there for her husband and it is apparent that she fulfilled this desire and became, in many ways, his `Superwomen' when he needed her most. I loved reading about her strength and her conviction that the man she loved, would come out of this somehow. How lucky Chris was to have picked this woman to be his wife.
   
   Chris and Dana truly showed the world that love can conquer all. They became activists and dedicated their lives to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries and through it all, you felt the intense love these two people had for each other. Just writing this, I feel as though I am going to cry again.
   
   Tragedy would strike again and again as Chris would suddenly die of a massive heart attack followed shortly by Dana's mother death and finally the biggest blow of all - the diagnosis that would tell Dana that she was dying of lung cancer. How much can one family take? Throughout all her fear, pain and sadness, Dana continued to champion on - and focused on her son and keeping Chris' message alive.
   
   Dana would eventually die of her disease, but in the wake of all the pain, this beautiful couple has left me in awe of their courage and strength. I applaud them and am truly inspired by their spirit.
   
   This book captures all of the events of their lives and is told in beautiful prose. You never feel as though you are intruding on their privacy, but rather as though you are asked to share in the joys and in the sorrows.
   
   The author did a wonderful job of writing a story that must have been emotionally draining to write, but it was also a story that needed to be told.
   
   Although the ending is tragic, the journey is beautiful. I suggest you get this book and find out just how strong the power of love is.

5 comments about It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.

1. A page-turner like no other, once I started it, I couldn't stop. Without a doubt, Lance is one of kind athlete, but that's not the point. The early achievements, the cancer battle, the return to the sport - it's an amazing story of the resilience of the human spirit, both on the account of people around him, and Lance himself. It's a gem of a book and an inspirational read, it reminded me of what we are all capable off.



2. I picked this book with trepidity. Having read scores of biographies from succesful sportspersons, I did not expect this one to be any different. They struggle, they compete, they succeed. I started reading this purely based my wife's strongly recommended this.
   
   And it just did move me completely!
   
   
   Once I started reading, there was no looking back. This is gripping cover-covcer. I guess the cycle races are such. We get so involved in the sport. Whern Lance talks about Cancer, it is not in absurd medical terms or over-simplification. He did carry me long - thtough his journry. I could vicariusly experience being with him in the ward in Idianopolis or at the Finish line of Tour De France.
   
   A narrative style that takes the audience at a leisurely pace, keeping the reder hooked and attached to the strory.
   
   Truly inspirational. A day after I finished the book, today, I am shaving my head for a cause - cancer patients!



3. I had a meeting with VP in the company and as I got in his office you can sense he was a Lance fans. I'm not! Maybe for his way to act that he so well describe in his book! As an ex-athlete my self I could not hide my opinion about Lance. It was a nice and healthy conversation. Few weeks later I had another meeting with the same VP and as I walk in to his office he gave me this book as a present, knowing I'm an avid reader.
   
   I read it during the long flight back home! Great inspiring book! Never did read a sportsman biography but this one is worth each single word.
   
   You learn something new every day! I guess I learn something more about a great individual and athlete!
   
   PS - I have a colleague that is fighting a similar battle and I gave the book to him because sometime other peoples words are better then your.



4. Whether or not you are a fan of Lance Armstrong, this book is incredibly helpful. Helpful for getting a grip on the implication of testicular cancer diagnosis and treatment. Also helpful for tackling the mental battle that comes with this disease. It is full of hope, and an important read for those diagnosed with Testicular cancer,and their significant others.



5. Both my wife and I are currently cancer patients. The book gave us the courage to believe that we can beat cancer. Lance's book is a must read for anyone who has cancer or if you have anyone in your family going through cancer treatements. It is a great mix of athletics and the will to survive and what it takes to accomplish both. Get it and read it!

5 comments about Madness: A Bipolar Life.

1. Marya Hornbacher's Madness is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. I do not often read nonfiction, but found myself at times forgetting that this was all true. Hornbacher has a gift with words and phrases and her writing is beautiful. At times, the story itself is disturbing, but for anyone who has lived with bipolar or someone who has it will love the book. It must have taken great courage to write a book that takes her own struggle with mental illness and use it to help others understand that they are not alone. Truly, it is one of the best books I have ever read and the single book that has most helped me understand this disease. After reading this one, I suggest you read The Center of Winter, also by Hornbacher.



2. Having recently entered into the confusing world of having a child diagnosed with bi-polar, trying to tease out a distinction between mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction, watching different psychiatrists prescribe different medications, along with the child being a hostile patient, i.e. doesn't want to talk about what's going on---this book is a brilliant insight into what's going on inside a rapid cycle bi-polar head. I recognized some actions of my son throughout this book and finally got a sense of what it must be like inside his brain. This book gave me a new appreciation for the pain he is trying to hide or run away from. And also gave me insight into how I can better be there for him in his mental illness while not enabling his addictive behavior. This illness is not fun and there seems to be a lot of differences in how to treat it, especially as the field of study on bi-polar appears to be expanding and new treatments are on the rise but not consistently throughout the psychiatric profession.
   
   Marya Hornbacher has done a great service for me by writing in such vivid prose her ongoing dilemma. Admittedly, my reading on bi-polar is not exhaustive, but this is the first book I've read that truly captured the tyranny of this illness. Ms. Hornbacher is a truly gifted writer. I do not envy her the ongoing struggle she faces, but she sure dug deep to write this. Throughout the the painful descriptions of behavior and feelings shines a courage that lifts my hopes for my own son.



