5 comments about Stripped Naked.

1. For those of you who actually believe she went through all this, and think that anyone who speaks against her like she is some kind of saint, look for yourself, everything about her is unreal, she wrote another book claiming to be Raped, abused and forced into satanic rituals, then she claimed to be a concentration camp survivor. I understand that these books she has written may have touched a lot of people but there is no proof other than her own words, that she is who she claims to be.



2. Apparently, the late Laurel Wilson (a.k.a. Lauren Stratford, a.k.a. Laura Grabowski) wasn't satisfied w/fooling a willing public twice (first in "Satan's Underground", where her wildly untrue stories of SRA first came to light, and then again in "I Know You're Hurting", where she tries to offer counseling to actual victims), and decided to go for the trifecta...even if it were true, the book itself is poorly written and drawn out in many places.
   
   Oh, and to the anonymous reviewer who attacked the very first one, I don't believe everything I hear (just look at my posts to the Media Matters for America forum, LOL), nor do I avoid questioning the government (considering the shape our country's in, how can I not?)...it seems to me like *you're* the one who's in denial by refusing to accept that Stratford wasn't who she said she was and had a history of lying about abuse. Why do you think her first book, the aforementioned "Satan's Underground", was later pulled by its original publisher? And how do you justify her later attempt to portray herself as a Holocaust survivor and accepting donations intended for REAL survivors?
   
   As for the other anonymous reader, no one's denouncing her story because they don't want to believe it's true, they're doing so because it's NOT true...read the Cornerstone expose if you haven't already, or even her Wikipedia bio. Aaron, perhaps you'd like to check it out and see if you still think the negative reviewers like myself are "engaging in a deliberate misinformation campaign"...more importantly, can you tell me where anyone said anything about Willson/Stratford/Grabowski that wasn't true?
   
   In short: Don't waste your money. Grieve for the late Ms. Stratford and how different things would be if her untreated psychological problems had been dealt with at an early age, but refrain from furthering the lies and outrageous claims that should be left to die along w/her unfortunate legacy.



3. One hates to speak ill of the dead. However, the late Ms. Stratford successively claimed to be a survivor of "Satanic ritual abuse", a survivor of the Holocaust, and someone with multiple personalities.

   (In fact, some of the "ritual abuse" she discusses in the book "Satan's Underground" and some of the "concentration camp experiences" she related in appearances with pseudo-survivor Binyamin Wilkomirski "took place" simultaneously--it would be a remarkable feat for Satan himself to place his victim in Washington State and a Jewish children's detention center in Krakow, Poland at the same time!)

   It's hard to separate the knowledge of Ms. Stratford's tragic delusions from a reading of her prose, which is incoherent and disorganized. The heartbreaking truth is that she would have been better served by psychological and spiritual counseling that brought her closer to reality than by gullible acceptance of her wild stories.




4. THE ABOVE REVIEW SAYS:

   "Lauren Stratford has been investigated by a number of Evangelical ministries and has been shown to be a writer of fiction."

   Yeah, and you are someone who blindly believes everything you hear, have others' beliefs for your own, never question the government...etc. You are what's wrong with this world---Sit in judgement, all the while being a foolish follower. You tell us not to believe everything we read---and yet, you believe these 'Evangelical ministries' that 'proved' her story to be 'fiction'. Sorry, but the only fiction here is people who try to be something they're not...




5. It's very sad when those who have been abused are sought after to be discredited. It sure makes it hard to be a vicitim and not be belived because people are always out to discredit things they don't want to belive happen. Stripped Naked is a testimony of one woman's walk through Mulitiple Personalites.. a ray of hope for others like her out there.

5 comments about Light in my Darkness, 2nd Edition.

1. I received the book in no time at all. It was in great condition. I was completely satisfied.



2. Helen Keller was born June 27,1980 in Tuscumbia Alabama. Her father was an officer for the Confederate army and her mother was a wife. Keller wasn't born deaf and blind that started once she got older. She was about 14 months olds when she started the Perkins School for the Blind.As she grew older she moved to New York to attend Wright Humason School for the deaf. She went to Radcliff college in 1900 and graduated four years later. She died June 1, 1958 in Eastern Conneticut.
   Raven C



3. I have always been very impressed with the life of Helen Keller. The difficulties she overcame in life were phenomenal. This book, however, was not interesting to me in the least. I am sad to hear about how she moved away from her traditional Christian background and followed the false teachings of Swedenborg. The book is more about Swedenborg than it is about Helen. It is a strong promotion of Swedenborg's New Church. She claims that he had a special ability from God to find the truth in scripture. The problem is, he like all other cult founders, only takes portions of scripture and uses them out of context. He claimed to have special revelations that no one else ever did. Beware of anyone who makes such claims. According to the book, Helen was pretty silent on her beliefs for the last thirty eight years of her life. I hope she was silent out of her realization that Swedenborg is not master of the truth, but Jesus is the truth instead. I do not recommend you use your time reading this book. It can be spent much more wisely.



4. This book was not only touching because of Helen Keller's fascinating story, but also an uplifting reassurance that life is worth living. Her ideas, those from and about Emanuel Swedenborg, strike me as poingantly true. Helen Keller's unique perspective on the world adds an amazing depth and reality to this work. I absolutly reccomend it for anyone and everyone.



5. I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me look again at what I believe and see it more clearly. This is a great introduction to the ideas of Emanual Swedenborg and the New Church.

5 comments about Truly Blessed.

1. This book is truly a blessing! Pendergrass gives the story of his life straight to you, no chaser. Not only did his bio clear up a lot of misconceptions (I always knew the brother wasn't gay!), but it gave much insight into what he learned growing up as the child of a single parent in Philly (what a blessing his mother was!); his struggles to gain respect as an artist; his love for his children and determination to give them what he didn't receive from his own father; and his phemonenal wife Karen (special woman indeed!).
   
   I especially appreciated his sharing his deeper feelings about the day-to-day struggle of being a paraplegic. I'm glad that he told about the times when he didn't feel like being 'brave' and 'noble' about his situation, the times when he felt depressed and even suicidal. He really broke it down about having to meticulously plan his day around his injury (and even those best-laid plans go awry!). People need to know the realities of paraplegics, not just the sugar-coated stories of moving on in spite of. It makes me so grateful to be able to get up in the morning and do the things we take for granted every day.
   
   I hope there will be a revision of this book sometime soon, for I am sure there is more to the story since its publication 10 years ago.



2. It gave me a better insight of this strong and determined man. From his home town of Philadelphia to the his ups and downs of living in one of the most richest and prestigous towns in southern California. I recommend the book to anyone who love autobiographies. (as told directly by the person and not someone else)



3. Ok lemme start that I didn't purchase it nor bought it nowhere at a bookstore or whatever. I just checked this out at a library and was pretty amazed about this story that Teddy P put out. It shows all the sides from the ups and down between the life and times of his career. I'm such a huge fan to his music and always will be. I just read a few parts of the book but didn't had time to read the rest. I may get it used off from Amazon or get it cheap at a used bookstore or so. Long story short, this is a book I must have if I wanna learn more from this man. For all you hardcore or diehard fans who are real to Teddy, must get this or else check it out at a local library. That's how I did it. Well congratulations to Teddy Pendergrass for putting out a a wonderful book and look forward for the 2nd memoir to come out. Y'know where he's heading to the new millenium now. Definitely a must.



4. ...just curious...maybe (hopefully) it's his wife's hand...what an INCREDIBLE woman she is...perhaps the most impressive person in his autobiography, aside from his mother. Just finished reading this book yesterday...after staring at the cover for a while (yeah...like it was gon MOVE or somethin'...or like he was gon actually BLINK!)...the cover alone can capture you --- especially if, like me, you are a true Teddy fan. I think I just recently evolved into one, however...it's like his music is f.g.f.o. (for grown folks only), and I just recently grew up...hey, what can I say? It took me til my thirties to really appreciate where this man is coming from.
   ...so of course I had to pick up the book...there was no me getting away from it, or it getting away from me. Admittedly, it's probably the best autobiography I've read in a while, written in straight forward language and sprinkled with humor. Some of what he shares is surprising, some of it not so surprising, but all of it is revealing, and I know it took a lot for him to share all that he did of himself, and I really appreciate that. I had just turned 13 the same month he had the car accident that left him a quadriplegic (sp?), and I remember well all the speculations and the news reports. Though I was young, I remember how much his accident really impacted me. I think in a way, reading this book, I grieved his loss all over again...(I was in such a sad mood all day yesterday...just couldn't seem to shake it)... after all, he is telling his own story here...no more speculations or rumors...just his words. I hurt that he --- or anyone --- would have to go through such a painful ordeal. As for anyone, my only hope and prayer is that he's grown through it, and has become, or is becoming, more of the person God wants him to be. I can only imagine, though, the limitations those who are physically challenged must face, and reading this book has given me a new appreciation for that, for which I'm thankful. I think there are so many things that we all take for granted day in and day out. Hopefully, we will open our eyes to see how Truly Blessed we all are, too...just as much as Teddy is.