3. I have a daughter who was diagnosed with early onset bipolar at age 11. She is now 22 with a 20 month old child and alcoholic (probably bipolar but won't seek help)husband. Marya's book was written with graphic discriptions of manic and depressive episodes. You can really feel her pain. This book should be great for someone who doesn't realize the trauma and pain that goes with this disorder. I was left with a sad, discouraged feeling. Although there are brief times of remission, I already felt that there is no way out of this nightmare. Maybe Marya meant the book to be that way as this is a serious illness with no cure just treatment sometimes effective and sometimes not.



4. Excellent book. Riveting and exciting look at the life of a very manic bipolar woman. Easy to read but hard to put down.



5. I have seen what Bipolar can do to people. This was really an eye opener.

5 comments about Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's.

1. I have lived with a partner with Asperger's Syndrome for over 12 years now. How true this book is as far as how their minds process differently from the rest of us "neurotypicals". It validates the difficuities of such a relationship, and portrays how one must accept the effected individual for who they are - they rarely change without egocentric motivation. An excellent book without being technical.



2. This book, above all the others I have read on the subject of Asperger's, is a must have. I gained more insight into how my oldest son might think by reading this book than any book written by people with a lot of initials after their name. Believe me, if you have a child or other relative who has been diagnosed with AS, then you owe it to them to read this book. In all honesty, I do hope that if you do read this book that your child is not going through a similar childhood that this man did.



3. This book was a bridge to the mind of my 13-year-old grandson, who not only deals with this syndrome, but Tourette's, as well. As we struggled as a family to understand him, it would've made all the difference in the world if we'd had this book as a guidebook!
   
   What was so hopeful and helpful to me was the resourcefulness which John Elder exhibited. It brings us a breath of fresh air to know that there is a world out there that needs Aspergians, and without these gifts (many from undiagnosed geniuses of historical significance), we would be much poorer indeed.
   
   I think the author was brave to share that hope with all of us!



4. This was an educating read on a fascinating character with Asperger's. To see Mr. Robinson grow and be able to utilize his condition for his personal well being was inspiring. The fact that he is Augusten Burrough's brother is what led me to read the book but after finishing the autobiography, I realize his relationship to his brother played a very small part in my enjoyment of the work.



5. Caution: SPOILERS in this review.
   
   The author seems to delight in "getting one over" certain people - he stages an elaborate stunt to get one over on the cops, tells his son convoluted lies about Santa being in trouble with the law, spends a huge amount of time setting up a trap for higher-ups at work to fall into (and then is incredulous and disgusted at the end result), and calls people insulting names because "that's the only way that works for me." Where does Aspberger's end and the "real" John Elder begin?
   
   He goes on at great length about not understanding why people from a certain city like the way he describes them. The word "goonie" is in the middle of his word, which may be the reason. If he asked instead of trying to puzzle such things out in his head he may be surprised to know others are also intelligent in ways he is not.
   
   The whole tone of this book is one of amused superiority.

1 comments about The Night of the Gun: A Reporter Investigates the Darkest Story of his Life--His Own.

1. Imagine James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" on a dose of truth serum, suffuse it with some cynical humor and a good handful of self-deprecation, and you get David Carr's remarkable and immensely readable memoir, "The Night of the Gun."Hats & Eyeglasses: A Family Love Affair with Gambling

5 comments about The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Vintage International) (Vintage International).

1. Absolutely amazing. And a quick read, too, so you really have no excuse to miss it. SHUT UP. NO EXCUSE. Jeez, you can even borrow it from me, okay?



2. This is a wonderful book. Very quick read. Makes you truly appreciate your own life. Highly recommended.



3. 
   
   Bauby gives us a truly remarkable and inspirational story of his life trapped inside a body that no longer serves him.
   
   But his mind remains as sharp as ever.
   
   He transcends his immobility with grace and a remarkable gift of a rich, lucid imagination.
   He is free in his mind to enjoy all of life and it's lush sensory gifts and memories...to take flight as if a butterfly.
   
   A heartbreaking true story.



4. This book was an eye-opening and amazing view into the internal life of a man under tragic circumstances. It is a very human look - sometimes funny and sarcastic and at times tragically sad - into Bauby's mind and spirit which never gives in.



5. I work with brain injured people daily and they never cease to amaze me. The book and the movie are testimony to the strength of the human spirit.

5 comments about A Man Named Dave.

1. This book is well written and I would recommend it to any teachers and students for insight into child abuse and how someone can make their life matter by not continuing the cycle of abuse. I also recommend A Child Called It by the same author.



2. I understand that I'm in the minority here, but I truly found this third book in the series by Peltzer to be preachy and over the top. I realize that the bok is a celebration of his triumph over the abuse and atrocities that he suffered, but I felt that the first two books were more "real" than this one. I can almost feel the presense of a finger reaching out, shacking, and wagging at the reader. I didn't even read the next one because I felt turned off by this one. No disrespect meant to the author.



3. I loved this book. I already read A child called it & The Lost Boy. I was touched by all three. However A Man named Dave brought tears to my eyes and made me very emotional. I applaud David Pelzer for sharing his life. He seems to be a re-markable man.



4. I have read the trilogy of this book and believe it to be uplifting and just truly amazing. It makes you strive to be all you can be and to treat others in the way you want to be treated. He is a true inspiration to anyone.



5. Very well written book. It is very inspiring. Once you start reading you cant put it down. This man has been through so much and triumphed.