5. ...I have been listening to Teddy Pendergrass since his days with Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes (my father and I have copies of their 1975 LP "Wake Up Everybody" - he the LP, me the CD)and his earlier solo singles (among them, "Close the Door", "Only You" and "You Can't Hide from Yourself") are pure classics - just one example of the pure, raw, unadulterated soul music that was pumping out out of Gamble and Huff's PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS headquartered in Philadelphia. When I heard about his near fatal car crash in early 1982 and the fact that he had no movement from the neck down, my heart sanked - will Teddy Pendergrass ever be able to share his rare amazing gift of singing again? Sad to say, his albums since then does not capture the rawness that his prior recordings did (the lone exception, his 1997 CD "You and I", my review of which you will see in AMAZON.COM's music section). Although his music was a treat to the ears for me, like so many of his fans, I had a lot of misconceptions of Teddy Pendergrass; to wit, his playboy life, lavish lifestyle and his children bore out of wedlock. However, I had the opportunity during Labor Day weekend in September, 1999 to visit The City of Brotherly Love and picked up this book. This book dispells all of the misconceptions and, in the process, shows the tender side of Teddy Pendergrass, the man and the human being - from his humble beginnings in North Philadelphia, his earlier, struggling days with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, his devotion to his mother, his wife, Karen, and, most remarkably, his three children to the car crash and his daily struggles as a quadraplegic. To my fellow Teddy Pendergrass fans: ignore the image, pick up this book and read it from cover to cover. You will NOT be disappointed.

2 comments about Will the Real John Callahan Please Stand Up?: A Quasi Memoir.

1. I don't know about you. But I get sick and tired of asking how someone is - and getting a tale of woe. Perhaps I am a bit hard on them. But frankly, having lived amid the so-called differently-abled for about 20 years...it is so remarkable that they are the least likely to complain; love John Callahan's books; laugh at themselves; and give me (a so-called "normal") the courage to go on. Thanks John! But could you please write some more books? We all really need them!!!



2. Humor beyond compare. This book belongs in every nursing home, living resources center, self-help library -- not to mention on the nightstand of anyone who's ailing and needs a good laugh. A prolific cartoonist, all of Callahan's books are excellent, and none of the cartoons repeat in any of his several volumes. The vision of John Callahan is monumental. Don't miss the laughter; it will make you well.

5 comments about Climbing The Mountain: My Search For Meaning.

1. After the helicopter accident in which he nearly lost his life, and two younger men who had not fully lived theirs did, Kirk Douglas came to reflect more deeply on his past and its meaning. This led him to begin learning and studying about the Jewish religion that he had been born into. Through this return he found a deeper and renewed meaning to his life.
   This work is the sequel and continuation of his first autobiographical work 'Ragman's Son'. It is not as event-filled but makes up for this with its sincere reflectiveness. Douglas is a person of many talents, one of the great screen actors of America, and a person of great courage and determination.
   He provides in this work a vivid example of how new meaning in life can be found by 'return' to the religious tradition in which one has been born.



2. After reading Ragman's Son, I enthusiastically bought this book. The first few chapters are mind blowing. Then Douglas starts undergoing what psychologists call "Life Review" in his attempt to assess his life and find greater spiritual meaning.
   It was great, but if you've read Ragman's Son, hardly any of it was new. I felt as if I was reading 80% of the first book. Still, its a good read, and Douglas writes of his quest to find his spiritual self in a manner that I think will appeal to people who do not have religion in their lives. I definetly reccomend this book if you consider religion or spirituality overrated, but also want to find a bigger meaning to your own life.
   Don't let the word "spiritual" scare you away. Douglas doesn't get preachy, "holier than thou" or dogmatic. Most of his own life was spent without an attempt to understand his own religion or a spiritual understanding of the world around him, and he still has a practical outlook.
   I chose to give this book 4 stars, but if you read Ragman's Son, the reptition could be a disappointment.



3. I really enjoyed reading this autobiography. Kirk Douglas has had enough life and experience for his two autobiographies, and at the rate he is going, he'll have enough for a third!

   Kirk is unafraid to let us into his weaknesses, his fears and desires. He doesn't let anything stop him. No stroke could steal his love of life away. His spirituality sustains him, and his sharing of it sustains us.

   May he have long life.




4. Kirk Douglas has become a member of my family by the sensitivity of his writing. I feel as if I have known him the entire 46 years I have been on earth. I recommend this book to all those that are downcast and feel that life has not been fair to them. Mr. Douglas invites you into his heart and bears his soul. If you feel you are down in the valley, you surely will climb the mountain to victory as you read every word he has to share. Reading this book brought a smile to my face, a tear in my eye and a song in my heart!!



5. When he was fourteen, Kirk Douglas left the religion of his childhood. Or did he? In his later years he came to realize that his view of the religion of his childhood was childish. Paul's famous lines to the Corinthians comes to mind: "When I was a child I thought like a child, I spoke like a child, I reasoned like a child."

   Many of us dismissed our religious roots without really understanding or appreciating them. Douglas moved through the decades without looking back on that adolescent's decision to 'throw the baby out with the bathwater.' Serious encounters with his health and a near-death experience forced him to look again, which he did.

   He learned, as we all must, that one's true religion, after all, is a function of experience. Early in life we think religion is a set of beliefs which are handed to us and either accepted or rejected, with little or no middle ground.

   With encouragement from a rabbi, Douglas looked again at the old stories and to his surprise they had taken on new meaning and depth since his earlier reading. As Joseph Campbell would say, he found himself in those old stories; he came to realize that the stories are not about other people who lived 'way back when,' but about him, or you and me when we see ourselves in the stories.

   The story he tells is like a myth in which we can see ourselves--an adolescent who leaves his religion, a man who works at his career, only to end up where he started, but to 'know the place for the first time,' as T. S. Eliot said.

No comments about The Thought that Counts: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

5 comments about Angel Mommy: A Story of a Bulimic Mother.

1. Having suuffered from ED's for 15 years & being a Mom myself, I felt I could totally relate to this woman's story. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars, was I felt it was too short a book for the price. If any mother you know & care about is suffering from an eating disorder, I recommend you read this book.



2. I really have to say that this was a very unique book. This woman is funny, she has a lot to give, she does not sugar coat things in the least. She gives a realistic discription of life with bulimia, and does not try to wrap things up in a nice perfect package. There is no sugar coating. This woman is plain and simple crazy, but at least she admits it, is not ashamed of it , and does not make excuses. She is like the typical eating disorder patient. They really do to an extent enjoy the disease. I loved the fact that she slammed the insurance companies. This should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand more about the disease.



3. As a mother of three teen-age daughters and someone who has had no experience with eating disorders, this incredible tale of a bulimic mother was a true eye-opener. I encouraged my daughters to read it and after doing so, we were able to have some healthy, honest discussions regarding eating and body-image issues. Ms. Krikorian's raw, honest account of her struggle with bulimia is an inspiring story. I wish her the strength she needs to control this disorder and the hope for a possible recovery.



4. I first came across this book in a mothers club. I had heard through my playgroup that she (the author) was in the local papers and believe it or not in the same mothers club! Out of curiosity I read her book, and as a person I was appalled (however the woman in me somehow understood), as a mother I was mortified.

   How could she do this!? The answer - bulimia. Here is a all guts no glory book of a person, caught up in an estranged disorder. Linda K. recounts moments in her life that could only be fulfilled through bulimia. This book gives people a REAL insight to the real world of bulimia, I applaud her courage.




5. A Reader from California. Not having a first hand experience with an eating disorder---I found this book very informative and right to the point. The author gives the reader insights that are poignant and with an honesty that made for a clear understanding of what one goes through with this condition. I for one have gleaned a new understanding and compassion for anyone who goes through this. I recommend this easily read book to everyone to gain a first hand appreciation of this wide spread compulsion.

5 comments about Brush with Darkness: Learning to Paint After Losing My Sight.

1. It took an incredible loss for Lisa Fittipaldi to become a winner. Her inability to see the world from the outside forces her to look within. The author entices you from the beginning by intimately sharing her painful discovery into who she really was, and wasn't. A brilliant career woman channels her intelligence, determination, and resourcefulness into finding an answer, but not knowing to what. As her health continues to deteriorate she explores every dimension imaginable desperately attempting to discover her purpose in life. Miracuously everything seems to flow together and manifests itself in every stroke of her brush. It is difficult to conceive that her images come from an internal memmory bank, eloquently transfering onto canvas. Just as skillfully she takes the reader through this process managing to explain the impossible. After reading all night I finished the book feeling refreshed and inspired. A remarkable woman!



2. This is a well-written story about a woman who, after being suddenly plunged into darkness, struggling with denial and profound depression, ultimately triumphs and goes on to soar into a life she could never have imagined. This is a truly inspirational story which has lessons for all of us.



3. As Lisa Fittipaldi's "art dealer extraordinaire," I was honored to be included in her touching account of how she overcame going blind and went on to produce such moving realism in her paintings. As I read the book, I found myself unable to put it down, despite the fact that I have known the artist for more than five years and thought I knew her whole story. This book shows Lisa's journey to re-enter the sighted world after going blind and how she used art to find that path. The following quotes from the jacket cover indicate how this book inspired Natalie Maines, Heloise, Kinky Freidman, and Rick Riordan.
   
   "This book goes far beyond learning how a blind painter creates her works of art. It is an honest, heartfelt look at a woman who struggles to overcome her own faults and fears to find her authentic self."
   - Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks
   
   "A truly inspirational story with highlights, lowlights, and lessons we can all learn from."
   - Heloise, international household hints columnist
   
   "Lisa Fittipaldi is a great artist who also happens to be blind. "A Brush with Darkness" is the story of how art imitates life, and how life imitates art, and how both are mirror reflections of the miracle that is the human spirit."
   - Kinky Friedman, singer, songwriter, and author
   
   "By turns poignant, enthralling, and uplifting, "A Brush with Darkness" is a tribute to human perseverance and creativity. Lisa Fittipaldi writes as she paints - with deft strokes and vibrant color."
   - Rick Riordan, Edgar Award-winning author



4. I recently had the pleasure of meeting the author and her husband. I thought she was inspiring after a short visit over breakfast. But until reading this book, I had only seen the tip of the iceberg! It is amazing that someone who has endured so much can remain so positive and create great works on canvas as well as create great impacts on the lives of others. There is so much inspiration in this book. This will be great for Christmas gifts!



5. A book and story like no other that I have read. The author becomes blind and then learns to paint, as the title indicates, but what the review and title do not reveal is that the author guides the reader through her personal journey toward self actualization. By her frankness in revealing the changes she endured, the emotions she felt and the methods that lead to her acceptance, the reader gets a great insight into their own life and how to handle personal problems. A marvelously insightful book by a mind that is creative, mature and certainly a genius. I could not wait to see what happened next and found myself reading the book late into the night.

3 comments about My Sister's Keeper: Learning to Cope with a Sibling's Mental Illness.

1. "This beautifully crafted novel will grab readers with a stunning topic."
   This book shows different perspectives of this situation.
   
   -PV, Ashburn,VA



2. I read this book coming from the outlook of being a mom of a schizophrenic 14-year-old daughter. By the time I finished the book, I was sorry I read it. Although it was a brutally frank and honest account, Ms. Moorman not sugar-coating her feelings for her sister and making it into some kind of overcomer's tale with a happy ending, I found myself mired in sadness through the course of the story. There were so few hopeful moments that I found myself wondering why she wrote it in the first place, and how would this book give comfort or hope to other siblings of the mentally ill?
   
   I had to continually remind myself that for a young person in this day and age dealing with any kind of mental illness, there are so many more effective therapies and medications available with a greater chance of improving their quality of life. Sally seemed to go for so many long stretches without being medicated that I don't know how she did as well as she did (which wasn't that great most of the time).
   
   This book did leave me with a goal of working on bringing my ill daughter closer to her younger brother and sister.



3. This true-story book tells of a woman's experiences in dealing with a sister with bipolar disorder. Throughout her life, her sister's illness has impacted her own life in a variety of ways, and after the mother dies and she is the only one responsible for her sister, the situation intensifies. While on medication, the bipolar sister can function reasonably well, but she goes off meds from time to time and then the sister eventually has a mess to sort out.

   The ambivalence of the relationship (the two sisters both love and resent each other) is perfectly captured in this book. It rings true. Although there was sufficient money left by the mother and social services available to assist, so that this was not the "worst case" scenario that some families experience, still, the family-wide devastation of mental illness was well captured in this book.

   I couldn't put it down.

5 comments about The Rooms of Heaven : A Story of Love, Death, Grief, and the Afterlife.

1. I picked this up at the library never having heard of it and not expecting much. I was surprised at how interesting it was. The first part is a very honest, beautifully written account of her love affair with an addict. The story is structured in a an unusual, sometimes hard to follow, but effective style. The second part tells of her compulsive attempts to communicate with her dead fiancee. This was very interesting and plausible though she draws conclusions that I did not agree with. She also leaves out much of the actual spirit communications which I would have loved to read. Although she is very reflective and self-critical, it is often hard to see your own problems clearly. There is enough information presented that the reader can form his own opinions about what happened to her, however.
   I'd have to admit that it got long at times and I did have to skim. But, like life, you sometimes have to slog through the boring parts to really appreciate the highlights.



2. This for me was actually an engrossing read. The beginning I guess is what really sort of builds you up, because that is what keeps you reading on. It was interesting, but the one thing I really don't care for is the way that some books will not have chapter headings. But, overall I'd say it was worth it. I gave it 4 stars.



3. I would also use the word haunting to describe this book. Haunting and gut-wrenching, and in a strange way, almost familiar in parts. As I read it, totally engrossed, I kept thinking "there, but for the grace of God....". The rather innocent beginning, in a college town in the midwest, reminded me of earlier days of my own, as well as the meeting of someone who is so appealing that it creates an instant bond. And then the mysterious stangeness of addiction, and the feeling that somehow you could make it all better, but can't. And then the second part, stranger than the first, but no less plausible, just that the author slid over the edge of 'rationality'. Mary Allen is a compelling writer, and a courageous one. I'm glad I read this book (twice), although it was an intense and occasionally an uncomfortable experience.



4. Mary Allan tells quite a story about the love of her life, Jim Beamen. They have somewhat of a whirlwind romance and Mary starts to see that Jim has an addiction to cocaine. Mary chonicles her spiral downward with Jim as his addiction becomes out of control; coupled with alcoholism and their codependecy.

   When Jim commits suicide, Mary can't cope with her loss. She begins a descent into mental illness. Mary becomes 'addicted' to "automatic writing" in which she believes she is corresponding with Jim's spirit.

   I think Allan is very brave to write this memoir. I can't imagine her sadness, or her irrational thoughts. They seem so strange and as I read them, I could feel her overwhelming sadness and desperation to connect with Jim...and it takes courage for her to share that sad desperation with others.

   I found her writing style effective and I would recommend anyone who has suffered a tragic loss to read this book as it offers an insight into codependency, addiction and grief. Worthy of 4 stars.




5. This book so moved me that I felt compelled to write to Mary Allen, though I've never written to an author before. I found my copy in a second-hand store. It drew me to it in much the same way that Mary's life had coincidences and connections that could not be predicted.

   How can I say what affected me so about it? It wasn't that, 22 years ago, a close friend took his life, as Jim Beaman did. It wasn't quite because my ex had a bad relationship with cocaine. It was really that the honest telling of Mary's love and life with Jim was so true, in all its details.

   I believe, as Mary does, in life after death. And I also believe in synchronicity, those strange seeming coincidences that catch us by surprise. Dreaming of a friend, and then she calls the next day, after years of silence. Learning a new word, and then you start seeing it everywhere.

   One coincidence about this particular copy of the book took me totally by surprise. The book, of course, was used, so it had its former owner's name, in feminine script, on the first page. "N. [last name]," it read. When I flipped to the Acknowledgments section at some later point (it was dog-eared), I saw Mary's last thank-you sentence: "... and John [same last name], who read the manuscript and listened to me talk about it so often he practically knows it by heart."

   So this book has come to mean more to me than just the story, which is moving and sparkling enough. Although N. gave it away, I never will!